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Basic Bitchen

100+ Everyday Recipes—from Nacho Average Nachos to Gossip-Worthy Sunday Pancakes—for the Basic Bitch in Your Life: A Cookbook

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About The Book

Embrace your inner basic bitch with these 100+ everyday recipes for “basic” meals you shamelessly love.

In a world where everyone seeks to be special and prides themselves on their differences, there is one common bond that unites us all—basicness. And while some rock the Ugg boots and drink pumpkin spice lattes more than others, we can all still appreciate the simple pleasures that mimosas, avocado toast, and acai bowls bring. And that’s okay!

Basic Bitchen celebrates and embraces the basic bitch lifestyle through food, offering step-by-step recipes for the most fundamental (and delicious) of all dishes. Recipes include:

-Basic Bitch Lifeblood, aka. the Pumpkin Spice Latte
-Mom’s Definitely-Not-Sicilian Sicilian Caesar Salad
-“I Could Eat This, Like, Every Day” Sushi Rolls
-A Deeply Personal Cauliflower Pizza
-Way Too Easy (If You Know What I Mean) One-Sheet-Pan Dinners
-Antidepressant Red Velvet Cake Pops

In addition to these easy, fun, and flavorful crowd-pleasing recipes, Chowhound editor Joey Skladany provides tips and tricks for cooking basics, such as how to build a pantry and cooking tools that every chef needs. Take your cooking skills beyond the microwave and make meals all of your friends will enjoy.

Excerpt

Basic Bitchen

About The Author

Joey Skladany is a NYC-based writer/editor, TV/radio personality, and editor-at-large for Chowhound. His work has been featured in outlets like Food & Wine, People, InStyle, Travel + Leisure, and BuzzFeed. Prior to a career in editorial, he served as the lead publicist for hit TLC shows like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, My Strange Addiction, and My Crazy Obsession. In his spare time, he enjoys volleyball, traveling, worshipping Beyoncé, writing depressing poetry, interior design, and perfecting his stand-up comedy routine. He’s also been struck by lightning—quite the shocking experience.

Why We Love It

“Not only does Chowhound’s debut cookbook include 100 delicious and simple recipes, but Joey Skladany’s hilarious running narrative will make you spit out your pumpkin spice latte!” —Anja S., Senior Editor, on Basic Bitchen

Product Details

  • Publisher: S&S/Simon Element (August 4, 2020)
  • Length: 224 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781982138387

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Raves and Reviews

“You will definitely LOL while cooking and reading this one, which has recipes like Basic Bitch Lifeblood, a.k.a. the Pumpkin Spice Latte, ‘I Could Eat This, Like, Every Day’ Sushi Rolls, and Way Too Easy (If You Know What I Mean) One-Sheet Pan Dinners.”Cosmopolitan, 14 Cookbooks That’ll Transform That Sad Bag of Groceries Into a Gourmet Meal

"In this humorously irreverent debut cookbook, Chowhound editor-at-large Skladany presents over 100 "tried-and-true recipes that are not only delicious but super easy to make." He opens with beverages—including a frosé, made with rosé and frozen strawberries, and a nonalcoholic pumpkin spice latte—and quick appetizers that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less, such as avocado toast and caprese salad with burrata cheese. Many of the entrees are healthy options, including sheet pan salmon with lemon-dill dressing and black bean-quinoa burgers, but there are also plenty of indulgent dishes as well, grilled cheese with cheesy fries and truffle macaroni and cheese among them. Desserts feature palatable fare such as chocolate chip cookies and strawberry macaroons, while a chapter on brunch offers classic dishes like chicken and waffles and quiche. Less experienced cooks will appreciate the tips that Skladany sprinkles throughout ("I opted for margarine… because it has a higher melting point than butter"), and may chuckle at some racy recipe introductions ("My grandma says if she’s not dead by ninety, she’ll become a heroin addict"; "Boys on Grindr looking for ‘friends’ are like me walking into a Chinese restaurant and looking for bok choy"). The recipes are straightforward and easy to follow, making this book a reliable resource for home cooks looking to build a repertoire." —Publishers Weekly

“Does healthy cooking have to be so stuffy? Joey Skladany, TV personality and editor-at-large of Chowhound, doesn’t think so. He’s found a better way to wellness in his book, Basic Bitchen: Everyday Recipes—from Nacho Average Nachos to Gossip-Worth Sunday Pancakes—for the Basic Bitch in Your Life. Available Aug. 4, the Millennial-pink hardcover cookbook distills cooking down to its most simple, pleasurable essence using ingredients you can actually pronounce and afford, without skimping on creativity in the recipes. . . . But while Basic Bitchen is loaded with superfood-packed healthy meals, it’s also a full-blown celebration of those less-than-good-for-you cravings for things like truffle mac ’n’ cheese and decadent chocolate chip cookies that we all have. A recipe for matcha lattes with collagen peptides can be found adjacent to one for gin-spiked matcha cocktails; Pfft to Portion Control Pork Dumplings snuggle alongside Respectful Trail Mix—all with a healthy helping of humor. Skladany’s balance of the wholesome with the indulgent is the refreshing take on wellness the world needs in the COVID-era.”Joni Sweet, Forbes

“Luscious levity finds its way into every sassy chapter of Basic Bitchen. . . . Skladany is making his great-grandma (and Beyonce) proud. Take a page from Basic Bitchen and be tasteful, be wary of errant lightning bolts, and be his guest at the most inclusive table imaginable. Wokeness is served.”—The Rage Monthly

“With Basic Bitchen, Joey Skladany has probably put together one of the most entertaining cookbooks one might come across.With recipes for items such as Antidepressant Red Velvet Cake Pops and entertaining stories, Skladany aims to connect readers and cooks with the basic pleasures of life.”Windy City Times

Basic Bitchen is poetry to the ears of any basic bitch. Chowhound’s Joey Skladany is a self-proclaimed basic bitch. Which is why it should come as no surprise that our editor-at-large’s first cookbook, “Basic Bitchen,” is a cheeky ode to life’s simple, gloriously Instagrammable pleasures. His millennial pink-tinged (of course!) cookbook is peppered with over 100 recipes for your basic bitch at heart—from Pumpkin Spice Lattes to fluffy pancakes—filled with Joey’s wit, humor, and undeniable passion for bottomless mimosas at brunch.”—Amy Schulman, Chowhound

“Joey Skladany’s book Basic Bitchen proves that yes, you can still take your avo toast to the next level. You can do the same with your cauliflower pizza, hummus, pancakes, or any other ‘basic’ food, as the cookbook author shares his favorite recipes in a clever and humorous way.”—Hello Veggie

“Joey Skladany’s new book Basic Bitchen: 100+ Everyday Recipes from Nacho Average Nachos to Gossip-Worthy Sunday Pancakes for the Basic Bitch in Your Life is so funny. Joey relishes life’s most simple pleasures like imbibing bottomless mimosas, lighting Yankee Candles, and brunching on avocado toast. Whether you’re an awful cook, a novice, or someone who just loves their meals basic, this book arms you with tried-and-true recipes—complete with tips and tricks—that are not only delicious but so easy to make.”—Sweet Paul Magazine

“Not only does this book contain more than 100 recipes for delicious, everyday basic recipes, it’s absolutely hilarious. Each recipe features fun introductions to the recipes that will have you absolutely laughing out loud. You’ll be so excited to try Mom’s Definitely-Not-Sicilian Sicilian Caesar Salad or the Basic Bitch Lifeblood, aka. the Pumpkin Spice Latte.”—Foodnetwork.com

“Looking for the perfect gift for your holiday host or hostess? The Basic Bitchen cookbook celebrates and embraces the “basic bitch” lifestyle through food, offering step-by-step recipes for the most fundamental (and delicious) of all dishes. In addition to these easy, fun, and flavorful crowd-pleasing recipes, television personality and food editor, Joey Skladany, provides witty tips and tricks for cooking basics, such as how to build a pantry and cooking tools that every chef needs. The perfect kitchen staple, Basic Bitchen is equal parts hilarious and delicious.”—Bella Magazine

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