Fresh & Fast

"Fresh food is more convenient than packaged," Marie Simmons says, and luckily for us, she provides more than 200 recipes to prove her point. In this book--Simmons' most ambitious to date--you'll see why her recipes, regularly featured in Bon Appétit, Woman's Day and Ladies' Home Journal, have become favorites with millions of cooks across the country. Whether it's Warm Egg Salad on Whole Wheat Toast or Lemon Basil Chicken, each is deftly simple, yet freshly conceived and imaginative.   By following the inspirations of the seasons, Simmons shows how to vary your menu with dishes like Crisp-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs in spring, Roasted Tomato and Fresh Corn Soup in summer and Orange Baked Squash in fall. Each recipe tells exactly how long it will take to prepare and alerts you in advance about any steps that require a little extra time. Most can be made in less than 45 minutes, including: Lemon Basil Chicken, Warm New Potato Salad with Scallions, Penne with Roasted Vegetables, Pork Tenderloin Marinated in Soy and Orange, Sesame Brown Rice Pilaf, Spicy Marinated Shrimp, Easy Oven-Roasted Red Bell Peppers, Black Bean and Vegetable Burrito, Stir-Fry of Cabbages with Asian Flavors, Grandpa's Peaches in Red Wine, and Apple and Ginger Crisp.