Look for the Alessi brand in grocery stores and in Italian markets. Lowfat frozen yogurt can be dessert. Consider quick-cook fish or meats, such as flank steak, with a salad and instant rice. Prepared pizza crusts come in all shapes and sizes. Keep a couple on hand for concocting a quick meal even the kids will like.
Rotisserie chicken can be the centerpiece of a meal of steamed vegetables and rolls.
Or shred the meat and use it to make fajitas. Brody dusts off the slow cooker's old image with such sophisticated fare as Roasted Vegetable Antipasto and Duck Confit. The book serves a banquet of suggestions to beginners and veteran cooks alike. Photo charts highlight varieties of foods, such as lettuce and mushrooms. The section on equipment and menus, which includes a glossary, is wonderful.