Talking With My Mouth Full (2006)

For Minnesota-bred NPR commentator Bonny Wolf, pistachio was the green instant-pudding mix in a Bundt cake her mother used to bake ''to rave reviews.'' The fare is less exalted, but Wolf imbues her charming Talking With My Mouth Full with a similar affection for the dishes and people of her past. Her collection — which owes a debt to the late Laurie Colwin's Home Cooking — boasts an infectious appreciation for the dowdier dishes of the last century, like chicken à la king and molded Jell-O salad. If you think you would never consider making a cake with pistachio pudding mix, this book will change your mind.