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The Sunset Grill: 125 Tasty Recipes for Casual Get-Togethers and Easy Weeknight Cookouts, from the editors of Sunset Magazine, $22.

Who would like it? Anyone who enjoys trying new grilling recipes.

Authors’ credentials: The recipes come from the editors of Sunset Magazine.

Skill level of recipes: Easy, and you’ll learn handy grilling techniques such as when and where to place accompanying side dishes on the grill so everything gets done at the same time.

Savory aspects: One thing we don’t like is the small-sized font, and that most of the desserts aren’t grilled. However, we love all the recipes. A few include Tri-Tip with Shiraz and Soy; Lamb Chops Stuffed with Stilton; Grilled Shrimp with Chile-Almond Sauce and Chevre and Mango Steak Bites.

Sample recipe:

New York Strip Steaks with Orange and Oregano

4 New York strip steaks, about 12 ounces each

¾ cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup red or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

About 1 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

¼ cup fresh oregano or marjoram leaves

Salt

1 orange, cut into 4 wedges

1. Trim any excess surface fat from the steaks. Rinse the steaks, pat dry, and place them in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the orange juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, garlic, and 1/1/2 teaspoons coarse pepper. Seal the bag and turn as needed to coast the steaks with the marinade. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

2. Meanwhile, prepare a grill for cooking over medium-high heat. First, oil the grill rack. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a solid bed of medium-hot coals. If using a gas grill, preheat to high and close the lid, then open the lid and lower the heat to medium-high (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above grill level only 3 to 4 seconds).

3. Life the steaks from the marinade and lay them on the grill rack. Discard the marinade. If using a gas grill, close the lid. Cook the steak, turning once, until rare (cut to test), about 4 minutes on each side, or until medium-rare, about 6 minutes on each side.

4. Transfer the steaks to plates and let rest in a warm place for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the steaks with the oregano leaves and salt, and serve with the orange wedges to squeeze over the top.

Makes 4-6 servings. Prep and cook time about 1 hour.

“Kissing in the Kitchen: Cooking with Passion,” by Kevin T. Roberts, $17.

Who would like it? While this is written for men who want to cook for their dates, it could go vice-versa or sideways or work for anyone cooking for another humanoid.

Authors’ credentials: Roberts is a school- and experience-trained chef who has a radio show in Southern California called The Food Dude.

Skill level of recipes: Easy. He did a good job keeping his audience in mind: People with loving on their minds as much as cooking, and who might be prone to distractions.

Savory aspects: There’s a nice mix of elegant, everyday and quintessential holiday recipes. All of them sound yummy, from Fish Tacos and Blackened Tuna to Pine Nut Cookies and Pork Loin Sandwiches. The writing is fun and breezy.

Sample recipe:

Blackened Tuna with Mustard, Soy Sauce and Sesame Seeds

The trick when cooking the tuna is to sear it on the outside while leaving the center pink and raw. With tuna, you just want the edges cooked and blackened.

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound fresh tuna, about 2 inches thick

1 cup black pepper

1/4 cup Colman’s mustard powder or Dijon mustard

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

The Moves

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Rub the fish with the oil.
3. Sprinkle the black pepper evenly over both sides of the fish.
4. In a medium bowl combine the mustard, soy sauce, and sesame seeds.
5. Put fish in the skillet and sear for about 1 minutes. Flip the fish and sear on the other side.
6. When the fish is done, put it in the bowl with the sauce, cover the bowl, and put it in the fridge. Chill for about an hour.
7. To serve, cut the fish into thin slices about 1/2-inch thick and use the remaining sauce for dipping.

Serves 2

WomenHeart’s All Heart Family Cookbook, by Kathy Kastan, LCSW, MA ED, and Suzanne Banfield, PhD, $30.

Who would like it? People who want to eat healthy foods that taste delicious. Some folks do this because their doctors said they might die if they didn’t eat better, but more and more people are making the choice to eat heart-healthy foods to prevent heart problems. This book provides info about “40 foods proven to promote heart health,” and gives suggestions about working healthy food choices into your life.

Authors’ credentials: Kathy is a licensed certified social worker and the author of From the Heart: A Woman’s Guide to Living Well with Heart Disease. Suzanne has held the jobs of dietitian and food scientist.

Skill level of recipes: Really easy; most have only a handful of steps.

Savory aspects: These aren’t your same old, same old recipes, they aren’t boring and tasteless recipes, they aren’t goofy recipes with weird ingredients you’ll never make. They are, however, tasty-sounding recipes with healthy ingredients that you could easily serve to your family on a Tuesday night or feel good about making for company. Who wouldn’t enjoy Piled-High Nachos, Orange-Ginger Pork Chops, French Toast with Orange Cream and Chocolate Almond Scones?

Sample recipe:

Spinach Linguine with Fresh Tomatoes and Pork

This colorful pasta dish is sure to become a family favorite. The red pigment in tomatoes, called lycopene, is an antioxidant that, along with vitamins A and C, prevents plaque buildup. Raw tomatoes are good for you, but cooking them in olive oil allows your body to absorb even more of the nutrient.

12 ounces spinach linguine

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pork tenderloin (12 ounces), trimmed of any fat and cut into ¼-inch slices

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

8 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 cup packed fresh basil, cut into thin strips

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a bowl. Repeat with remaining pork.
3. Add the garlic, onion, and fennel to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until the onion is slightly tender. Add the tomatoes, basil, sugar, and salt and cook for 2 minutes longer. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until heated through. Pour over the pasta and toss. Serves 6.

Per serving: 396 calories, 8g fat (1 saturated, zero trans), 37mg cholesterol, 156mg sodium, 58g carbohydrate (9 fiber, 9 sugars) and 22g protein.

2 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt

1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

5 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 5 strips

1/4 cup crushed cornflakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup egg substitute, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon olive oil

1. To make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, sour cream, mustard and honey. Cover and refrigerate.
2. To make the chicken: With a meat mallet, pound the chicken strips to an even thickness. In a shallow bowl, stir together the cornflakes, salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the egg substitute and 1 tablespoon water. Dip the chicken strips into the egg mixture and dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating well.
3. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add the oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until cooked through and golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with the sauce.

Makes 1 serving with 298 calories, 17g carbohydrate, 6.5g fat (1 saturated), 84mg cholesterol, 477 mg sodium and zero fiber.