Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

Cost-conscious home chefs have a growing genre of cookbooks to help keep grocery budgets in check. The concept is not new, but the new formats and titles are appealing. Here are three affordable publications you might consider adding to your collection. One caveat: Thumb through these at the bookstore to make sure they break new ground for your household's menu-planning. If not, it will just be another expense on the monthly tally.

"The Frugal Foodie Cookbook: 200 Gourmet Recipes for Any Budget" by Alanna Kaufman and Alex Small (Adams Media, $14.95): Each recipe gives the yield and price per serving up front. The authors list the total cost as well, but that seems a waste because all you have to do is multiply the other two numbers.

"The $7 a Meal Quick and Easy Cookbook" and "The $7 a Meal Healthy Cookbook" both by Susan Irby (Adams Media, $9.95 each): Irby's resume is impressive, and nutritional information is included with each recipe in both books.

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