Reprinted from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Copyright © 2011. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.

You would expect acclaimed chef and restaurateur, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, to release a cookbook filled with recipes of the haute French cuisine for which he is known.  Instead, the chef chose to create a book focused on the simple family recipes he created while in their family home in Waccabuc, New York.

In an effort to spend more time with his family, Vongeritchten decided to change his weekly schedule to allow for a two-day weekend, something those in the restaurant industry usually sacrifice. He retreated to his home in New York with his family, and found himself back in the kitchen.  The kitchen, the center and heart of the home for most families, was a place that took Vongerichten back to his roots.  Dishes like “choucroute” and “chicken liver and pancetta crostini” are family recipes that he adapted that are in the cookbook.

Divided by course, this book is a seasonal entertaining manual.  With a focus on family and simplicity, the dishes are easy to prepare and just as easy to enjoy.  With beautiful photographs, you’ll be planning a trip to the market for a day of cooking and dining with your family.

Try one of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s recipes for “ french toast with roasted apples,” for a beautiful fall weekend brunch.

For more fabulous recipes, “Home Cooking with Jean-Georges” is now available.