Sometimes you can just tell that dinner just isn't going to work out. From facing down third-day leftovers to dealing with food you may have already burned, Cal Peternell levels the playing field with this bag of tricks for turning standard (or substandard) fare into a meal you can take pride in. Seasoning his writing with plenty of wit and kitchen savvy, Peternell offers troubleshooting tips for spicing up lackluster vegetables, making packaged food more appealing, creating a wide range of sauces, and improving upon mediocre restaurant fixings (pesto, queso, bean dip, ranch).