“
Good Enough to Eat
is like a perfect dish of macaroni and cheese—rich, warm, nuanced, and delicious. And like any great comfort food, Stacey Ballis’s new book is absolutely satisfying.”

—Jen Lancaster,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Such a Pretty Fat

“Witty and tender, brash and seriously clever, Stacey Ballis’s characters are our friends, our neighbors or, in some cases, that sardonic colleague the next cubicle over . . . Her storytelling will have you alternately turning pages and calling your friends urging them to come along for the ride. And in Stacey Ballis’s talented hands, oh what a wonderful ride it is.”

—Elizabeth Flock,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Me & Emma

“A toothsome meal of moments, gorgeously written, in warmth and with keen observation,
Good Enough to Eat
is about so much more than the magic of food; it’s about the magic of life. Pardon the cliché, but you’ll devour it and wish there was more to savor.”

—Stephanie Klein, author of
Straight Up and Dirty
and
Moose: A Memoir

The Spinster Sisters

“Readers will be rooting for Ballis’s smart, snappy heroines.”

—
Booklist

“Stacey Ballis provides a wonderful, deep family drama.”

—
The Best Reviews

“A laugh-out-loud hoot of a book. Jodi and Jill are amazing characters. They are challenged by balancing their business lives with style, charm, and grace. A must-read.”

—
A Romance Review

“Ballis addresses the dilemmas of empowered, independent women who are proud of their single status, but also looking hopefully toward settling down with someone special with grace and eloquence.”

—
Fresh Fiction

“With good-natured insight, this is an honest look at family, personal, and business relationships and how women deal with their need for independence and companionship. Strong, caring main characters are compassionate and well developed, giving each a convincing voice . . . For a terrific treat, pick up a copy of
The Spinster Sisters
.”

—
Romance Reviews Today

Room for Improvement

“Self-proclaimed home improvement junkie and author Ballis has written a laugh-out-loud novel that will appeal to HGTV devotees as well as those who like their chick lit on the sexy side.”

—
Booklist
(starred review)

“This book is frequently laugh-out-loud funny.”

—
Romantic Times

Sleeping Over

“Ballis presents a refreshingly realistic approach to relationships and the things that test (and often break) them. Ballis’s sophomore effort will please readers who want something more than fairy-tale romance.”

—
Booklist

“
Sleeping Over
is a snappy tale of love lost, gained, revamped, rehashed, and true friendship through thick and thin . . . a remarkable chick lit novel . . . Don’t let this entertaining tale pass you by.”

—
Romance Reviews Today

“Fans of relationship dramas will appreciate this fine, character-driven tale.”

—
The Best Reviews

“
Sleeping Over
will have you laughing, crying, and planning your next girls’ night out. This is the first novel I have read by Stacey Ballis, but I guarantee it won’t be the last!”

—
Romance Reader at Heart

“This engaging story delivers everything you ask from a great read: it makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you
feel
.
Sleeping Over
gets my highest recommendation.”

—
Romance Divas

Inappropriate Men

“Ballis’s debut is a witty tale of a thirtysomething who unexpectedly has to start the search for love all over again.”

—Booklist

“Cheekily comic . . . Sidney Stein is a heroine to cheer lustily for, because that is how she lives her life: in grand style, and refusing to settle.”

—BookPage

“Without a doubt,
Inappropriate Men
is one of the best books of 2004. Stacey Ballis has a way with words. Effortlessly, she makes them exciting and pulls the reader into the life of one of the most engaging characters ever created, Sidney Stein.”

—
A Romance Review

“For an insider’s look at dating and relationships, with all the laughs and wit you could want,
Inappropriate Men
by Stacey Ballis is a wonderful choice for your reading pleasure.”

—
Romance Reviews Today

Berkley Books by Stacey Ballis

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
THE SPINSTER SISTERS
GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)

Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India

Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)

Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

This is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

BERKLEY
^®is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley trade paperback edition / September 2010

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ballis, Stacey.

Good enough to eat / Stacey Ballis.—Berkley trade pbk. ed. p. cm.

eISBN : 978-1-101-44295-1

1. Businesswomen—Fiction. 2. Restaurateurs—Fiction. 3. Natural food restaurants—Fiction. 4. Life change events—Fiction. 5. Man-woman relationships—Fiction. 6. Domestic fiction. I. Title.

PS3602.A624G66 2010

813’.6—dc22

2010018841

http://us.penguingroup.com

For Jen,
whose friendship makes everything
more delicious!

For Bill,
who makes me believe every day

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As always, my loving family: Mom, Dad, Deb, and Jonnie. None of this would be nearly as much fun without you around me.

My wonderful agent and partner, Scott Mendel, for being not only such a terrific navigator on this journey but excellent company as well.

My amazing friends (you know who you are and how much I love and treasure you), who are the best support system any girl could ask for and who are all blissfully good eaters . . . with extra props for the Uzes gang!

Carey Peters, for your friendship and guidance, and for giving so freely of your wisdom during the writing of this book. You not only helped Melanie change her life; you helped me change mine.

Everyone at Penguin/Berkley, especially Leslie Gelbman, Wendy McCurdy, and Melissa Broder.

My friend and trainer, Gabe, for helping keep me healthy, however hard I may fight against it. (I still hate the f***ing squats. I’m not saying; I’m just saying.)

My fantastic gaggle of girls—most especially Rachel, Sue, Denise, Tracey, Gina, Caprice, Laura, Liz, Stephanie, Serena, Ellen, Tracy, Margie, and Peggy—you guys keep me sane! (Or insane, as the case may be . . .)

My NYC BFF, Penny, who showed up right when I needed her, for showing me that less is indeed more, that bringing beauty into your life every day is neither extraneous nor impossible, and that one is never finished finding old dear friends. (And that I can survive quite happily with half the number of occasional tables as previously assumed.)

For Bill, an unexpected gift from the universe. I am so very, very lucky to know you and have you in my life.

Last but definitely not least, the extraordinary Jen Lancaster, who is a daily blessing and an endless source of inspiration. Thank you for all the laughter and adventures and support. Wednesday nights will always belong to you. Team Stennifer rules!

PROLOGUE