Cooking with Regis and Kathie Lee: Quick and Easy Recipes from America's Favorite TV...

In the translation from on-screen patter to print, most television-inspired cookbooks disappoint. However, this collection by talk-show hosts Philbin and Gifford delivers what it promises: ``quick and easy recipes'' that are indeed simple to understand and follow, and that faithfully include substitutions for unusual ingredients. Written in the lighthearted, conversational tone one might expect (though not always get) in books issued in the name of on-air stars, each recipe is crowned with often amusing details about the guest chef and his or her culinary creation. While many of the recipes are on the light (low-fat, low-calorie) side, like shrimp and vegetables from Benihana restaurant's Rocky Aoki, yogurt chicken from movie producer Ismail Merchant and smoked oriental seafood from The River Club's Jeff Tunks, equal (if higher-in-calorie) weight is given to some hardier fare, such as Robin Leach's Mediterranean eggplant pie, chef Paul Prudhomme's Indian pudding and Craig Claiborne's Christmas cheesecake. These aren't only recipes of the rich and famous, though: ``family favorites'' from Gifford (her mother and sister), their producer, Michael Gelman (and his mother), and Philbin's wife, Joy, give this collection a personal touch. Photos not seen by PW. (Feb.)