Recipes and Copyright Infringement

Via Gothamist, are there substantial similarities between the book written by Jessica Seinfeld and the book written by Missy Chase Lapine? And, by the way, can recipes be protected by copyright? According to the the U.S. Copyright Office, "mere listings of ingredients as in recipes, formulas, compounds or prescriptions are not subject to copyright protection. However, where a recipe or formula is accompanied by substantial literary expression in the form of an explanation or directions, or when there is a combination of recipes, as in a cookbook, there may be a basis for copyright protection."

And, oh, modesty set apart, I have been cooking vegetable puree for a decade. I will post the recipe soon, or post a link to my cooking blog.