Cookbooks

I often get questions and cookbooks, which are my favorites, which are best. I love a good cook book! I'll read through it, just devour it. Even if I can't use all (or even many) of the recipes, I can learn a lot of things. Different techniques, seasoning combos, ingredient combos. Ideas I didn't have before. I have a pretty large cook book collection, so I can browse for inspiration.

The one I return to the most often is my old favorite, the classic red and white Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book: Celebrating the Promise, 14th Limited Edition . It's the one I learned to cook from, clearly labeled and organized, and a great starting point to learn how to use basic equipment and ingredients. Not always the healthiest or most budget friendly, but the recipes inside that book give you the skills and confidence to face more and more complicated foods. If you're living on junk in a box and ready meals, then the recipes in there can improve your budget and your nutrition a huge amount! I still use some of the recipes in there, it's my comfort food.

Another favorite is the Farm Journal Cook Book
which I got 2nd hand. I love the chicken & dumplings in there, and it's helped me in meat prep.

When I'm feeling nostalgic and festive, I flip through Betty Crocker's Best Christmas Cookbook
which is just pretty. I often get inspired to make something after flipping through that! I especially love their vegetable lasagne. Not the most diet friendly food on earth, but it's better than the sausage loaded version and really tasty. I swap out the cheeses for lower fat versions and use less, whole wheat pasta and extra veggies. Yum! Their cookies are all wonderful too, anyone who I've sent Christmas cookies to at the holidays has probably had at least a couple from that book. Has some craft ideas in there too, some that make good gifts or craft fair ideas. Fun!

So there it is, my 3 favorites. I can usually dig through one or more of those and get inspired what to do with almost anything I drag home. I love to grab obscure produce on impulse or buy what's on sale that wasn't advertised, then I have to decide what to do with it later. That means a lot of trying to come up with meals with little planning, and a lot of improvising. So a good quality basic skills book, a nice classics farm book with a variety of meats and veggies, and a couple books with pretty pictures and appetizing ideas are a great resource. Having that library availble helps me be able to make cheap, healthy and delicious meals with whatever I can find on sale.

So what are everyone else's favorite books and must haves? I'm always looking for new suggestions what makes a good resource!

I dig through dozens of others. I really recommend for anyone to have at least a couple books around, especially at least one that's pretty.