What Cookbook is your favorite?

[oceaneast]

I'm currently very fond of my Williams & Sonoma Entertaining Cookbook.

[jules1025]

Not really a cookbook... but I love Everyday Food magazine!

[Camdynlyn]

Oh, I like Cooking Light mag!!

I love anything (cookbook or just recipe) by Paula Deen. I love southern food!

[diedra1027]

Healthy Cooking for two (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1930819099/qid=1119732107/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-7643884-1661746?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)

I bought this cookbook when I was single and lived alone and I love it. We're still eating for two at our house, but I've found most of the recipes easy to adjust for more when needed.

[Delaney21]

Am I really supposed to have a favorite one?? I have so many cookbooks its crazy. Over the winter my favorite one was my Southern Living Slowcooker Cookbook, now I think I'm leaning more towards The Grilling Bible.

[chefker]

My goodness, I have SO many it'd be hard to pick just one! Probably my BEST cookbook, was what we used for our main textbook in culinary school--On Cooking (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0130618659/qid=1119733329/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4527603-8117648?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) , by Sarah Labensky.

Many of the recipes are scaled for HUGE portions, as if you'd be cooking in a restaurant--but it's easy enough to cut a recipe in half, or by quarters.'

Other than that--I have a few Bon Appetit cookbooks and Williams Sonoma cookbooks that are indispensible. God I love cooking. :)

[kemaji]

My favorite cookbooks would have to be anything by Rick Bayless but I love Sunset magazine for the recipes.

[lawyerlee]

Not really a cookbook... but I love Everyday Food magazine!
Me, too!

I also love Cooking Light Superfast Suppers.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0848726286.01._PIdp-schmooS,TopRight,7,-26_PE37_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

And the Williams Sonoma Chicken cookbook is excellent, too. :)

[1MegMeg]

Oh, I like Cooking Light mag!!

I love anything (cookbook or just recipe) by Paula Deen. I love southern food!

Cooking Light is my favorite too, even though it's not technically a cookbook! I have so many cookbooks, there's no way I could ever pick just one favorite. :)

[amorey]

I can't live without my big red Betty Crocker cookbook. Not only does it have great recipes (the same ones I grew up with!) but it also has lots of little tips, like how to prepare different veggies, how long to grill meats for, what spices go together, etc. I also recently got my hands on a vintage 1961 editions, which has lots of fun illustrations! ;)

[Delaney21]

I love my Betty Crocker cookbook too. Its helpful for small things like how long to cook hard boiled eggs or potatoes. I've never tried to make any meals from it though. Maybe I should try that some time!

[granada]

Great thread! I am a fan of the Moosewood cookbooks, and I like Bon Apetit magazine for the more fancy gour-MET recipes.

[oceaneast]

I've never tried a Moosewood cookbook, I'm loving hearing everyone's favorites. I also love Everyday Food.

[lml41981]

I love my Betty Crocker Cookbook, too. I also like the Better Homes and Garden cookbook. For great cookies, I like the Mrs. Field's Cookie Book.

[Kristy]

Rachael Ray's Cooking 'Round the Clock. The recipes are all so quick and easy. I've yet to find one we haven't liked.

[kmmommy]

I don't really use many cookbooks. I have one of family recipes that I use a lot.

I peruse the Net for recipes quite often and I like to experiment and make up new recipes!

[Katie&Micah]

Does anyone have the Betty Crocker Cookbook: Bridal Edition? I've been wanting it for sooo long. I love that it's hardback instead of a ring binding type book.

I've also been lusting over The Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook.

If you have either of these let me know how you like them.

[Sevilla]

Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals 2

[granada]

Originally posted by oceaneast
I've never tried a Moosewood cookbook
They're geared toward the vegetarian crowd. I highly recommend their books if that's something you'd like. They have some sample recipes listed here: http://www.moosewoodrestaurant.com/

I forgot to mention, I like The Joy of Cooking, too.

[oceaneast]

Does anyone have the Betty Crocker Cookbook: Bridal Edition? I've been wanting it for sooo long. I love that it's hardback instead of a ring binding type book.

I have it and I love it. The pictures are great but I also enjoy the format of cooking for two and the entertaining layouts.

[Peaches]

I wouldn't be without my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.
It covers all the basics and I am always using it as a reference.
As proof of its staying power...my mother still has hers from the 60's!

[thedoorchick]

I love:

Cooking Light Annual Recipes
Cooking with the Kitchen Diva
American Desserts.

[1MegMeg]

I've also been lusting over The Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook.
I received this cookbook as a shower gift and I love it, it's got a lot of great recipes.

[Katie&Micah]

Oceaneast and 1MegMeg,

Thank you both soooo much!!! I'm definately going to have to get both now. Not that it took much to convince me.. lol I've been wanting them for so long. I was hoping someone would buy them for me as a wedding gift but it didn't happen so I guess I have to do it myself.

Thanks again!

[oceaneast]

Katie WalMart had the best price on the Betty Crocker Cookbook: Bridal Edition. I just love the photographs in the original edition there are more illustrations.

[maggieb]

I have 3 faves:

-The New Basics Cookbook (by the authors of The Silver Palate Cookbook)

-Marcella Hazan's Italian Cooking

-Nina Simond's Asian Noodles

Yum, yum, yum! I'm such a dork, but sometimes I just like to read them!

[gayle]

I have bazillions of cookbooks as I am a bit of a cooking fiend. But, the one I use for a reference, and for really basic stuff is my very OLD, 1956 version of Betty Crocker's Cookbook.

The thing is falling apart, but it's invaluable.

That book taught me to cook actually :)

[Rose]

I have a big one that has all different types of food, but I can't think of the name. My sister stole it. I think it was something food classics??

Right now I like Everyday Italian. I also love reading my books by Nigella Lawson, but I don't actually cook out of them much.

[Witty Username]

I'm a cookbook junkie. It's sad really, because unless it's baking, I tend to just look at recipes for ideas and then do my own thing.

I do like Cooking Light Annual Recipes and there are several recipes in The Frugal Gourmet "Our Immigrant Ancestors" that I absolutely need the book to make.

[ee_chick]

I have a lot of cookbooks. I love several of them but my tried and true are

The New Best Recipe
How To Cook Everything
The Gardeners' Community Cookbook

[Jonesey]

http://media.wiley.com/product_data/coverImage/05/00286101/0028610105.jpg

[pixiecat]

I love this one:
The Best Recipe
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0936184744.01._PE37_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

You can read like a book & I love the discussion on how they determined it was the best recipe!!

[Katyanne]

Right now I like Everyday Italian. I also love reading my books by Nigella Lawson, but I don't actually cook out of them much.

I totally agree Rose, I have Feast and Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson and I love reading both of them, I just love how she writes. I've tried some of her recipes but even though I love cooking I tend to love reading cookbooks more.

I have the Betty Crocker Cookbook: Bridal Edition cookbook and its great. :)

The better homes and Garden's cookbook is also great.
In the winter I love my crockpot 'Fix it and forget it' cookbook.
I also love these two
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0688102298.01._PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_PE37_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1584790830.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg
Both of these have alot about food science in them. Some good recipes but alot of great things about why some foods do what they do ;)

Katie

[Katie&Micah]

oceaneast..

thanks for the tip!! i've got the good old standard b.c. but i just love the look of the bridal edition.

[katmg]

I really like:

The Best Recipe
The Williams-Sonoma series of books (Pie and Tart is a favorite)

My brand new cookbook that I'm LOVING is called: The Pastry Queen. It's recipes from a bakery and cafe in Frederickberg, Texas called Rather Sweet. I haven't made anything out of it yet but I've got a bunch of recipes tagged!

[ssstephanie]

I have many awesome, gourmet-type cookbooks but this is the one I refer to the most:

The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1588160408.01._PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[Sherb]

I second Sevilla on Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals 2 - quick, easy and common ingredients.

I also agree with Katyanne on Alton's I'm just here for the food. Now I understand what I'm doing!

Can you tell I love Food Network?! :o

[BethElena]

amorey - i tried stealing my mom's 1970's edition, but she caught me :) The older Betty Crocker is the best.

I currently have Better Homes & Gardens, but I don't care for it. For instance, a lot of the bread recipes tell me to add the ingredients to a bread machine, which I don't own....

Betty Crocker all the way... Real Simple Magazine for unique recipees ;)

[Golightly]

I have the Bride and Grooms First and Forever. I am a total kitchen rookie and I love it! The Chicken Divine casserole was so good and I made the entire "Summer Sit Down Dinner" for my parents' visit. Pork tenderloin with blackberry syrup and mango salsa, roasted asperagus, coconut rice, and finally carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for dessert. I can't believe I did it! The last thing I tried to cook before the book was fajitas... and we had to throw them out. :rolleyes:

Cheers,

[oceaneast]

amorey - i tried stealing my mom's 1970's edition, but she caught me :) The older Betty Crocker is the best.

I "borrowed" my mother's and she called asking if I had it because she thought she had misplaced it. Being three states away I told her I'd bring it with me the next time I came down. (I think I'll forget)

[Astara]

Awesome thread! :) I love cooking and just looking up recipes~ I love anything by 'Taste of Home' I have a subscription to their magazines and My favorite cookbook by them is 'Best of Taste of Home Recipes". I also have the Betty Crocker Bridal Edition cookbook.. havent made anything out of it yet though.

[Janey]

My favorite cookbook is Healthy Cooking For Two Or Just You (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0875964486/qid=1120086712/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-3575093-7106228?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) by Frances Price. I love that she has the calories/nutritional breakdown for every recipe ... and everything I've made out of the cookbook has been wonderful!

I also like The Tin Fish Gourmet (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1558684689/qid=1120086820/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/103-3575093-7106228?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) -- it's just so easy!

[camberne]

I like the Pampered Chef cookbooks, because everything in them is relatively easy/quick to prepare.

I use my church's cookbook a lot, too. Time to do another one of those!!

[mimieliza]

I like How to Cook Everything. I also like the old Enchanted Broccoli Forest (it's a Moosewood cookbook). The updated versions have reduced or removed a lot of the dairy products, so there's less cheese, cream, etc. But the recipes from the old one are so rich and wonderful.

[juliebug]

Depends on my goal for the moment... I love browsing/reading cookbooks with pretty pictures - some of my favorites are the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. :drool:

My friend merjmo turned me onto a great vegetarian cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison. Really great, encyclopedic work for all things veggie and vegetarian.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0767900146.01._PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_PE37_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg


My tried and true, when nothing else seems to have what I'm looking for, go-to cookbook is the Joy of Cooking.

I also really like the magazine Fine Cooking. Great recipes, great pictures, minimal advertising. Sadly, though, it only has 7 issues a year!
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000063XJQ.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

eta: I love trying out cookbooks at my local library. They have a huge selection and it's nice to have some time to curl up with one on my couch before I decide to buy it (or, put it on my wishlist).

[Nutmegger10]

I second Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. I have all four of them but Barefoot Contessa Parties is definitely my favorite. The Barefoot Contessa Family Style is a close second primarily because it has one of my favorite recipes -- Tequila Lime Chicken.

I also recently bought Amanda Hesser's The Cook and the Gardener, which consists of recipes that only use fresh fruits and veggies -- perfect for the summer.

I'm addicted to all food magazines, but Bon Appetit and Food and Wine are my favorite: simple recipes that actually taste good.

[juliemag]

I dont cook much, but I really have grown to love the Southern Living Cookbook. It's got great recipes! Better than any other cookbook I've used. ;)

[emmjay]

For just flipping through and reading, I love the Williams-Sonoma international "Savoring..." series - they have Savoring France, Savoring Tuscany, Savoring Mexico, Savoring Southeast Asia, etc. They are enormous and look like this:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0848726448.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
(and I didn't even know this China one was out! I'll have to get that...) The photos are gorgeous, and there is a lot of information about each country and its cuisine.

For actual cooking I mostly use magazines - Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, and Eating Light - and the Food Network website. In terms of books, I just got this one and it has great recipes. It's published by the owner of a cooking school here in Denver (the recipes are by the school instructors and chefs at local restaurants):
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0970817606.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[Mentul77]

Does anyone have the Betty Crocker Cookbook: Bridal Edition? I've been wanting it for sooo long. I love that it's hardback instead of a ring binding type book.

I've also been lusting over The Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook.

If you have either of these let me know how you like them.

I have the Bridal Edition. I love it! It even has a ribbon bookmark in it to let you keep your place. It also has spiffy little places to write in what his favorite meal is and your favorite meal and all sorts of little tips on kitchen basics. It even has a list of what is essential in the kitchen and what different tools look like and are used for. It also has tips for cooking for 2. I definately say get it if you don't have a "big red" cookbook already or are in the market for a new one.

[graciebella]

I love How To Cook Everything as well. That's the one I actually use the most. I like to read Rachael Ray's books just to read them, and another of Mark Bittman's books, The Minimalist Cooks Dinner

[MrsD]

Definitely love my big red Betty Crocker Cookbook. I have lots of random others I've collected, but Betty Crocker puts together a nice, basic book that has been invaluable to DH and I in the kitchen.

[Elizabeth]

Ditto on good ol' Betty Crocker. I have a bunch of specialty cookbooks like Williams Sonoma and Martha Stewart, but I find myself using Betty Crocker more than any other, since it has all the basic recipes.

Other good cookbooks for the sheer volume of recipes as well as tips on how to do things correctly are The Joy of Cooking and How to Cook Everything. I love How to Cook Everything - explains a lot very unpretensiously. Like what to spend $/time on and what isn't worth it.

[Reenie]

I love, love, love my BHG cook book! I have a hard-bound edition, and for Christmas, my aunt gave me the binder-style edition! :)

I also love my allrecipes cookbook, inspired from some of the best recipes on their site- so good.

Joy of Cooking is good, but sometimes it's frustrating- to do this, go to page 54, and for next step go to page 629, etc. But yummy recipes, so I guess it's worth the hassle.

My old favorite is one that was created by our high school's band and orchestra program- people from all over town submitted their best recipes, and their names are printed with the recipes. It's so good! :) Also, I know that some of my friends' moms are super-good cooks, so I purposely look for their recipes to make. :)

[December27JJB]

DH and I both are vegetarians. I like any vegetarian cookbooks. My favorite right now is an International Vegetarian cookbook. Sometimes I use regular cookbooks and subsitute some dishes that have meat with veggie meat.

Related to cookbooks, when I was little I went to a speech school (I am deaf) and I was featured on the cover of a cookbook with 2 other students. We were making ginger bread boys. I use that cookbook once in a while ;)

http://www.bolesta.com/Assets/Images/Photos/McCord_Drawing.jpg

[Aug2002Bride]

I have a few that I use often and they are any of the Rachael Ray Cookbooks but mostly 30 MM 2 and my Pampered Chef Cookbooks!

Rachael Rays stuff is easy and everything Ive tried is good and we've liked it. And my pampered chef ones I acquired since becoming a consultant but have found I use them often as well.

Both have easy and good stuff in them

[Katyanne]

I've already posted my fav's but I also love using/reading cookbooks that are published by church groups or schools. They always have the best pot-luck type recipes in there.
But my favorite all time non-traditional cookbook is the one my sister's MIL gave me at my bridal shower. Her family is HUGE and they published one. She's an awesome cook so she shares recipes with me alot, I just add them to the cookbook. Its awesome!

Katie

[apoppy]

As far as a big, basic cookbook, I use Julia Child's The Way to Cook the most, followed closely by The Joy of Cooking

The Williams-Sonoma cookbooks also get used a lot in our house. Roasting is fabulous!

[cpbride8203]

Can anyone suggest a good fondue cookbook that has meat, cheese, and dessert fondue recipes?

TIA! :D

[seattleguamgirl]

I have this one:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0895866676.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I don't make fondue very often but the (2) recipes I've tried in this book turned out pretty well. :)

[Brandles]

I have three cookbooks:

1. "Fondue Magic: Fun, Flame and Saucery Around The World"--Anita Pritchard.

This one is an old one from the 70's. I can't even find a picture of it at amazon. It's had several good recipes in it.

2. "Fondues From Around The World"--Eva & Ulrich Klever

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0812013719.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.gif

I really love this one. There are all sorts of recipes in it. I use it most often.

3. "Fondue"--Rick Rodgers

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0688158668.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I've used this one, too. It's pretty good.

Hope this helps! :)

[it's a bug]

I have the same one that Seattleguamgirl has. It's great!

[risa00]

I have the Bride and Grooms First and Forever. I am a total kitchen rookie and I love it! The Chicken Divine casserole was so good and I made the entire "Summer Sit Down Dinner" for my parents' visit. Pork tenderloin with blackberry syrup and mango salsa, roasted asperagus, coconut rice, and finally carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for dessert. I can't believe I did it! The last thing I tried to cook before the book was fajitas... and we had to throw them out. :rolleyes:

Cheers,

I couldn't agree more about this book. LOVE it! I made the filet mignon tonight and it was amazing!!! I'm actually going to give this book to my parents for Christmas.. that's how much I love it. They'll be married 36 years and they're getting a Bride and Groom cookbook. :)

[Jad]

For my basic how-to-hard-boil-eggs-or-make-a-pie-crust-or-other-standard-cooking-activities: Joy of Cooking

For my OMG-this-is-the-best-thing-I've-ever-tasted-in-my-life: Big City Cooking

Anyone have suggestions for a good Indian cookbooks?? (preferably veggie or at least veggie heavy) I've been wanting to get one and I just can't make up my mind.

[Bloomwood]

I agree with pixiecat
The Best Recipe is great.

I just got it this weekend and have been reading it cover to cover. I don't usually follow recipes - just use them for inspriation - but this one tells you why a certain technique works best, rates cookware and tools as well as food products (like mayo and olive oil).

I also am anxiously awaiting my first issue of Fine Cooking. :D

[LyLMyssChaos]

This is by far my most used cookbook:
http://graphics.samsclub.com/images/products/0097815614833_LG.jpg

Followed by: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book and Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals 2. I also totally love the Betty Crocker Magazines.

[Rosebud]

A friend of mine gave me this cookbook at my bridal shower and it has so many unique, delicious recipes. I just made a hummus from this book and it turned out wonderfully-- my friends loved it.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1580085865.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

From Tapas to Meze: Small Plates from the Mediterranean
* Extensively revised edition of Joanne Weir’s first cookbook, featuring small plates of the Mediterranean, with 160 fully updated recipes and 36 full-color food shots.
* The original edition was nominated for a James Beard Award and was selected by Julia Child as one of her 12 personal favorites out of 1,000 books published that year.
*Joanne’s third television series, "Weir Cooking in the City," airs nationally on PBS in spring 2004.

[Cilantro]

I am trying to start a "no white flour, no refined sugar, no red meat" lifestyle and am seeking new, creative recipes. Can anyone offer any healthy recipes, or even a cookbook or Web site, to try out?

Any ideas?? Thank you!!!

[jimmysgirl424]

Don't know of any exactly like that, but the South Beach Diet follows that principle. Have you tried any of their recipes on the site?


http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/recipecollection.html

[Marilyn]

My favorite is also How to Cook Everything. It is the first cookbook I go to when I need a recipe. I am amazed by the variety of recipes. Whatever I make out of there it turns out great.

[Rose]

We used this growing up:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/157062089X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

The Tassajara Bread Book

It has lots of recipes with whole wheat flour and honey instead of sugar. After I moved out I went and got my own copy.

[mgrace]

You might want to check out the Fat Flush Plan and/or Cookbook. The recipes do utilize red meat, but it might give you some ideas.

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/imageDB.cgi?isbn=0071383832

[Amuse Bouche]

It's not a no red meat/no refined flour/no sugar cookbook, but it follows those ideas in moderation -- adapting recipes to include as many whole grains,etc. as possible, and the recipes are really good:

The Eating Well Cookbook -- it's relatively new -- I think there's a cookbook by the same name that came out several years ago, but this is put out by the editors of EatingWell magazine.

[irish74]

Rose - We had that cookbook when I was growing up too. I can't remember where it was but the Tasajara bakery was really close by, my dad used to go and get our bread there. :)

[Rose]

I love the recipes SF, especially the muffins. It reminds me of when I was little. It would have been fun to go to the bakery.

[Etoile]

I love cookbooks, I have a big collection of both vintage and modern ones. (heading in the direction of my mom, who has I swear an entire floor-to-ceiling bookshelf of them)

My favorites:
The Joy Of Cooking (the best reference)
Truly Low Carb Cooking Vol 1 and 2 by Karen Rysavy
Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni
Bride & Groom First & Forever cookbook
The White Trash Cookbook (a wedding gift from DH's Georgia cousin--love it!)
The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook

[pocket]

My Joy of Cooking is totally thrashed - I use it all the time.

Then my second favorite cookbook is The Kitchen Detective by the America's Test Kitchen guy.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0936184701.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

And my third favorite cookbook is How to Cook without a Book which i don't use as much anymore since i memorized all the techniques!!

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0767902793.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIlitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,32,-59_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[laurenc]

i'm a bit of a cookbook junkie. i have two shelves of cookbooks and more recipes than i will ever need in a lifetime, but i'm always on the prowl for a new one. what are your favorite cookbooks?

my favorite is, hands down, williams sonoma's "healthy cooking." i got it about four years ago and we have tried -- and loved -- almost every recipe. i also love my "moosewood cooks at home" cookbook and my copy of "how to cook everything."

[TennJane]

I'm a bit of a FoodTV junkie so I love my Rachael Ray and Paula Deen cookbooks. :D

[nuhmah]

My Alton Brown and Rachel Ray cookbooks are covered in food stains from being used so much! :)

I know this sounds corny, but I also love the Better Homes & Garden red checkered cookbook. I don't use my MS or Ina Garten ones nearly as much as the others.

[msnicolea]

I use two of Emeril's books OFTEN, as well as an old Paul Prudhomme which has the world's greatest chicken recipe in it--we have it at least once a month!!!

Here are the Emeril ones we use--mind you, we eat a lot of spicy cajun and other ethnic food-these aren't cookbooks for traditional cooking!

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060185368.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIlitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,32,-59_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/006018535X.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[mom_to_zoe]

Barefoot Contessa cookbooks are top-notch, IMO. My mom and I both do entire parties straight out of her books.

I also like the Silver Palate cookbooks because my mom cooked out of them so much when I was growing up. So a lot of my favorite childhood recipes are from those. Also Sarah Leah Chase's Open House cookbook falls into this category.

For basic stuff, How to Cook Everything and The Joy of Cooking.

Otherwise, I use a ot of recipes from Gourmet magazine and the Good Eating section of the Chicago Tribune.

[ee_chick]

I'm a junkie too. :o

My go-to classics: The Best Recipe, How to Cook Everything, I'm Just Here For the Food, The Gardeners' Community Cookbook

Current favorites: Everyday Italian, The Cooks Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue, Sara Moulton Cooks at Home

I'm trying to be good and try the cookbooks in the library. The husband rolls his eyes every time I buy a new one... :cool:

[Marilyn]

bump for Laurenc

[Marilyn]

I just bumped a similar thread for you.

[pickle]

I'm a big fan of Junior League cookbooks. I tend to pull those out more often than anything else, especially for appetizer recipes.

[singerwife]

12 Months of Monastery Soups.

Amazing book that makes soup an easy project.

[SingleWhiteFemale]

How do you organize your recipes? I would like to put mine in "books", but is there a particular way you organize your recipes? Or just have them fall where they may? Is it laminated, bound, or anything special? Regular white paper, or cardstock, or colors? What works well for you?

Thanks!

[Amuse Bouche]

My cookbooks live on their own shelf near the kitchen. Recipes -- I have a book where I write a few down, but since I get a huge number of recipes from the internet or email or whatnot, I save them into files onto a folder in my computer, and I print one out (on draft) if I need it. Someday I'll print them all out and put them in clear plastic sleeves in a 3 ring binder, but that's a project for when I have more time than I do now.

[beachlvr]

I have a spiral notebook. I write down recipes from the internet in it so I don't have to print them out every time. And then I just shove pages from the newspaper or magazines into the notebook. Not very organized, I know.

[mgrace]

Well, for recipes that I get from other people or online, I use a journal type notebook. It's nice because it has a hard cover, so it won't get too banged up.

[emmjay]

I am making recipe books for Xmas gifts - I'm using scrapbooks with plastic sleeves. I'm going to print the recipes on cardstock (and possibly laminate them, although that might be overkill) and insert them into the sleeves. I'm going to leave extra sleeves for more recipes in the back.

I'm also thinking about putting my cooking magazines into a binder and indexing them, but that is too much work for right now! I have a file on my computer for recipes I use a lot from the magazines, but otherwise I have to try to remember which magazine it came from. :rolleyes:

[msnicolea]

I use notebooks and plastic sleeves--that way, the recipes saty clean when I use them.

[shopaholic]

I print a lot of receipes so I take those pages and put them in clear cover protectors in a 3 ring binder. As far as organizing the binder, forget it. The only category I really have is "crockpot receipes" otherwise the rest of the stuff is just scattered.

[laura]

I am making recipe books for Xmas gifts - I'm using scrapbooks with plastic sleeves. I'm going to print the recipes on cardstock (and possibly laminate them, although that might be overkill) and insert them into the sleeves. I'm going to leave extra sleeves for more recipes in the back.


I am interested in doing this for a friend for Xmas, but I have 2 questions. #1 - what kind of scrapbooks? I would like something nicer than a binder, but that is pretty much all that came to my mind. On the other hand, at least she wouldn't worry about "ruining" a binder during use. #2 - how are you organizing the recipes? This part is what bogged me down last year and why I ended up not pursuing this gift idea. When I think of recipes, I think by ingredient (ie. things w/ chicken, things w/ beef), but I think for this purpose it makes more sense to do by appetizer, entree, desserts (vs. cakes, cookies, etc) - is that what you are doing?

[emmjay]

I'm using these 8"x8" scrapbooks - you can get them at Michaels or at Archival USA (http://store.yahoo.com/archivalusa/kmb88cbf.html):

http://store1.yimg.com/I/archivalusa_1869_233327

I'm putting a food-related photo in the front (I like taking pictures of markets and cafes and that sort of thing when I travel). The whole book is covered in a plastic cover. I think you're supposed to remove it, but I'm leaving it on to help with keeping it clean, and, as I said, I'm using the plastic sleeves to store the recipes and probably laminating the recipes themselves.

All of the recipes I'm doing are entrees and side dishes, so I am going to do entrees (divided into veg, poultry, beef, etc), then side dishes (divided into vegetables and "other"), then a section for slow-cooker stuff. I'm also going to indicate which side dishes I generally use with which entrees, and vice versa.

I'm thinking about doing a table of contents and page numbers so it's easier to find things. However, if people add more recipes it might get confusing so I'm undecided on that.

This whole idea came about because my family is always asking me for my dinner recipes, so I'm not bothering with appetizers and desserts. I always like having all of the vegetarian recipes together, the chicken recipes together, etc., so I figured I'd do it that way. I've never done this before, so I'm hoping it turns out to be a user-friendly book!

[laura]

Those look like Kolo albums (?) - I guess what I'm missing is how to do plastic sleeves w/ that to protect recipe pages? Do they come with some types of albums, or are you adding them yourself? I have 2 Kolo albums and one is just black pages and 1 is divided plastic pages, like for 4x6 pics.

In my head, I am planning/hoping to take digi pics of the dishes and include those w/ the book, but that might be a little over-ambitious unless I start really soon. We'll see!

[emmjay]

Yeah, they look exactly like a photo book, but they are for scrapbooks instead. They have screws inside the binding that you can remove to add/remove pages. You can buy packages of the sleeves, or extra pages, which are made by the same company (Pioneer), and the sleeves are open at the top so you can slip pages inside. Also the books come with some plastic sleeves included. Hope that helps!

I thought about photos too, but that is waaaaaay too ambitious for me! That will look great if you have time to do it. :)

[Jenean]

I don't think I've seen a thread here for something on this topic and thought it would be nice to chat about our favorite cookbooks.

My absolute favorite baking book is called "America's Bake Sale" and is full of amazing cookie, brownie, and cake recipes. I also love my WW cookbooks, particularly "Make It In Minutes" and my Cooking Light cookbooks. Their annual ones with the year's best recipes have a ton of great things in them.

Anyone know of a good all purpose general cookbook? My SIL asked for one for Chanukah this year. I was thinking of the "Joy of Cooking", but am open to suggestions!

[pocket]

I use Joy more than any other single cookbook. I can't imagine what I would do without it.

[Elizabeth]

I have lots of gourmet cookbooks, but the one I find myself actually using the most is the Betty Crocker standard red one. Another good one is How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.

[TracieB]

Gooseberry Patch cookbooks are awesome!! Very good stuff in there!

[smartgrrl]

the new gourmet cookbook is good, as is the joy of cooking. i also love bobby flay and he has fantastic cookbooks.

[moderngal]

I *love* Rick Bayless's books on Mexican food.
Also love The Joy of Cooking, A New Way to Cook, and Martha Stewart's books.

[MrsWilson]

I love my Betty Crocker Cookbook: Bridal Edition. It has great recipies, but also goes into many things for beginner cooks, such as all the cuts of meat, types of cheeses, herbs, etc. It is very detailed even with basic things that someone who hasn't cooked a lot might not know. I love that it is a great reference book as well as a cookbook.

[looch]

I love any kind of cookbook. I read them like novels.

My favorites:
Cooking for Company and Secrets from a Caterer's Kitchen by Nicole Aloni
The New Basics Cookbook by Lukins and Rosso
The old school red and white checkered Betty Crocker
How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

[mrstim]

I LOVE my Betty Crocker, and I also like the Better Homes & Gardens one. My other favorites are Gooseberry Patch as well - esp. for all teh crafty ideas!

[Photobug]

I LOVE my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.
I also use the Taste of Home annual edition books frequently.

[Asha]

SUNDAYS AT MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT

it's a collection of vegetarian dishes from around the world.

[KrissyCat7]

I love my Campbells Soup Cookbook. It makes fast easy meals!

[Aug2002Bride]

I use one that a friend gave me that is compiled with tons of recipes from the ladies of the PA state Grange Hall.

I also use Rachael Rays quite a bit, as well as some Pampered Chef ones.

[Ohana]

Right now, I'm loving reading the Rachael Ray 30 minute meal ones. I also love to read ones that were compilations of family recipes that were put together for fund raisers (people in Hawaii do this a lot, and since my IL's are from there, they usually pick one or two up for me every year).

Of course, I never cook from them. I just read them and drool over the recipes. I'm weird that way.

[Candy]

I need some cook book recommendations. I normally just get new recipes online. I'd like to get a few cook books though. I like fast recipes & for week night dinners I like things to be easy. I save my longer, more time consuming recipes for the weekend so DH can watch DD. Are the Rachael Ray cook books any good. I do like her & her recipes a lot.

I'm sick of the same old thing. Also, I'd like the dishes to be healthy and lower in fat.

TIA!

[Mickey&B]

Has anyone used the new Paula Deen cookbook? I LOVE her but not sure how difficult her recipies might be.

[Adaya]

Has anyone used the new Paula Deen cookbook? I LOVE her but not sure how difficult her recipies might be.

I don't own the new one, but I borrowed it and made some copies. The recipes don't seem too difficult. I've made quite a few recipes from her show and all of them have been very very easy.

[Katy]

You know me, I have to merge when I see the need :D

[Myra]

My husband loves America's Test Kitchen cookbooks, Best Recipe. I'm excited because next month they are coming out with Best Light Recipe, which will include nutrition info for all the recipes.

[ee_chick]

My husband loves America's Test Kitchen cookbooks, Best Recipe. I'm excited because next month they are coming out with Best Light Recipe, which will include nutrition info for all the recipes.


This is already in my Amazon shopping cart. :)

[jenjunum]

Best Recipe is a good cookbook. The sauteed chicken with the asian-ginger pan sauce is excellent. If you have the cookbook definitely try it. It isn't hard either.

I always look for cookbooks with good pictures. I like to see a picture of what I'm making.

[em1126]

My favorite is the Light and Tasty Annual Cookbook. I have the 2003 and 2005 editions and I use them almost exclusively.

[Janey]

I'm sick of the same old thing. Also, I'd like the dishes to be healthy and lower in fat.
I recently got two that you may want to check out. The first one was the American Heart Association One Dish Meals (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609610856/sr=8-1/qid=1141441853/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-4456922-4163203?%5Fencoding=UTF8) cookbook. This one would definitely cover your 'easy meals' requirement. :) The second one is put out by the American Institute for Cancer Research and is called The New American Plate Cookbook (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520242343/qid=1141442047/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-4456922-4163203?s=books&v=glance&n=283155). I haven't made too much out of either one since I just got them a few weeks ago, but the reviews are great, all the recipes look good, are lower in fat, and higher in vegetables. The reviews at amazon are highly enouraging as well.

[Katy]

I think the cookbook I use most often (outside of the FoodNetwork.com and allrecipes.com) is A Slob In the Kitchen by Karen Duffy (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400051150/qid=1141442903/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-9831856-2152632?s=books&v=glance&n=283155). It's a fun easy read (for those of you that "read" cookbooks) and there are quite a few good recipes in there.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1400051150.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[raven077]

I'm all about my Southern Living annuals. through library booksales, I've picked up just about every last one from 1983-2004. They are tabbed with stickies all over the place!

Another old standby, besides my old 60's copy of Better Homes & Gardens (thanks mom!), would be my Fix it & Forget It book too.

[Daisy]

Right now, this is my favorite cookbook:

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1400052580.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Everything in here turns out to be so good!

[looch]

I just got some new books at Border's yesterday:

Fashionable Food: Seven decades of Food Fads by Sylvia Lovegren

The vegetarian 5 Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas

The Bread Lovers Bread Machine Cookbook by Beth Hensperger

I also love Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. Seriously, it has everything in there.

Books on my wishlist:

Joy of Cooking
America's Test Kitchen
The Garden of Vegan

[chrisinluv]

I thought I'd responded to this thread a long time ago, but I guess I have not. My favorite cookbooks:

The Woman's Home Companion Cookbook (1944) - hands down a must-have for new brides of the 40s and 50s. I feel so lucky to have mine. The newer copies do not have a 'Wartime Postscript," which gives suggestions for how to deal with rationing. Also, there are a few more illustrations or pictures. This makes the ealier editions more valuable, but I have both and there isn't much difference, truly. This cookbook is a whopping 950 pages, and covers everything, from breakfast to buffets, from puff pastry to wedding cakes... you name it. On a related note, for those who are vegan, these wartime cookbooks can be great resources, because they sometimes had lots of vegan recipes, due to rationing..... Giving this cookbook a run for its money is

The Culinary Arts Encyclopedic Cookbook (my edition was printed in 1950), and is 974 pages thick! It is jam packed with pictures, and has a recipe for EVERYTHING you can think of. This book has more recipes, but not as much instruction as to table setting, entertaining, and etiquette. Still, each section comes with priceless hints, tricks, and how-tos. The cookbooks of today just can't touch it.

Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book. Just about any one of these are awesome. I have many, and I do like them more than the Better Homes and Gardens binder New Cookbooks. My favorite thing besides the simple recipes for regular foods is the pictures. More specifically, the wonderful selection of china and serving pieces used. I have enjoyed seeing some of the interesting ways they put different pieces to use, and mixed patterns of dinnerware.

Southern Living Annual Recipes are always good to have around.

The Vegetarian Grill by Andrea Chesman is also a favorite of mine.

[andrew&shannah]

My two faves are: The New Best Recipe and Everyday Italian.

[vwinkel]

I love this book for tips. I picked it up to browse through and found myself reading it page by page, I had to buy it. These common sense tips are ones I mentally slapped my head wondering why I didn't think of it.

For example, before freezing bacon, instead of freezing the entire package, roll each piece and place in a ziplock bag. That way you can remove as many pieces as needed instead of trying to defrost a whole package in the microwave for four pieces.
http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/6520000/6527569.gif (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0936184655&itm=1)

[looch]

That is a great tip on the bacon! I have to get this book!

[chattyt]

Ooh, I just got The New American Plate cookbook, too! So far I've only made the black eyed pea salad, but it was fabulous and all of the recipes are very healthy.

One of my old standbys is The Joy of Cooking, which is just a great all-around reference. Need to know what spices work with spinach or how to carve a turkey? Check the Joy of Cooking. There's just so much basic information.

And my mom has every edition of Southern Living's Annual Recipes, which are all just fabulous. That's what I want to steal!

I'm dying to get some of Rachel Ray's books. I'm so glad to have found this thread.

[Bastille]

I am a klutz in the kitchen but want to learn to eat healthier. I would appreciate any suggestions for learning to eat/cook healthier a la Thai food or other Asian foods. I would also be interested in techniques, spices, etc.

Thank you.

[maggieb]

One of my most favorite cookbooks is one by Nina Simonds called Asian Noodles. They are the best and easiest recipes. Here's a link...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688131344/sr=8-1/qid=1147540281/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-9555780-3429404?%5Fencoding=UTF8

From that cookbook my favorite recipes are Rainbow Noodle Salad, Shrimp Rolls and Shrimp Balls. She has several other Asian cookbooks, but this one is my favorite.

[Janey]

I started a recipe thread for Thai food last week. Hope this helps!

Thai Recipes (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=19369)

[mgrace]

Just bumping this up.

[Katy]

I got Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything and Beth Hensperger & Julie Kaufmann's Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook for Christmas. Both seem pretty extensive so I can't wait to "read" them.

[ee_chick]

I got Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything and Beth Hensperger & Julie Kaufmann's Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook for Christmas. Both seem pretty extensive so I can't wait to "read" them.

Katy, those are two of the three books that live in my kitchen. Love them both. :)

I got The Joy of Cooking and the Bon Appetit book for Christmas and I'm looking forward to both of them. I suspect that they'll both get some good use. :D

[maggieb]

Last week I checked out Fresh Everyday by Sara Foster and I have made 4 recipes and they have all been incredible! I made mushroom and spinach risotto tonight and it was one of the best meals I've ever had. Also, I found a pot roast recipe in there that is so yummy! I love this cookbook!

Here's the amazon write up...
Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This follow-up to The Foster's Market Cookbook offers new simple, spruced-up recipes from the author's North Carolina gourmet takeout shops. In the tradition of Martha Stewart, with whom Foster coauthored the previous book and worked as a chef in the '80s, the effortlessly elegant food also reflects Foster's Southern background, with its prevalence of sweet potatoes, cornmeal and black-eyed peas. Flavorful marinades, fresh herbs and seasonal ingredients maximize taste for quick meals on the grill or hands-off roasts. Numerous salsas and sides enliven each plate, and alternatives "for all seasons" to standards, like Twice-Baked Potatoes, Rice Pilaf, and Sautéed Shrimp, provide year-round variety. Desserts are unfussy crowd-pleasers such as Mom's Apple Cobbler with Buttermilk Biscuit Topping, and Individual Chocolate Pudding Cakes. Sidebars on "Basics" and "Tricks of My Trade" share tips on techniques, shortcuts and gadgets. Busy cooks will learn to love leftovers when delicious Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder is transformed into spicy Green Chili, and Skillet Cornbread becomes rustic Panzanella, an Italian bread salad. This is homey, American food with a kick, sure to appeal to cooks in search of easy ways to revitalize their repertoire. 160 color photos. (May 24)

Review
“Sara Foster is the rarest cook I know. She has a sensible, down-to-earth approach that eludes others. She understands good food. More important, she knows intuitively how to create dishes to please the widest audience imaginable. I love her style, which is graceful and homespun at the same time. She has taught me that great food really is in the details.” —Jonathan Waxman

[Renrel]

New Basics- The recipes are all very very well tested and I love a cookbook that talks about food as well as providing recipes. New Basic has all kinds of helpful charts on things like how to best prepare all kinds of vegitable (broil, bake, saute,ect) and lists of suggested variations and things like that. It is usually my go to book, even when I am being creative I use it for a jumping off point.

I also really like my Kichen Survival Cookbook for when I don't remember how to do something basic, like how long to boil a hard boiled egg. It is designed for someone heading off to live on their own for the first time who hasn't a clue how to cook.

[Rosebud]

Looking for some recommendations for cookbooks that focus on healthy, sustainable, non-processed foods. I was flipping through this one at a friend's house last night and it looked really interesting. Anyone have it or want to recommend something similar?

The Sustainable Kitchen: Passionate Cooking Inspired by Farms, Forests and Oceans
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/survivor/sustainable.jpg
The Sustainable Kitchen: Passionate Cooking Inspired By Farms, Forests And Oceans, a compilation of fresh, seasonal, flavorful, original, and thoroughly "kitchen cook friendly" recipes. Enhanced with 75 color and b/w photos, these delicious recipes range from Asparagus Custard; Three Oyster Stew; Heirloom Tomato Salad with Grilled Red Torpedo Onions and Pesto Vinaigrette; and Slow Roasted Ivory King Salmon with a Ragout of Mushrooms, Spinach and Fingerling Potatoes; to Sage Rubbed Leg of Pork with Apple-Fennel Pan Sauce; Root Vegetable and Onion Marmalade Pave; Chocolate Peppermint Brownie; and Honey Tangerine-Meringue Tartlet with Grand Marnier Pastry Cream and Berry Coulis. The Sustainable Kitchen will prove to be a welcome and appreciated addition to any kitchen cookbook collection!


Or, does anyone own any of the Chez Panisse or French Laundry cookbooks? I'm sure they would also focus on local, seasonal ingredients?

[Lizard]

Funny enough, the cookbook I use the most is a homemade cookbook I bought from a 4-H group about 10 years ago. It is PACKED with Wisconsin recipes and I totally love it.

I recently heard that Dan and Steve ("The Hearty Boys" from the first Food Network Star), are putting out a cookbook in the fall. I'm excited about it.. I'm probably the only person that watches their show anymore, because it's on Sundays at 7 AM. :rolleyes:

[jenjunum]

Rosebud
I'm taking a professional cooking class and I believe the teacher (an executive chef of a restaurant he owns) said that The French Laundry has really complex recipies that even he wouldn't make. That being said, he's one of the top chef's in our country. I want it. I'm checking it out of the library to check it out first. I believe he also said that Bouchon (the bistro cookbook) was a lot more doable. I want that one too. Have you been to either of Keller's restaurants? Someday...

I'm reading "The Improvisational Cook" (http://www.amazon.com/Improvisational-Cook-Sally-Schneider/dp/0060731648/sr=1-1/qid=1172297183/ref=sr_1_1/104-2905862-3411950?ie=UTF8&s=books) The first 1/3 is pure reading, the last 2/3 is recipies with tips on how to improvise and create your own recipies. There are parts I like and parts I don't. For the most part, it's good though.

[Etoile]

Some of my favorites:
Rachael Ray's cookbooks
The Joy of Cooking--best reference there is
The Vegetarian Gourmet's Easy International Recipes (http://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-Gourmets-Easy-International-Recipes/dp/1572840420/sr=8-9/qid=1172516772/ref=sr_1_9/002-0976713-7978428?ie=UTF8&s=books)
Classic Indian Cooking (http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Indian-Cooking-Julie-Sahni/dp/0688037216/sr=1-2/qid=1172516964/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-0976713-7978428?ie=UTF8&s=books)
The Vegetarian Epicure (http://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-Epicure-Anna-Thomas/dp/0394717848/sr=1-2/qid=1172517068/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-0976713-7978428?ie=UTF8&s=books)
The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0913990604/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/002-0976713-7978428?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books)
The Complete Book of Greek Cooking (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Greek-Cooking/dp/0060921293/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b/002-0976713-7978428)

[Rosebud]

Ran across a really cool cookbook this weekend and was wondering if anyone has it and likes it. Some of the recipes sound amazing!

The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen: Recipes for the Passionate Cook by Paula Wolfert

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/survivor/cookbook.jpg

[Rosebud]

Finally got my copy of the Chocolate & Zucchini (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767923839/ref=wl_it_dp/105-6110582-2809217?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3PFPBWU87R9UW&colid=1T0QDKF2XMG0X) cookbook and can't wait to try out some of the recipes. They look delicious! I've made several things from the author's blog, ChocolateandZucchini.com (http://chocolateandzucchini.com/) (wonderful food blog!) and they've all been tasty.

Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/rosebud03_2006/Misc/cookbook.jpg

[Katy]

I just found the Chocolate & Zucchini blog (http://chocolateandzucchini.com/) earlier this week and loved it. I'm thinking of checking out the cookbook as well.

I'm also still eying that tips book (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0936184655&itm=1) that vwinkle recommended above and the improvising book (http://www.amazon.com/Improvisational-Cook-Sally-Schneider/dp/0060731648/sr=1-1/qid=1172297183/ref=sr_1_1/104-2905862-3411950?ie=UTF8&s=books) that jenjunum recommended.

FWIW, I still stand my Slob in the Kitchen (http://www.amazon.com/Slob-Kitchen-Karen-Duffy/dp/1400051150/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-1446319-2418830?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182110262&sr=1-1) as the first book I go to. Then I double check things with my How to Cook Everything (http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Simple-Recipes/dp/0471789186/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-1446319-2418830?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182110322&sr=1-1) (and ending with a triple check in my WW cookbooks to see there's a lighter version out there)

Rosebud, you might like Margaret S. Fox's books (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/105-1446319-2418830?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Margaret%20S.%20Fox) for local, fresh ingredients. She used to the the owner/chef of Cafe Beaujolais (http://www.cafebeaujolais.com/news_cbhistory.html) in Mendocino and they got all their veggies fresh from their own garden and their bread from their own bakery.

[ali_ohli]

It's been mentioned several times, but I'll echo the praise for The Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook. I just adore it -- the recipes are simple and straightforward, with the perfect mix of old favorites and more contemporary choices. And it makes an awesome shower gift, too!

[strwbrygirl]

Most of my favorites (the Mark Bittman book, especially) have been mentioned, but a new contender in our house is the Cooking Light Superfast Suppers (http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9780848726287-0). My DH especially likes that many of the meals come with a "plan"-- ie. do X and Y first, and do Z while those are cooking.

[trestlegirl]

My favorite of late is Sydney Food (http://www.amazon.com/Sydney-Food-Bill-Granger/dp/0864119917/ref=sr_1_3/102-5184223-5353739?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188782864&sr=1-3) - as the title suggests, an Australian cookbook. The recipes are simple but soooo delicious.

Someone asked about the Thomas Keller cookbooks. I have Bouchon and I don't think the recipes are difficult at all, it's a nice book with useful general cooking information too. I have a friend who cooks out of French Laundry sometims - she is a serious foodie though - she buys her vegetables at Chino's and will spend two days preparing for a simple backyard dinner...it's a beautiful book but the recipes are too time consuming for my lifestyle. I'd like to get it just to have, but it's a bit much for everyday use.

[pontmarie]

I have made several of the Chocolate and Zucchini recipes and have been very happy, I am waiting for the weather to cool down a bit so I can make some of the stews.

[ali_ohli]

http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/5123HWQHHGL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_.jpg

For easy weeknight meals, I love this one: The Big Book of Easy Suppers by Maryana Vollstedt. I like it way better than anything by Rachael Ray, because a good number of the recipes can be prepped in 10-15 minutes (which is about all I have the patience for after work) and because the ingredients are much more basic.

[TOMama]

I love these cookbooks-

California Home Cooking (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&endeca=1&isbn=1558321195&itm=73) - great risotto recipes.

Sam Choy's Island Flavors (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780786864744&itm=1) - easy & flavorful recipes with a Hawaiian twist.

[TOMama]

It's been mentioned several times, but I'll echo the praise for The Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook. I just adore it -- the recipes are simple and straightforward, with the perfect mix of old favorites and more contemporary choices. And it makes an awesome shower gift, too!

Ditto!

[Renrel]

The New Basics Cookbook - great go to book. I love that it give you lots of info on different things, like charts that discuss the general characterstis if different kinds of fish, meat, vegtables and the best way to cook them. I tend to thumb through this book before getting creative in order to have an idea how something is normally made, the spices that work, how long something cooks.

The Secret Chef - a must have if you have fussy eatters and you want to sneak some real vegtables into a meal.


The kichen survival guide - Great for first cooks or when you have a really stupid basic question, like how long to cook a hard boiled egg (the reason I keep the book around is I never remember the answer to this question). It has info on how to stock a kitchen and very basic recipes designed for someone cooking for themselves for the first time, like a college kid in an off campus apartment. The recipes all tell you if they can be doubled or frozen which is always useful info to have around.

The Cookie Exchange - for cookie recipes of course.

[princesse]

Thanks for inspiring me to get my cookbooks out and actually USE them. My all time fave is a well worn red paperback edition of Betty Crocker. It has a ton of basics in it including the best banana bread ever. That page fell out long ago and has a place of its own but I have a few other pgs memorized. Love it!

[jay&erinn]

I'm looking for a cookbook to buy for my brother. He's a bachelor with a pretty demanding job- long hours, late nights and a decent amount of weekends. He has basically no experience with cooking (can make eggs and use the George Forman Grill he has). He's really active playing hockey and running in his spare time and has just started calling me for advice on how to cook healthier. He was always really picky growing up so I was shocked when he called and asked what to do with the fish he bought. If he lived closer I'd just have him come over when he had time and teach him a few things. It needs to be fairly simple (he zoned out when I tried to tell him different ways to prepare the fish instead of throwing it on the George Forman), healthy and not take a lot of money. Any ideas?

[ee_chick]

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman is my favorite basic cookbook.

[tlew12778]

Well if he is TOTALLY unfamiliar with the kitchen How To Cook Without a Book might be a good start although it is seriously so basic that it should be renamed "Cooking for Dummies".

I really like Jamie Oliver's new book called Cook with Jamie. It's got all the basics and since he is a guy, it's nothing too wifey IYKWIM. The recipes are really simple and most of them are quick. He tells you how to buy stuff, how to store it, how to clean it, when to use it, how to cook it properly, etc.

[jay&erinn]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll check them both out.
I've always liked Jamie Oliver but don't own any of his cookbooks. My brother could definately use the sections on how to buy, store and clean stuff- especially when he's experimenting with fish.

[Rosebud]

jay&erinn- Combining your request with the master thread on cookbooks. There are lots of good ideas here!

I know there are some cookbooks specifically geared towards men, like this one:

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cooking: For Guys (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Cooking-Guys/dp/1592572693/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203447554&sr=1-2)

However, if he's interested in cooking more healthy meals, you could also get him any of the Cooking Light cookbooks (or even a subscription to the magazine). I find most of their recipes to be really simple. It just depends on exactly how basic your brother's skills are. Another book that gives great tips & advice for those who don't know much about cooking is this one:

How to Break an Egg (http://www.amazon.com/How-Break-Egg-Substitutions-Techniques/dp/B000F5ZH9O/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203447772&sr=1-1)

[coleyndw]

Better Homes and Gardens makes an excellent cookbook with all the basics (red checkered front- kind of like a picnic tablecloth) . Can't be beat. Has tabs so that you can find sections, lots of pictures and a what-is-what portion at the front of each section (ie: the beef section has a what-cut-is-what picture and info page, so that you can see the different types of cuts and know what to look for in the grocery). AND it's a binder so you can add recipes and sections to it over time. Time after time it's my go-to cookbook.

[jay&erinn]

Ahh- I searched for a cookbook thread and didn't find it. Thanks for combining it for me.

coleyndw: I have that cookbook here- I haven't pulled it out in ages since the typical recipies I make from it I know by heart. I'll have to pull it out and loan it to him to try out.

Rosebud: I was looking for something more tailored for men. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Renrel]

Errin - The kichen survival guide is one of my favorite beginning cookbooks. It is by Brody and I think she wrote it when her son went off to college or otherwise was on his own for the first time. It has very simple but tasty recipes and states for each one if it can be doubled or frozen. It has information on how to stock a pantry and what kinds of pots and pan you need to start out. I am pretty sure it tells you what words like boil, saute and pan fry mean, though it has been awhile since I read through it. I keep it around because, even though I do know how to cook and bake reasonable well, I can never remember how to boil an egg. I never remember, since I don't boil eggs very often, how long and if you put the eggs into cold or hot water. So this cook book get down to things as basic at that, but also has real recipes for all meals and even a few things to impress a date.

I am also very fond of the New Basic Cookbook. While not designed to teach cooking it is well written and the recipes all well tested. It has lots of information in it to help a cook who has cooked enough to feel confident with a recipe but wants to be a bit experimental. Things like charts that show you the different methods that work best for cooking each kind of fish or a kind of vegtable. Lists of things you might add to a potato salad to make it more interesting. And the recipes have all been very well tested to the work. It is just a very good reference book for anyone who has gotten past just learning how to follow a recipe (ie - what it means to bake, broil, boil, baste, ect; what the abreivation for the measurements are)