Restocking the cook book shelf

[Csara]

So I've been on this cooking kick, as some of you may have noticed if you keep track of my menu plans each week. I've realized, though, that I am ready to kick it up a notch and I am totally bored with all of my current cook books. I love cook books though so I am looking for a few good suggestions.

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Jessica Seinfeld's new one called <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/weddingtalker9-20/detail/0061251348/002-5040240-8528861" target="_blank">Deceptively Delicious</a>. Wouldn't it make more sense being called Deliciously Deceptive? That's besides the point. The book looks really good and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Currently my staples are <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/weddingtalker9-20/detail/060961066X/002-5040240-8528861" target="_blank">Barefoot Contessa</a>, <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/weddingtalker9-20/detail/1579542433/002-5040240-8528861" target="_blank">The Healthy Cook</a>, and a collection of printed out recipes from the <a href="http://www.hometalkers.com/forums/#food" target="_blank">food forums</a> here. I have a few Williams Sonoma and other random books, but none of them do much for me.

What's on your cook book shelf?

[CC21]

My favorites are Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, How to Cook Everything and Paula Deen's The Lady and Sons. I actually have the one that has The Lady and Sons and The Lady and Sons Too, all in one book. I have a ton of cook books, but those are my go to's.

[Deana]

I LOVE Quick Fix Meals by Robin Miller. She has a lot of 'master recipes' where you cook extra, and then use that base in other recipes. She has a lot of good little tips in her cookbook too, and a ton of ideas for easy and healthy sides.

I also like 365: No Repeats by RAchel Ray but some of her recipes tend to call for a lot of ingredients and some of them are odd.

[Csara]

D - I love that Quick Fix Meals cookbook too!! I borrowed it from my neighbor and made a ton of recipes from there. They were all good, particularly the chicken taco salad. Have you tried that one yet?

[Deana]

haven't tried the chicken taco salad yet - I think you posted about it (maybe at BT) and I've been meaning to try it.

Another fave: Sara's Secrets to Weeknight Meals by Sara Moulton. Really good, easy recipes (most of them are easy, some are more 'weekend-ish' though). I have used that a LOT.

I also like my Nieman Marcus cookbook, but most of the recipes are pretty lengthy -- I have made the turkey meatloaf at least a dozen times, it is spectacular!

I also use the ingredient search from allrecipes.com a lot.

[Csara]

I'm really enjoying Deceptively Delicious. Anyone else have it?

[Deana]

I seriously had it in my cart at costco the other day... and then I decided to wait until after christmas for some reason. I don't LOVE the idea of 'sneaking' veggies into food but I think it would be fun to try new stuff. My sister sent me a Rachel Ray 'kids' cookbook and it has ideas about pureeing veggies and putting that into mac and cheese, etc....

[meliz]

I've seen Deceptively Deliscious and thought of it... and I saw her make spinach brownies on Regis (I think)... not so sure about that one!:-)

I like the Crazy Plates/Looney Spoons books ALOT-- the cutesiness really, really annoys me, but the recipes (lower fat versions of faves) really are wonderful if you can get past the obnoxious factor.

More and more tho, I find myself going to the internet for recipes... the Rachel Ray site, for example, has a ton of recipes. Plus all the Epicurious-like sites out there...

[Turtleheadfred]

Okay - YOU'RE going to have to make the spinich brownies and tell us what they're like... :blah:

[Csara]

LOL! Those actually were not on my "to-try" list. :biglaugh: I did want to try the donuts with butternut squash though. Hmm. We'll see how it goes. My son could TOTALLY tell the difference in my quesadillas tonight when the cheese had a gritty texture from using butternut squash puree. lol

[Turtleheadfred]

I've only done butternut squash as both a dessert and as a veggie dish... so I'm not sure about anything else. I DO remember us growing it in the garden though and it's not NEARLY as stringey as sweet potatoes!

[Deana]

I received Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Cooking for Christmas and I love it. I have always thought that she was sort of quirky and a little bit too sweet but her recipes are great. And I can get a hot, healthy meal on the table for my family. She has a lot of really great ideas.

The food network has a new show - I don't know the name of of it but it's sort of an E True Hollywood Stories version for the cooking channel. I saw Sandra Lee and man, that woman has some serious stamina - she's been through a lot and has fought to find success.

[heather6773]

Okay - YOU'RE going to have to make the spinich brownies and tell us what they're like... :blah:


I bet the chocolate would over power it. Maybe I'll see if the library has a copy of the recipe and I'll give it a try. I'm game for anything ONCE;)