Cookbooks have been my comfort lately. Almost like having a lovey. I think because cooking feels like the one thing I can control in this season of life. And finding recipes that inspire me, that push me to cook in new ways, and that get me out of my comfort zone, really brings me so much joy. I’ve been loving going to Barnes & Noble to flip through the pages of cookbooks and get inspired over and over. There are so many talented chefs out there who can teach us so much and I’m so excited to learn from them!
These cookbooks below have been in rotation as of lately. Whenever I feel stuck, I grab one of these cookbooks and I immediately know what to make. And because of these cookbooks, I’m buying ingredients I normally wouldn’t. For me, health has to be enjoyable and it has to taste good, and cooking from these cookbooks has definitely kept me eating nutrient dense foods that fill my soul and keep me thriving. Please share the cookbooks you’re loving lately because I’m always looking to add more to my collection!
After listening to a podcast with the creator of Food52, Kristen Miglore, I decided to buy this cookbook. And I’m so glad I did. It has all kinds of different simple recipes from well known cooks and chefs, such as roasted chicken, waffles, ginger fried rice, grilled pizza, roasted brussels sprouts with fish sauce vinaigrette, chocolate mousse, and more. The recipes are easy-to-digest and there is a photo for every single recipe, which is the BEST. I want to know what my recipe should look like at the end, especially if it’s a recipe I’ve never heard of or tried. Something I really love about this cookbook is that it teaches you new techniques, but does so in a way that doesn’t feel intimidating. The only thing I wish this book had was cook time in the description of the recipe. I’ve never seen that missing so I thought that was an interesting choice.
This book reminds me of Genius Recipes because it’s another book that has simple recipes that don’t feel intimidating, even though they are packed with flavor and don’t disappoint. In this book, you’ll find fast, faster, and fastest recipes. But it also includes easy recipes like one pot recipe, pizza night recipes, and some roast and simmer recipes. I had never heard of Christopher Kimball before I picked this book up at Barnes & Noble with a new friend I met while getting my nails done. Turns out she’s just as obsessed with food as I am, if not more, which is the kind of person I want to surround myself with. She told me that Christopher Kimball has a TV show, podcast, and multiple cookbooks with really solid recipes, and that I couldn’t go wrong with this book. She was right. The Caramel-Braised Chicken was perfection and I can’t wait to try the Shrimp with Tamarind. I’m also trying to get more into pizza and the Fig and Blue Cheese Pizza is CALLING MY NAME. Honestly, there isn’t anything I don’t like about this cookbook. It’s so good!!
If you’re a cookbook lover, you probably already have one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s books on your shelf. He’s SO talented. I’m truly amazed with the recipes he comes up with, made from the most simple ingredients. And that simplicity is exactly what you’ll find in the cookbook. He shows you how you cook the perfect eggplant and drizzle it with curried yogurt, the magic of cold yogurt underneath charred veggies, and how to make cheesecake in two hours. Something I love about this book is that even though it has 130 recipes in it, it still has a photo for EVERY SINGLE RECIPE. That’s so much work and so incredible that they made that happen, even if it made the book much larger and more expensive for the publisher. Any time I have a veggie on hand that I’m bored with, I open up this book and it teaches me a new way to cook it. I absolutely adore this book.
Now this book is for the person who LOVES food, not just a person who likes to look at it…because this book is massive and barely has any photo of the actual recipes. It’s one of those books that has pictures of ingredients, people, and geography, but not a ton of specific recipes. That’s the main downside because it can feel a little intimidating not really knowing what your food should look like at the end. For me, Asian food is some of my favorite type of food. The way they mix flavors of sweet and salty, paired with acidity, makes food taste so much better than what I’m used to. I bought this book because I wanted to learn how to put these flavors together and it has 175 recipes to choose from. AND my friend, who is a chef, recommended it. The weight of this book makes it demand a spot on your coffee table so you’ll be opening it over and over to get inspiration in your own kitchen!
Cookbooks are my kryptonite. Have already added two of these to cart. Thanks!