Cooking and meal preparation doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. I think that easy meals are lovely, I think meal planning helps a lot, and I also think that in order to be a success in the kitchen you do not have to go it alone.
In an ideal world, I’d be the person who can open the pantry, see what I have, and whip up a gourmet meal in fifteen minutes. But that’s not realistic for me. First, at the end of the day, I am tired. Second, I simply lose inspiration and creativity over time. When I go it alone, I end up making the same meals over and over again. I get bored.
Over the past fifteen years, I’ve learned to rely on some cookbooks, and now they’ve become trusted and beloved sources of inspiration and help to me.
I’ve also gone through dozens of different cookbooks during those same years and, honestly, ended up giving many away. But I do still have a cabinet with my favorites available for handy, easy access. Want to peek inside? Here are my favorites…
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Cookbooks You Should Own
Magnolia Table
By Joanna Gaines
Look, I didn’t want to love this cookbook. I am a little oversaturated with the Gaineses right now. We could also have a long conversation about how I think what they portray publicly plays into the entire “supermom” pressure working moms feel. BUT, that’s for another day or post. This cookbook is honestly great. I use it all the time. It is absolutely, superbly NOT HEALTHY. Think Velveeta cheese and cream of chicken condensed soup. But in spite of that (because of that?) the recipes are always a huge hit with my family and are so easy to prepare. Recipes I turn to time and again include her King Ranch Chicken, Dedication Casserole (we leave out the water chestnuts), Afterschool Banana Bread (the best banana bread we’ve made in our house), and the heavenly Brownie Pie.
Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes To Eat Well And Feel Great
By Danielle Walker
And on the other side of the cookbook spectrum, this one is super healthy. I am not gluten-free, nor do I subscribe to Paleo diets (even though I do enjoy clean eating diets and general healthy eating). But this cookbook was recommended to me by an acquaintance years ago, when we were exploring if gluten-free helped our son’s reactive airways (it didn’t). This cookbook has beautiful, full page photos to accompany each recipe. I haven’t had luck with any of the baking (particularly that pizza crust with cashews – that’s been a disaster every time I try). But the Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken we make at least once a month, and I love the Lamb Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles. There are so many great main dishes in this cookbook my family loves.
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science
By J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
Ok, if you want quick and easy, this is absolutely not the cookbook for you. But I can’t express how much this has done to teach me how things work in the kitchen as well as provide gourmet-level recipes to my life. Kenji (a long-time food blogger) shows his experiments with cooking (never baking) and explains what methods and tips work – and why. (For example, you have to read his entire section on hardboiled eggs and how to properly do it so the shells don’t stick.) It’s become a bit of a joke around here the number of times I say, “Well, Kenji says…” His recipes are unique, sometimes complicated, and can contain ingredients you wouldn’t normally stock (like Marmite, anchovies, and chicken livers). But, oh my God, the eating is so good! I convinced kids who “hate meatloaf” that it is an amazing food by serving up Kenji’s meatloaf at a sleepover – apparently the kids went home and raved about it to their parents. The risotto method makes cooking risotto so much easier and also the creamiest ever. His turkey was the best turkey we’ve ever had a Thanksgiving table (EVER). I could go on and on, but if you aspire to up the game in your kitchen, splurge on this book.
Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Cravings
By Yossy Arefi
I have mentioned this book a few times as of late, particularly on Instagram and in the special email newsletter that goes out monthly. But this book has added so much fun to our lives! These recipes are easy to make – just a whisk, large bowl, and a cake pan. The cakes are always delicious and just the right size, being a little smaller. Our favorites so far are: Berry Cream Cheese, Spiced Honey Cake, All the Spices Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze, and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake. But, honestly, I’ve made about six of these, and none have gone wrong.
The Joy of Cooking
By Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker
This is THE top-selling cookbook of all time. And for good reason! This is the recipe book that has nearly everything in it – from basics and classics to new things to try. This is the cookbook to have as it will help you make basically anything you want, from coq au vin (so good) to apple cobbler, This is particularly useful during the holidays for all of those classic Christmas cookie recipes! If you only pick one cookbook out of this post, make it this one.
Honorable Mentions
Dinner: A Love Story
By Jenny Rosenstrach
Admittedly, I don’t own this! I have gotten it from the library a few times. But I have bought it as a gift for people I love because I think it is beautiful. It combines narrative with recipes and is an inspirational homage to sitting down for a prepared family meal, even as the author doesn’t shy away from the challenges of dinnertime with kids.
365: No Repeats
By Rachael Ray
If the sign of a well-loved cookbook is oil on the pages and a worn-out cover, then consider this one of the best. I have honestly outgrown it at this point, but there are still some recipes I go to time and again. The premise of this cookbook is that Rachael takes one main recipe and then shows how to modify it slightly for different flavor profiles. Mr. Family Trip will occasionally ask for the Five-Spice Burgers with Warm Mu-Shu Slaw and I can make the Ginger Soy Chicken recipe from memory now I’ve made it so often.
Feed These People
By Jen Hatmaker
I didn’t think I would like this one – everything from the typeset to the over-filtered photos turned me off. But really, Jen Hatmaker’s style appeals to me in all ways, and the recipes are so good. This is a fun, creative delight. YUM to the biscuits!
Carolina Thyme
By Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties
This is the cookbook you have likely never heard of. Over 20 years old now, it was originally sold by the Junior League in the area of North Carolina we lived in for years as a fundraiser. But honestly, it is so good! Some recipes are taken straight from popular restaurant menus (even if those restaurants are no longer in business), and everything in here is absolutely delicious. I’ve done the Wild Chicken Rice Bake a dozen times, the Bruschetta recipe always impresses at parties, I crave the Goat Cheese Enchiladas with Black Bean Sauce recipe at random times of the year, and I could go on. This is a sneaky little stunning cookbook.
My Favorite Recipe Websites
Eating Well - eatingwell.com
I have the Eating Well cookbook, which has won numerous awards, but I don’t use it that often. It seems outdated and the recipes overly complicated. But their website is my favorite place to look for recipes. Two I’ve added to my repertoire are the Sheet Pan Pancakes (seriously, try these, but double up on the chocolate chip side and leave out the raspberry portion) and the Sheet Pan Chicken and Roasted Brussel Sprouts (I think it’s the sherry that makes all the difference).
Smitten Kitchen - smittenkitchen.com
I just love Smitten Kitchen. I love her writing, her storytelling, her photography, her honesty, and her creativity. I haven’t made too many things, to be honest, but everything I’ve tried has been great. I didn’t even know I liked Corn Pudding until I tried this recipe.
Overall, don’t be afraid to invest in some great cookbooks. Like good friends, they can accompany you through so many different seasons of life and through so many different shared meals. Bon appetit!Â
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