Cookbook Love

Cookbooks, cookbooks, cookbooks! Don't you just love cookbooks? Cookbooks have come a long way over the years. Today's cookbooks are a feast for the eyes. Don't you just love flipping through the pages of a beautiful cookbook? Recently, I got three new cookbooks.

A Look At My Favorite Cookbooks

Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? is the third Ina Garten cookbook I have. I also have Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics and Barefoot Contessa at Home. The Barefoot Contessa cookbooks are beautifully photographed and have easy to follow recipes. I also follow the Barefoot Contessa show on the Food Network to better understand how the recipes are prepared.

Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes will take you on a culinary trip through Italy while sitting in your favorite chair. Oh, how I dream of traveling through Italy and sampling the regional favorites. That is one trip that is on my bucket list. Do you have a bucket list?

Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe will make your mouth water. It is also chock full of tips for successful baking. I can't wait to get started on replicating the recipes. I'll share the results here, so I hope you'll stay tuned.

These new cookbooks join other favorites.

Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook has helpful pictures and carefully written recipes.
Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics has a delicious recipe at every page turn, and Baked has a killer brownie recipe that was voted the best brownie in the United States. I made the brownies and they were delicious. I'll tell you more about them another day.

I like to use Post-It note paper to mark the pages of my favorite recipes. It makes it easy to find the pages. I also like to make comments on the Post-It to remind me of any tweaks I might make to the recipe.

I've been tweaking the Barefoot Contessa's shrimp scampi recipe as you can see by my notes in the picture. I'll share that dish with you in a future post.

Do you love cookbooks, too? Do you have a favorite cookbook I should add to my collection? Please leave a comment if you have a favorite cookbook suggestion. I'd love you hear from you.

Happy cookbook reading! And cooking...and baking...and eating!

Donna

Comments

How to Make a Perfect Bacon and Eggs Breakfast

In my opinion, the best breakfast consists of two perfectly fried eggs, crispy bacon, and toast made with hearty bread. This bacon and eggs recipe delivers. Bacon and eggs or eggs and bacon? No matter, it is definitely the breakfast you want on those lazy mornings when you have time to relax around the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee or two. The Best Bacon and Eggs Breakfast (This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. When you make a purchase using these links you help support this blog.) How to Cook Bacon and Eggs My technique was learned from my mom, by watching her make our family's breakfast over and over again, year after year. This is a basted egg recipe which means the eggs are cooked in bacon grease. Cooking eggs in bacon fat is easy and takes just a little practice to perfect. All you really need for a great bacon and eggs breakfast is a good nonstick skillet and a good toaster . If you want to make your own bre...

The Best Asian Dipping Sauce You'll Ever Taste

If you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-make Asian dipping sauce perfect for sushi and dumplings, then you've come to the right place. This recipe for the best Asian dipping sauce is perfect for any time you want a kick of delicious Asian flavor. An Asian Dipping Sauce for Sushi and Dumplings Try this if you are looking for a dipping sauce that is a little more flavorful than you typically get with your takeout order. You'll love it with dumplings, too!

Traditional New England Whoopie Pies

Are you looking for the best whoopie pie recipe? Whoopie pies are a quintessential New England dessert and a memorable treat from my childhood. My mom would make them for us every once in a while. Oh, what a treat to come home from school to a platter of chocolate whoopie pies! Yum! Today I'm sharing my recipe for the best-ever whoopie pies. The Best Whoopie Pies Recipe without Marshmallow Fluff Whoopie Pies Whoopie pies are soft round cookie-like cakes with a smooth cream filling sandwiched in the center. Debate rages about the whoopie pie's origin. Some say these goodies originated in New England, others say they originated with the Amish. There is also debate about what ingredients should be in the filling. Many recipes include fillings made with Marshmallow Fluff or buttercream but neither is traditional, in my opinion. The whoopie pie of my childhood is a traditional Maine whoopie p...

Bread Machine Dinner Rolls

Are you looking for an easy dinner roll recipe? The easiest way to make fresh dinner rolls is with your bread machine. Relax while you use the dough setting of your bread machine to get the time-intensive steps out of the way. You'll be delighted with the results of this easy bread machine dinner roll recipe. The best bread machine dinner rolls are the ones you make yourself. How to Make Bread Machine Dinner Rolls This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you use your bread machine to make dinner rolls most of the work is done by the machine. You'll be delighted with how easy it is to make fresh rolls. While most of the work is being done by the bread machine you can be doing something else.

Grandma's Soft and Chewy Date-Filled Cookies

One of the things I can count on as the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons arrive each year is a feeling of nostalgia. The traditional foods we serve at our family's holiday tables can sure bring out all the feels. Now that it is officially cookie season, we should kick it off with an old-fashioned homemade date-filled cookie recipe. This is a soft, tender cookie with dates that is a special, nostalgic, family recipe. An Old-Fashioned Date Cookies Recipe This old-fashioned, date-filled cookie was my dad's favorite cookie from his childhood. My dad was born in 1932 so this recipe has been around for quite a while.

Winter Care for Orchids and African Violets

Are you familiar with the term "hygge"? It's a Danish term that has caught on in the U.S. because it speaks to the feelings of coziness and relaxation we seek during the winter months. It emphasizes the simple things in life and the feelings of a life well-lived. One of the ways I create hygge this time of year is by making sure my collection of African violets and orchids is happy and healthy, How to Care for African Violets and Orchids During Winter This post contains affiliate links. We receive a small compensation when you shop with these links. Your houseplants are most likely crying out for some attention right now. If you are like me, you ignored them a bit during the busy holidays. After all the festive decorations are put away, it's time to give your plants a lovely spa treatment. Read on for tips on how to care for orchid plants and African violets in winter.

How to Trap and Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies can be a huge annoyance at certain times of the year. What can you do to kill fruit flies? We've all been there wondering how to get rid of fruit flies. Fruit flies in the kitchen. Fruit flies in the bathroom. Fruit flies buzzing around everywhere in your home. It's a frustrating problem that happens to everyone at one time or another. If you are a fresh fruit and produce lover you certainly know what I mean. How to Kill Fruit Flies with Two Ingredients Those pesky little buggers can often be brought into your home on the vegetables and fruit you buy. You don't have to tolerate the annoyance. This homemade fruit fly trap is one I have been using for many years and it works every time.

Five Keys to Growing A Healthy Ficus Tree

Have you ever wondered how a single Ficus benjamina tree could become a beloved part of your home for decades, thriving and growing alongside your family? If you haven’t yet, you might consider the addition of this living, air-purifying companion in your home that not only beautifies your space but also stands the test of time. You may know this tree as either a Ficus benjamina or a weeping fig. I have loved growing a ficus tree in my home for 36 years. It’s remarkable that I've had this tree for so long. How to Grow A Ficus Tree Inside for Decades This post includes affiliate links. I may receive compensation when you use these links. When thinking about how I managed to keep this indoor ficus tree happy, healthy, and growing strong all these years it boiled down to five key Ficus benjamina plant care tips. Follow these tips and you can have a happy, healthy ficus tree in your home for many years, too.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread: A Bread Machine Recipe

Are you craving a warm, cozy treat perfect for fall mornings? Look no further than this delicious cinnamon raisin yeast bread. Baked in a bread machine, this recipe is incredibly easy to make and offers a classically delightful blend of flavors that's sure to satisfy. Easy Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread This post contains affiliate links. Whether you're serving it as a comforting breakfast on a chilly morning or enjoying it as a sweet afternoon snack, this cinnamon raisin yeast bread is a versatile and delicious addition to your fall recipe rotation. Its soft, fluffy texture and warm, inviting aroma make it a favorite among both young and old.

Amaretti Cookies for Your Christmas Cookie Platter

Are you looking for Christmas cookie suggestions? During the holiday season, while you're pondering classic Christmas cookie favorites like sugar cookies and gingerbread men, consider adding a touch of Italian flair to your Christmas cookie platter. Try Amaretti, delicate Italian almond cookies, with a subtly sweet flavor and crumbly texture. They are sure to become a cherished family treat. These classic Italian cookies have become a favorite Christmas cookie at my house. How to Make Classic Italian Amaretti Cookies Homemade Amaretti cookies bring a touch of sophistication and elegance to any dessert spread, making them perfect holiday treats. Their crisp, slightly chewy texture offers a delightful contrast to the usual soft, gooey holiday desserts. With a subtle almond sweetness, these cookies appeal to adults and kids alike and bring a taste of Italy to your holiday table. What Are Amaretti Cookies? Amaretti cookies have a rich history i...

Just~One~Donna

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