But this is Birthday Things, not Thighs I Inherited From My Mother.
Ahem.
So whenever I cannot think of a single thing that I actually want to make for dinner, and trolling allrecipes.com makes me want to [is there any polite way to say it?], this big red cookbook never fails. And it has pictures! Pictures are a must for the culinarily challenged such as myself. Bless you, Betty.
This Betty has sentimental value, also. It was the first cookbook I ever bought. Lee and I had just started dating, and he was coming for dinner, at which point I figured that I better learn how to cook something. I think my first attempt was Oven Fried Chicken. Then I lugged it back out to cook dinner the first time he met my parents [Chicken Tetrazzini]. Without Betty, we probably would have spent our first year of courtship eating Peanut Butter & Jelly, because I'm sure that was about the extent of my culinary skill prior to her.
It's certainly no Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but then, neither am I.
What about you? What's your favorite cookbook?
I love the first ever Jacksonville Junior League Cookbook (Jacksonville & Co.). True, my mom made it...but still it's got a ton of recipes that are my "go to" recipes.
ReplyDeleteMy new favorite is Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine...this is awesome.
I do have the Betty book, but haven't used it much. I need to whip it out
Ooh, I love that one, too. I need to break that one back out this week.
ReplyDeleteDespite the fact that most of the recipes call for more butter than anyone should eat in a week, I love our Southern Living cookbook. I have found many great recipes in that one. We received the Newlywed's Cookbook as a gift, but didn't love it. Not sure if they are trying to break up the new couples, but those recipes were complicated and daunting. I actually had to google a few of the terms, kind of sad.
ReplyDeleteHa! Glad it's not just us on the Newlywed Cookbook thing...I don't think Lee and I have ever made a single recipe from ours.
ReplyDeleteI like Southern Living as well, this one:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Southern-Living-Incredibly-Unbelievably-Superfast/dp/0848728254
One of my favorite cookbooks is the "Bride and Groom First and Forever Cookbook". What a cheesy title! I received this book as a bride from my real estate agent in Charlotte, whose sister in law co-wrote the book! There are many great classic recipes and really pretty pictures. I'm a sucker for pretty food photos.
ReplyDeleteThat first dinner with the Boones was nerve-wracking! You should tell that story, Suz.
ReplyDelete**Spoiler alert - it involves matching clothing**
Chicken Tet remains a sentimental favorite of mine. It tastes so good when it hits your lips.
I am creeped out by the wede's comment. My favorites are all from America's Test Kitchen, aka Cooks Illustrated. I love them all. I use their Family Cookbook almost daily and must confess nearly all my baking secrets, those that I don't steal from Leigh, come from the Baking Illustrated Book.
ReplyDelete