Some of My Favorite Things...COOKBOOKS!

Cookbooks of Course!

What better way to have a healthy lifestyle than to be making your food yourself instead of spending tons of money on the quick yet heavily process (added sodium, preservative, and other chemical)!  I often have people asking me what cookbooks I like and use the most.  Here is a list of MUST-HAVES in terms of your cookbook library.  I would say I use a combination of these EVERY WEEK for my menus, desserts, etc.  I have many more books on my list than the ones I've featured down below, but these are great start.  They are also great gift ideas for the aspiring cook, as a wedding gift, or even someone going off to college who is just starting their cookbook library. 

Cooks Illustrated:  The New Best Recipe

This cookbook has changed my life--literally!  No longer do I go hunting around for a certain recipe to turn out just right, because their chefs have already done that for me!

Ina Garten: Family Style

I use so many of these recipes that I consider this a complete must-have in your collection.  I have all of her cookbooks, but if you need to get started with one, I recommend Family Style.  My favorite recipe in this cookbook is the chicken stew with biscuit--my family goes wild for it.  That specific recipe also is super economical and feeds a large group.

The Southern Living Cookbook

There are tons of Southern Living cookbooks now, but I consider this original to be a must-have.  Some of my favorite recipes include the pie crust and Imperial chicken, as well as the fresh vegetable soup.

Pillsbury: Complete Cookbook

For the "I make everything from scratch" cooks, I think Pillsbury gets a bad wrap due in part to it's pre-packaged/pre-made biscuits, which aren't my product of choice.  However, I was very surprised to find that their cookbook is the real deal.  I particularly like the whole wheat cookie recipe and the Sloppy Joes.  I like this cookbook because it has all your basic recipes, and lots of them.  If you are looking for the latest rendition of a good ol' standard, this is actually the book WITH the good ol' standards.  You won't be finding any new trends here.