Remember the 2020 COVID quarantine season? Where we were all locked up inside our homes, trying to navigate the uncertain season of our lives? Well, during this time, I found a burning passion, and that was being in my kitchen cooking and baking. And today, I pray to pass that encouragement, to start baking and cooking, as a merriness little hobby for yourself <3
Now I know some of you are like “absolutely not.” Or are like some of my good friends saying “I seriously can’t cook, even if my life depended on it.” Or “I do not have time.” Well, I just challenge those thoughts right here, right now. Let’s go, girl.
Trust me, I understand all of these things. I am not the greatest chef on the planet by any means. However, I have learned to fall in love with the sweet gift of being in the kitchen. It’s not entirely about the food, rather it is more about the lovely company of mine that gets to enjoy it. There is not much that can top sitting around a table with people you love, enjoying the service that you blissfully and selflessly crafted for their culinary enjoyment. Whether baking a batch of warm cookies or swirling an easy pasta recipe, the act of service that comes within the kitchen is sure to bring a twinkle to loved ones’ eyes and their bellies full of warmth. Trust me, they will thank you for a thoughtful meal and sweet memories around your table.
So to stir your inner culinary ambitions, I wanted to pass along 5 of my favorite cookbooks that I learned to help me craft my culinary gifts. These cookbooks have a dangerous amount of butter that have sizzled and landed on the pages, sauces that clumsily have been spilled on the corners, and traces of crumbs that have found a nice permanent home in the book’s spine.
Are you ready to hear about the 5 cookbooks you need to have nestling home in your cute kitchen???
TACOS!!! You guys. Tacos. Literally, can we give a standing ovation to the creation of tacos? Best idea ever. Delicious meat, grilled veggies, topped with cheese & fresh guacamole? HECK YES. I thrive off a Taco Tuesday, and Taco Thursday & if it was up to me, it would be a taco every night. Not only are they the most brilliant creation (I am biased), but they are so easy to make and clean!!! Clean in ingredients and clean in only using one sheet pan most of the time!
Most of the ingredients are probably already in your refrigerator or pantry: chicken, sour cream, cheese, salsa, avocados, taco seasoning, lettuce, black beans, etc. Tacos can be as simple or complicated as you want to make them. So that is why I LOVE this cookbook as it shows the versatility of tacos with ingredients you probably already have. If you do not think you are a good cook, well, you can make a darn good taco because there really isn’t such thing as having a bad taco. So go make a taco & send me one, please.
I don’t know about you, but when the holidays come around the corner, I am in the mood to bake ah-mazing dishes for all the gatherings that come with the holiday season. Let me preface with a warning about this cookbook: these recipes tend to take much longer than your easy 5 ingredient dinners. But the recipes in this cookbook will absolutely electrify your spouse’s tastebuds for a night-in romantic meal. This is the cookbook to have if you want to have the most delicious brunch or outdoor picnic with your gal pals. I must say, the desserts are impeccable as they use fresh herbs and fruit!! Talk about a summer dream, sitting on the back deck, devouring a tender delight of strawberry shortcakes while the sun is setting!
PINCH ME. Too good.
Overall, this cookbook is essential to have in your repertoire when hosting a fabulous evening with your sweet family and friends. They will be blown away by your exquisite hosting and chef skills.
This gal has not made one bad recipe. All of her cooking is liquid gold, and I am a huge fan of hers. In this cookbook, I learned how delicious it is to use cedar plank when cooking fish! Such a simple trick that elevates fish to another level in no time! Tieghan has such an eye for upgrading weeknight meals while still being doable. My friends have loved tasting her recipes, and I guarantee you will always get a high five from your guests after dishing out her plates! Stack this book on that kitchen self, in a spot that is easy to pull out, because you will be reaching for it… quite a bit.
Talk about the most fun cookbook ever pieced together. Delish is a very popular page on social media that gained immense traction with their fun & wild recipes, and they came out with a cookbook! I actually got this cookbook for my sweet momma one Christmas a while ago, and I ended up using the book myself! These dishes have such a fun take on meals! I love using this cookbook when I am hosting friend get-togethers. These recipes are such a gathering hit! So much fun and creativity laced within each page–
For newlyweds, I highly suggest this book to them! Or as a housewarming present because it is so fun!!!
I have followed Two Peas and Their Pod on Instagram for a long time. I kept saving and using the recipes that they would post on their social media account. Eventually, the recipes became my entire “saved” section, so I decided to look up if they had a cookbook!
And of course, they do! So I headed over to my nearest bookstore and collected it. If you want to know how much I use this book, I would gladly tell you that pages are falling out. The binding is becoming worn out due to the amount I have opened and closed. ALSO, as you may know, I LOVE cookies. My favorite. And cookies are their favorites too. So that is a home run for me!! This cookbook has an entire section on cookies. Do you wanna kill it at your next cookie exchange party?? All the secret cookies are in this book! Trust me, you will thank me later!!
So, girl, you can cook. You can bake. It just takes practice and a heart to try.
If you love to eat delicious food as I do, I personally invite you to join along the journey of practicing & learning in the kitchen with some fun cookbooks!
One of my friends asked once “How many cookbooks do you own?”
I say “way too many, but not enough”
I have a secret love for cookbooks, and I absolutely love collecting recipes that are just TOO GOOD. A life tip for you, I think cookbooks are phenomenal bridal showers, housewarming, or wedding gifts to get people! Cookbooks bring a layer of excitement and make being in the kitchen SO FUN! It’s like when you buy new running shoes, or a fresh set of workout clothes, it kind of makes you want to run. So buy yourself a good cookbook and a new workout item, and talk about BALANCE! Whoop! What a win!
I hope you have fun exploring these cookbooks! Open those kitchen windows, let the sunshine radiate through, dive into a sweet recipe and always let your sunshine shine through for your guests that get to enjoy your creation!
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