Ten Great Cookbooks to Inspire You in the Kitchen
My Cookbook Addiction
I love cookbooks. I really really love cookbooks….At last count, I have over 400 in my collection. Cooking for me is one of the main ways I show people how much I care about them. Reading a recipe and then turning it into a dish that brings back treasured memories for someone brings me joy.
Over the years, I have read cookbooks the way someone reads novels. I love reading a cookbook from cover to cover. I think of it as going on a treasure hunt. You never know when you will find that next great recipe that will become a family favorite!
Why I Love Cookbooks
Not only are cookbooks a great way to learn how to cook, but also they provide experienced cooks an opportunity to broaden one’s horizons.
One of the cookbooks on my top ten list sparked my interest in French cooking (French Food at Home by Laura Calder). I had assumed that all French recipes were complicated with pages of directions. But this one cookbook along with the accompanying cooking show taught me the simplicity and elegance of French recipes.
I also have bought cookbooks as souvenirs of my travels. In addition to photos, I have another nice reminder of my trip as well as a way to recreate my vacation at home through food.
Cookbooks containing beloved family recipes are one way to honor the memories of those family members who are gone. It is also a wonderful way to keep family traditions alive.
If you are looking for a way to have a good day, open up one of your cookbooks at home and try a new recipe. Or be inspired by my list of ten of my favorite cookbooks and discover your new favorite recipe.
A Note about My Favorite Cookbooks List
Like children, it is impossible to declare a favorite, but these cookbooks below are ten of my favorite ones that anyone should easily be able to buy. Some of my most beloved cookbooks are ones from a community group or local church. I have not included them here as they would be difficult to find. I highly encourage you to take a look through some of your family’s local community cookbooks. They are always a treasure trove of easy and delicious family recipes!
I hope the list below inspires you to try a new cookbook and add to your own list of favorites. Happy reading and eating!
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Ten of My Favorite Cookbooks of All Time
Classic Cookbooks Perfect for Novice Cooks
Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter) – You can’t go wrong with any of Ina Garten’s cookbooks but this one is great for family recipes as well as company. The lasagna recipe is to die for and easy to freeze for a make ahead dish. Impress everyone at the holidays by making the Homemade Marshmallows. They are easier to whip up than you think and so good! Click here to purchase.
Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines (William Morrow Cookbooks) – Not only can Joanna Gaines design lovely homes, but also she can cook amazing food. If you love pancakes, then the Best-Ever Fluffy Pancakes is the recipe to try from this cookbook. They live up to their name. And the Chocolate-Cola cake is full of rich chocolate flavor. Yum! Click here to purchase.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays by Ree Drummond (William Morrow Cookbooks) – The thing I love most about Ree Drummond’s cookbooks are all the pictures she includes of each step of the recipe. Her recipes are all easy and approachable. Two of my favorites are the Chocolate Strawberry Cake and the Orange Vanilla Fruit Salad. Click here to purchase.
Southern Living Around the Southern Table by Rebecca Lang (Oxmoor House) – When a cookbook has multiple recipes for biscuits, then you know this is a good Southern cookbook. The pound cake recipe is a must try and the chicken and dressing casserole is comfort food at its finest. Click here to purchase.
Southern Living 1994 Annual Recipes by Southern Living Magazine (Oxmoor House) – This is one of the cookbooks I inherited from my Great Aunt Mary who was an incredible cook. The Lemon Meringue Pie and Frozen Peppermint Cheesecake from this cookbook have become two of my signature recipes to make. Click here to purchase.
Next Level Cookbooks for Cooks Ready to Branch Out
French Food at Home by Laura Calder (William Morrow Cookbooks) – This is a charmingly written and wonderfully easy French cookbook. Definitely try the Honey Hen recipe from this one! And the quiche recipe is so simple and delicious. Laura Calder shows just how easy French food can be. Click here to purchase.
Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan (Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) – I love how this book is written in an almost conversational style. The recipes are detailed and often give variations to try. The Devils Food Whiteout Cake is on the cover and well worth trying! Click here to purchase.
Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson (Ten Speed Press) – I love how vintage recipes tell a story and the history of a region, so I love this cookbook for that alone. It also has gorgeous pictures and easy to follow directions. The Champagne Cake and the Pink Cake are two of my favorite recipes. Click here to purchase.
The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz (Ten Speed Press) – I am addicted to making my own ice cream thanks to this cookbook. It is full of tasty ice cream recipes. My absolute favorite is the chocolate ice cream. This recipe allowed me to recreate the chocolate orange ice cream I had in Princeton, New Jersey (which is now my favorite ice cream flavor of all time). Click here to purchase.
Tarts by Sarah Banbery (Parragon Publishing) – By using a tart pan, you can turn an ordinary dinner or dessert into something that looks like only a bakery could have made it. I love all of the creative combinations of flavors for both savory and sweet tarts in this cookbook. Two of my favorites are the Potato, Rosemary, and Fontina Tart and the Toffee Apple Tart. Click here to purchase.
Looking for a Quick and Easy Recipe?
Check out Karen’s recipes on our blog for Southwest Mac and Cheese and Easy and Delicious Instant Pot Beef Stew. Both are easy, delicious, and family friendly!
Have a good day –
Kristin
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My family has loved everything I’ve made from Magnolia Table so far, I agree! Our favorite has been the brownie pie.
Hope you get to have that amazing Orange Chocolate ice cream in person again, with some window shopping on the side 🙂
The Mitford Cookbook based on the Mitford series of books. The absolute best mac & cheese, chicken & dumplings, and chicken salad recipes ever along with lots of other good stuff.
Thanks for sharing! I do not have that one, so I will definitely check it out! I am always looking for cookbooks to add to my collection. – Kristin
That sounds like a good one! I am going to check that one out as well! Thank you! ~ Karen