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Looking for recommendations on good cook books. Maybe something for cheap easy meals

Looking for recommendations on good cook books. Tired of cooking the same things. No Paula Deen since I have all her books. Maybe something for cheap easy meals. Thank you in advance. 🙂

Joe #recommend #cookbooks

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79 Answers

Katherine

I’ve not read her book but her blog is good so I imagine her book would be good as well, have you done any Pioneer Woman Recipes? Bonus, you can check out the recipes and writing style online to see if you enjoy them before buying one if her cook books.

Also, Gordon Ramsay’s Fit Food is pretty awesome, the recipes are simple but wonderful.

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JoeQuestion author

@Katherine No, I haven’t tried her yet. Will definitely look into her. I have done Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, Masterchefs, and Sandra Lee.

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Katherine

@Joe I hope you enjoy her!

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Faith

Taste of Home cookbooks never disapoint.

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Faith

Disappoint. Typo

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Christina

I haven’t read the cookbook but Melissa D’Arabian’s Show Ten Dollar Dinners was fantastic. I’m sure the book is good too. The original Barefoot Contessa cookbook is a classic as well.

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Sharon

If you can find a copy (and Iike Italian food) Dom DeLuise wrote a great cookbook years ago. The pasta fagioli recipe is super easy, and perfect comfort food. Only has about 4 ingredients!

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JoeQuestion author

@Sharon omg I haven’t heard that name in forever! I remember him from my childhood will definitely check it out. Thank you soooooo much! ?

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Sharon

@Joe just be sure to get his first book if you can. He wrote two and the second is a diet cookbook. The first one was better and the recipes aren’t that fattening. You can adapt them easily. I hope you can find it, and enjoy!

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JoeQuestion author

I found two of his cook books. Eat this and eat this too. He also wrote children’s books which I did not know. Gonna order them for my little ones too. Thank you so much for bring back some of my childhood. ?

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Sharon

@Joe so glad to hear they are still out there! I hope you enjoy!

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JoeQuestion author

@Sharon thank you. 🙂 I’m excited

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Kate

This is not my *favorite*cookbook in terms of fun, exciting meals, but it is far and away my most used. Everything in it is simple but tasty and works for a weeknight https://www.amazon.com/One-Pot-Skillet-Cooker-Stockpot/dp/0307954412/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544718541&sr=8-1&keywords=martha+stewart+one+pot+meals

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Melissa

My two favorite cookbook “brands” that I use over and over and over are the Pioneer Woman cookbooks and the Skinnytaste cookbooks. Both have recipes that my family really loves and no weird ingredients.

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JoeQuestion author

@Melissa she has a ton of cooking books. Which one is your favorite?

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Melissa

These are the two cookbooks I use the most: https://amzn.to/2QT4XwU (Pioneer Woman one) andhttps://amzn.to/2LgkvWC (Skinnytaste)

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Chan

To Have and Have Another. A book of cocktail recipes based on drinks in Hemingways books

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Heather

I have an obsession with cookbooks. I’ll sit and read one like a novel. Ina Garten “Barefoot Contessa” is a hands down favorite. How Easy is That and Back to Basics are the first two of her cookbooks that I bought, and those are still the ones I go to the most. “The Silver Palate” cookbook by Sheila Lukins is another one I highly recommend.

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Kate

Silver Palate is great!

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JoeQuestion author

Just found it! Will be ordering it. Thank you ladies. ?

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Sharron

@Heather me to, I collect them. I especially love travel cookbooks my favorite is any by Rick Stein

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Natalie

@Sharron and then passing them on to me to cook the recipes. Best of both worlds ?

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Sharron

@Natalie That’s what good daughters do and you benifit from having some of my beautiful cook books.

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Tiffany

Feeding Hannibal: A Connoisseur’s Cookbook

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Mary

Taste of Home 5-Ingredient Cookbook: 400+ Recipes Big on Flavor, Short on Groceries! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1617654086/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_I1OeCbG5V1GJB

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Gayle

I have been watching Julia Child you tube videos the way to cook. Come to find out there is a cookbook The Way To Cook to go with the series. Perfect for me to learn the right way.

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JoeQuestion author

@Gayle Love Julia Child and Justin Wilson. Always watched them with my great grandma and they are the reason why I love to cook. ?

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Julia

Mark Bittman is good.

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Mary

So funny…I was scrolling down amazed, that no one had mentioned him. He is the BEST and simplest 🙂

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Bethany

https://www.amazon.com/Zahav-Israeli-Cooking-Michael-Solomonov/dp/0544373286

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Kris

The Italian Vegetable Cookbook by @Michele and The Tucci Table by Stanley Tucci

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Leigh

One of my comfort food cookbooks I use is Fannie Flagg’s Whistle Stop Cafe. I have made the chicken and dumplings for years. Always a hit.

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Julia

If you like japanese food, not just sushi or noodles but actual japanese food, there’s http://justonecookbook.com/ and she has a book as well on the site?

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JoeQuestion author

Thank you all for your input. I ordered 7 new cookbooks for the total of $18.00! =) Looking forward in trying new recipes. I added all recommeded books to my wish list so once i’m done with the seven i will order the other ones. =) As always happy reading……and happy cooking too!

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Vera

I’m late to this thread but to me Joy of Cooking is the ultimate cookbook. It covers EVERYTHING! I’m always pleased to learn about professional cooks who have it on their shelf along with more complex tomes. Eg. the columnist David Lebovitz. Julia Child also owned a copy.

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JoeQuestion author

@Vera will definitely check them out. ?

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Sarah

Depends what kind of food you like. A few if my favourites:

Sirocco – Sabrina Ghayour, Middle Eastern
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat – Samin Nosrat, a cooking encyclopedia
Mamushka – Olia Hercules, Eastern European
The Hairy Dieters Go Veggie, British
Hibiscus – Lopè Ario, Nigerian
Appetites – Anthony Bourdain, general

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JoeQuestion author

@Sarah I will eat and try anything. However, my husband has no taste for food. He is boring lol. Definitely will look for these cook books. Thank you. Oh and Anthony Bourdain love him! Have couple of his books but not that one.

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Sarah

My partner used to be like that. It’s taken a little while but I’ve gradually expanded his culinary horizons.

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JoeQuestion author

@Sarah my husband’s mom never cooked. When she did no seasoning. I’ve been able to get him to try some different food and healthy ones but if it wasn’t for me being the cook in the house it would totally be fast food or Mac n cheese all the time lol.

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Komet

A BIRD IN THE HAND: Chicken Recipes for Every Day and Every Mood by Diana Henry

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Leigh

do you use it? Sounds like one I would like. I love chicken.

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Sarah

I eat so much chicken. This is going on my list.

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Komet

I love chicken, too (provided it’s not boiled). ? I heard about the book a few weeks ago on BBC Radio London (online) and resolved to buy it. I plan on making a chicken dish for New Year’s Day.

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Brenda

I find tons of recipes on Pinterest

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Lynne

Pati’s Mexican Table: The Secrets of Real Mexican Home Cooking by Pati Jinich [the Chicken Tinga is one of my all-time favs]… Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless…The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso [a very favorite cook book]…The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century by Amanda Hesser …5 Ingredients: Quick & Easy Food by Jaime Oliver…The Ultimate Soup Cookbook: Over 900 Family-Favorite Recipes by Editors of Reader’s Digest…Jacques Pepin Celebrates: 200 of His Most Cherished Recipes for Memorable Meals with Family and Friends by Jacques Pepin…Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street: The New Home Cooking by Christopher Kimball…At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey…
But besides my many cookbooks I probably love most buying cooking magazines [will buy if I find 3-5 ones in a issue that I want to try] which I then tear out the pages I am interested in and put in plastic sleeves and then into a 3-ring notebook so in the end I have my own cookbook filled only with recipes I have tried or want to try.
I also will google recipes by listing the ingredients I have on hand and see what pops up. If I like something then I print it out and add it to my recipe notebook.

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Dana

I will preface this by saying that I do not cook so I have no desire for cookbooks!!! But, I happened to be watching a show with Tricia Yearwood. She supposedly has authored a few cookbooks that have quite a bit of narrative about her life.

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Linda

So many good ones. I bake bread so have a lot of bread baking cookbooks. What kinds of food do you like?

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JoeQuestion author

@Linda I’m open to anything. No tofo tho lol. Maybe some different cultures recipes? Would love some seafood ideas…..I don’t have any of those. Would like to build up recipes for my grandma (she is currently 87 years young)/grandmother era too.

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Linda

I love Indian food and found The Indian Slow Cooker by Anupy Singla is excellent. And Giada de Laurentis Everyday Italian is good too. Did you know that it has been said (who said it I cannot remember) that if you find 3 recipes in a cookbook that you like and use it is worth the cost! That gave me a lot of comfort. Have fun

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Paula

I like the cookbooks put out as fundraisers — PTA, Junior League, Church groups, etc — they are tried and true favorites. You can usually find them at book sales and even Goodwill.

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Sarah

Oh, another thought is any of Jack Monroe’s books for cheap and easy.

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Cary

I love Ina Garten’s cookbooks and I really like both of Chrissy Tiegen’s cookbooks. They are funny and easy to make recipes. I also use http://www.foodnetwork.com/ to find recipes I am interested in making.

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Karen

Ina Garten . She does use butter, not quite like Paula but she’s generous.

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Toni

Mad Hungry, Feeding Men and Boys, by Lucinda Scala Quinn

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Martha

My favorite cookbooks from my home state of Louisiana are Talk About Good! And Cane River Cuisine.

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Kay

@Martha Also the Junior League Pirates Pantry or Marshes to Mansions from Lake Charles, Louisiana!

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Yalta

Idas in the kitchen

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Denise

The Barefoot Contessa’s early books are great. For all-around well written and tested recipes I always like ATK:
The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001 – 2019: Every Recipe from the Hit TV Show with Product Ratings and a Look Behind the Scenes

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Donna

@Denise I also got the test kitchen book and it is great. Another of my favorites is the Victory Garden cookbook from the pbs show. Written by the wife of the host. It’s an oldie but one of the best for fresh produce cooking. I have hundreds and these are two of my favorites.

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Denise

That old show was fantastic! Lucky you to have that book.

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Joanna

Jamie Oliver (family favourites or something like that!) I don’t like to watch him but find his recipes work

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Katie

alex guarnaschelli’s the home cook.

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Sarah

Hands down the best basic cookbook. Betty Crockers Bridal Edition cookbook. I kid you not, we have made simple delicious recipes out of this for years.

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Jess

I absolutely love the pioneer woman cookbooks. I have two of them and whenever I am stuck they are my go too. ?

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Sylvia

I’m a Jamie Oliver fan

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Tricia

I love cookbooks.
Jamie Oliver’s 15 and his 30 min meal books, also Jimmy Dohertys, Ataste of the country
Feasts by Sabrina Ghayour
Mamushka by Olia Hercules,
Scandinavian comfort food by Trine Hahnemann are my faves oohh also Curry nation by Madhur Jaffrey

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Sharon

@Tricia I have used Madhur Jaffrey cookbooks for years! Love them! I don’t often recommend them because I don’t know how many people love highly flavorful foods. She is without a doubt my fav cookbook author!

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Tricia

I could quite happily devour everything from that curry nation book.

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Sandy

I like Ina Garten

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Sharron

Jamie Oliver Lovely recipes and easy to follow.

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Laura

A game changer in cookbooks – Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. Her Netflix series is amazing. Watch it and you will have to get the book. It isn’t just recipes. She explains how to cook and why to cook that way. Many of her recipes are easy to follow, quick to prepare and rely on fresh, easy to find ingredients but end up with magical results.

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Lisa

Delia Smith. Its the only cookbook I still use. All her recipes are easy to use and always turn out exactly as they ought to.

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Gail

Galloping Gourmet – don’t know if they are in print anymore but you might find at a used bookstore.

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Sharron

Recipes & stories from central Asia & the caucasus. By Caroline Eden & Eleanor Ford. Beautiful book with delicious easy to follow recipes

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Natalie

Why is this one not in my house.

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Sharron

@Natalie Because it’s my favorite, It’s full of Plovs, Pilafs, Kebabs, Stews, Dips and Salads all the things I love.

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Sharron

@Natalie Second thoughts I will bring it over and you can cook some lovely things for me.

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Sharon

Have any of you read Chrissy Teigen’s cookbooks? That girl and her Mom can cook! Impressive!

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