Cookbooks, Favorite Meals, Planning...YES!

Thank you.  I've been motivated by your comments on my food block post to reorganize and re-prioritize my cooking routine.

While I understand that it's part of this keeping house and raising the family job to plan and execute meals I've come to the conclusion that it can't overtake my life.  My routine up until now has been to sit down at some point on the weekends and make a meal plan and grocery list for the week.  Then throughout the week there's the inevitable revamping, moving meals around based on my willingness to cook, Ian's work schedule and how the day has gone.  By the end of the week I have nearly always overplanned, or overestimated what I'm willing to make, leaving our freezer FULL of unused ingredients and LOTS of leftovers.

So these past two weeks I've been systematically working through the freezer and let me tell you its been brutal.  I save things that weren't really good in the first place, only to rediscover it's mediocrity upon reheat and serving time.  The good news about all these so so meals it's that it's rekindled my zeal to cook and plan well.  I am ready.

After cleaning out the freezer, pantry, recipe box and cookbook shelf I feel refreshed and eager to make good on my promise to share some favorites with you.  So here we go.

Cookbooks
I've wittled my collection down to 6 essentials,

The Joy of Cooking

The quintessential cookbook in my opinion.  Instructional, traditional, simple and good.  I turn to this book for most pastry recipes (caramel rolls, pie crust, breads and rolls, pancakes, waffles) as well as scrumptious casseroles and meal plans.

The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

This books is wonderful for those, whoops! I have no meal plan but a pretty well stocked pantry, nights. I especially love her ideas for side dishes and pantry suppers.

Tyer's Ultimate by Tyler Florence

For those nights when I want something fancy tasting, without being too involved or finicky.  His beef stew recipe is my absolute favorite and the carbonara pasta is a family favorite we've had MANY times.

The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

I've gone through phases with this cookbook and every time I revisit it I fall more in love.  Even Ian admits he likes most of what I've made from it (despite it being a meatless cookbook).  Our favorites are the cauliflower cheese pie, calzones, spinach rice casserole and bulgar casserole.  I love that these recipes have made us try new ingredients and introduced me to some great variety in our diet.

More With Less

This cookbook was given to me by a dear friend and it's part cookbook part food reference.  I had so many "ah ha!" moments when reading this book.  One was that we eat WAY too much protein.  If I'm making something with lots of cheese in it I don't also need meat and vice versa.  This book has so many great recipes for one dish meals.  The sausage apple sweet potato casserole is one of our favorites.

The All-American Cookie Cookbook

You know I had to keep a dessert cookbook in my aresenal, and this is the one.  I know I've mentioned it before but litereally EVERY cookie I've made from here is fantastic.  The sugar cookie and shortbread recipes are my favorites.

Chefs


I've watched a lot of cooking shows in my day and tried a LOT of online recipes.  Conclusion?  There are a few chefs who's recipes I trust and websites I know I can count on.  Here we go.

Rachel Ray

I haven't looked up anything new of hers in years, but when we were newly married her 30 minute meal show taught me how to manage my time in the kitchen and how to multitask to make meals more quickly and efficiently.  For example? If you're making something with pasta start the water on boil right away, then you won't be stuck waiting around for a pot of water to boil at the end of your cooking.  I still make her orange cashew barbecue chicken and birds in a nest recipes frequently.

Paula Deen

Talk about comfort food.  Of course I can't cook like her ALL the time but there is a place for a little Paula in all of our lives.  Her gooey butter cake is a dessert treat favorite for special occassions and her texas beef brisket and pot roast* recipes were my first real successes with slow roasted meat.

*while an excellent recipe I have since found a new favorite method for pot roast, see below

Ina Garten

Ina's cooking show will always be my favorite.  I love her yummy relitively simple food and her mantra that home cooked food SHOULD look homemade.  Her list of kitchen essentials is simple and good and her recipes are almost always amazing.  Her baked shrimp scampi and cauliflower gratin are to die for.

Giada

While a bit over the top in her cooking show, her recipes are really good.  Her winter minestrone is what made us all fall in love with swiss chard. I still make a pot just about every month and it's lapped up happily by all.

Ree Drummond

Oh goodness Pioneer Woman, how you've changed my life.  I stumbled across her delcious hilarious blog last fall and after making almost solely her recipes for our delcious thanksgiving I was completely hooked.  Her stuff is great, without being too fancy or stuffy.  I have yet to try something of hers that I don't like.  Here's a list of the recipes we've tried so far...all keepers.

mashed potatoes
spicey pop pulled pork
pot roast
broccoli cheese soup
mexican lasagna
chicken tikka masala
soul sweet potatoes
cheesy grits
braised short ribs
pasta with pancetta and leeks
pancakes

I was going to keep going with some recipe box favorites but this has gotten long enough.  I'd love to hear about your favorite recipes, from books, chefs, grandma's, restaurants...whatever!  Yay to recipes! Tried and true!