If you follow me on Instagram stories, you know that you will often find me in the kitchen prepping meals for myself and my family. With the Frenchies underfoot, I love to set an ambiance in the kitchen by lighting a candle, turning on the music and pouring myself a glass of wine while preparing dinner. I find being in the kitchen most nights to be both relaxing and rewarding.
I get great joy from sitting down at the kitchen table on a Sunday morning and consulting my favorite cookbooks to find recipe inspiration for the week ahead. My type A personality enjoys the weekly rhythm of meal planning based on a hefty handful of well loved recipes on rotation. And of course I couldn’t do any of this without relying on the cookbooks I have grown to love and use consistently.
Yet despite the fact I love to be in the kitchen, by no means do I consider myself a cook. I do not have the ability to open up my fridge and throw together a gourmet worthy meal just by hand picking a few ingredients. I couldn’t begin to tell you what spice or herb best enhances the flavor of a certain food or dish. Nor could I tell you the best cuts of meat to buy or the best produce to use in season. I do however love to cook and I love to cook for my family. And I love these army of cookbooks below that help me accomplish prepping successful meals to feed my family. Cookbooks that make me feel I am cooking like a pro!
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Best Cookbooks 2019
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Cook Beautiful– Athena Calderone
I do not know of a cookbook out there that provides more visually appealing recipes than this one. As the voice and curator behind EyeSwoon, Athena believes that food simply tastes better when it’s visually alluring and made with love. In Cook Beautiful, she shares how to achieve her impeccable yet approachable cooking style in every season. What I love most about this book is that Athena offers step-by-step advice on food preparation and presentation along with specific table décor and entertaining tips so your dishes turn out just as beautiful as hers. In addition to her cookbook, do not miss out on her inspirational lifestyle blog, Eyeswoon
Favorite recipe: Winter Citrus Salad (shared here)
Cravings: Hungry For More-Chrissy Teigen
What is there not to love about Chrissy Teigen? Supermodel turned lifestyle empire creator while exuding a whole lot of cuteness to go along with it. The follow up to her debut cookbook, Cravings: Hungry for More, is filled with soul food recipes designed for comfort eating. Think blueberry cream cheese pancakes and her Thai influence on foods such as Pad Thai Carbonara. So yes while cooking up these recipes, it is easy to become hungry for more!
Favorite recipe: Jalapeno-Cheddar Corn Pudding
Dinner: Changing the Game– Melissa Clark
It’s the meal I prepare the most so to have a whole cookbook dedicated to dinner recipes is very much appreciated! Summed up well by Yotam Ottolenghi this cookbook is “familiar but fresh, approachable but exciting.” Organized by main ingredient-chicken, meat, seafood, eggs, noodles, tofu, vegetable dinners, grains, pizza, soups, and salads- this cookbook contains an enormous amount of recipes to choose from. There is something inspirational and attainable for every mood, season, and the amount of time you have in the kitchen.
Favorite recipe: Smoky Paprika Chicken with Crispy Chickpeas, Roasted Lemon and Baby Kale.
It’s All Easy-Gwyneth Paltrow
I have always admired her effortless style and the same goes for her effortless cooking. Most of her recipes have a healthy spin to them and can be prepared fairly quickly making them perfect for busy week nights!
Favorite Recipe: Chicken or Black Bean Taquitos
Magnolia Table-Joanne Gaines
I LOVE this cookbook! It is filled with just honest to goodness heartwarming meals. I truly can feel the love Joanne has for her curated collection of family recipes that are meant to be approachable to even the most intimidated of cooks.
Favorite recipe: Mushroom, Spinach, and Swiss Cheese Quiche
Milk Street: The New Home Cooking-Christopher Kimball
Helmed from the famous restaurant in Boston, Milk Street presents a cookbook curated with recipes from all over the world. This cookbook inspires me to try and cook new dishes filled with plenty of global inspiration! However, you won’t be searching for hard to find ingredients. Milk Street dresses up dishes with a fresh appreciation of spices, herbs, chilies, and pantry ingredients that put great food within your reach!
Favorite recipe: Pistachio Cardamon Cake
The Clean Plate-Gwyneth Paltrow
You might recall I bought this cookbook at the beginning of the year in preparation for a week of clean eating. In fact, I dedicated a whole post to this book with downloadable meal plans here. Anytime I need my eating to get back on track, I consult this cookbook. Filled with attainable, appealing recipes dedicated to clean eating, this book also contains expert advice from Gwyneth’s team of nutrition experts and doctors. Each expert addresses a specific health need/concern that we as women might be faced or concerned with. From there, specific eating plans are tailored to them.
Favorite Recipe: Peruvian Chicken Cauli Rice Soup
The Pioneer Woman Cooks-Lee Drummond
Ahhh! Winter comfort food at its best but also filled with plenty of great grilling options as well! I had not opened up this cookbook in over a year but revisited it again over President’s Day weekend when I was just responsible for feeding the boys. Yes there is lots of hearty food recipes to choose from (she cooks for cowboys after all!) but there is truly something to satisfy everyone’s tastes!
Favorite Recipe: Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup
Skinny Taste: Gina Homolka
It’s only fitting that I wrap things up with this cookbook. By far my most used cookbook throughout the weeks, I trust this cookbook for recipes that are light on calories and big on taste. Think decadent recipes slimmed down, like your favorite Italian food: I’m talking Fettuccine Alfredo! Gina fills her pages with meal ideas that are so simple, so good and so easy to prepare. I am about to add her One and Done cookbook into the mix that consist of dinner recipes made in one pot, pan, skillet, Instant Pot, etc. She also has a great website to consult for further recipe inspo here!
Favorite Recipe: Orecchiette with Crumbled Italian Sausage, Baby Kale and Bell Pepper.
What are some of your favorite cookbooks? You know I love to hear from you so please share!
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Thanks for stopping by!
L, M
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LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post!!!! XOXO