When John and I got married, someone gave us a gift certificate to a local store. We had enough to each pick out one thing. John bought a rechargeable flashlight, and I bought my first cookbook. I have to say both were put to good use over the years.
The is the cookbook I bought: Better Homes New Cookbook. I can’t tell you the number of recipes I’ve cooked over the years—a lot! I love that it’s a three-ring binder, which means the pages lay flat on the counter. It’s a perfect cookbook for a new wife—or someone out on her own for the first time—because the recipes are simple with no fancy ingredients. I liked mine so much I bought a copy for my daughter-in-law Katie when she married Cory.
One of my favorite recipes is the chicken enchiladas recipe.
My family loved it so much that it soon became my “company” meal. Yes, for many years that’s what I fixed for company.
Growing up I didn’t spend any time in the kitchen, yet from within the pages of this cookbook I discovered how to make banana bread, applesauce, ham and bean soup, and more. (Here’s a photo of my friend Kayleigh and some of the things we made from the recipes in this book just this week.)
The truth is I learned how to cook with this cookbook, too. The front of the book has cooking tips. (Yes, that part of the book got well used.)
After twenty-three years, I think that flashlight has gotten lost on one of our moves, but I’m still using my cookbook . . . and my family will agree that any of the simple foods I’ve made them over the years have proved the worthwhile investment.
What’s your favorite cookbook? Share with me in the comment section!
*This post originally appeared on Not Quite Amish.
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I have a cookbook just like this one that I received as a shower gift 33 years ago. I still love it! But I must say that my favorite recipes to use are the ones that are in a box. No fancy book, no 3 ring binder, not even a pretty cover, but rather handwritten and passed downwith love by family and friends.
Those ARE the best, Beverly!
My favorite cookbook is The Wise Encyclopedia of Cookery, copyright 1949, Now if I could just find another copy of it that I can afford to buy I’d be thrilled.