Last Year in Cookbooks
Side Note: I highly recommend taking a moment in the morning to open up the recipe you're planning for that night so you can look forward to it every time you walk by. Or so that you multiply your chances of catching the fact that something is supposed to marinate for 6 hours, not that that has ever happened to me.
Snacking Cakes by Yossy Arefi - I chuckle at how unfair it is that this cookbook exists. No matter how highly rated it is online, it is underrated. You need it. There is no reason not to have a snacking cake available for guests at every given moment. I've only made five or six of them but I have no hesitation in telling you the showstopper, confident I'd win if you want to debate about it. The Corn Cake with Honey!!!!!!! I use blue corn meal in mine, but otherwise bake and serve exactly as directed - with fresh whipped cream and blackberries. This was one of the recipes that made my heart beat fast because I knew my husband ("sweet corn bread only") would die over it. And he did. And I made it two other times that month. This cookbook is a gift to the world, specifically because the recipes are for 9-inch cakes... you know, for snacking. They go fast. They're so easy. Most of the time I don't even frost them. Chef's kiss.
Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach - Jenny is exactly the kind of cook I aim to be: unfussy, full of joy about the family table, and just an all around class-act. She's an excellent writer and I would have purchased the book just for the memoir aspects; it's written chronologically, with recipes from each season of her life. You feel as if you're watching her become herself, which makes you want to become yourself. Cup of Jo frequently features her as a guest columnist, which is where I became enamored. The Kale, Sausage, and White Bean Stew is a staple in my home, and sorry if you think it's silly that I need a recipe, but these chicken cutlets slapped. (Husband loves when I say slapped, especially publicly.)
Magnolia Table: Volume 2 by Joanna Gaines - Admittedly most often opened to the Chicken Parmesan recipe, but also famous in my home for the Chicken Puff Pastries which are, honestly, just plain old impressive and not that difficult. Come to think of it, that's an excellent summary of the cookbook itself. It's like her first cookbook, but more settled in.
Half-Baked Harvest: Super Simple by Tieghan Gerard - Tieghan has pushed me out of my comfort zone more than any other kitchen influence, and I always feel good about all the ingredients that go into these dishes. The Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala is a weeknight staple for the Whipples. This is the book I'm second closest to completing and I'll be honest and say there are some I've (so far) skipped that I'm not looking forward to because they just don't seem "for me" - BUT I'm going to make them, and we're going to find out together. That's the fun of it.
Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines - It has been so faithful to me, and I have a lot to say. These recipes are simple, crowd-pleasing classics that have been a joy to work through. Much of my confidence in the kitchen can be attributed to this collection that saved my sanity in 2018 when I was freshly married and without a clue of how to feed the household. Also, I am SO. CLOSE. to reaching my goal of cooking through this entire cookbook! This will be such a milestone for me in 2023. Seeing this book, which was as widely popular as Joanna herself in the late 2010s, discounted at HomeGoods or sitting in someone's kitchen as decor sincerely brings me joy because I think it's just waiting to be discovered. I've talked to a few people who don't like this cookbook at all and I can't help but wonder if it's because of its simplicity, which lends to a lack of impressiveness? This is how we learn, though...
My philosophy about cookbooks is similar to my philosophy about books in general (don't buy it unless you know you love it, with the exception of a deal that can't be passed over). I normally spend a month with a cookbook from the library before I commit to purchasing it with my own dollars. Before I make the buy, I've made several recipes and know that either our tastes are aligned enough, or that I trust the author enough to take the risks they ask of me.
I say all that to say, once I commit, I don't give up easily. So, yeah, there have been some duds in Magnolia Table - but every book has lessons to teach. When I didn't like the chicken pot pie recipe, I realized I should have trusted my gut about just how much chicken broth it called for - and I should have read more carefully, because homegirl did say it would be 'soupy.' I learned. Through every good and bad thing I ever made. To me, that's the point - and I'm grateful for the amazing memories and lessons this book has brought me.
Cheers to another year of cooking in 2023!
