Cookbooks for The New Bride!

I got an e-mail this morning from a very sweet woman who’s daughter will be getting married soon. She said that the daughter doesn’t cook - since she’s just 22, that’s understandable. She was wondering if I knew of any really good cookbooks that would be useful to her daughter.

What a loving, good mother!

I e-mailed her right away and said I’d get to work and address that in a post. I’m sure it’s something that comes up regularly in a lot of lives. There are LOTS of great cookbooks on the market, but too many of them are complicated and are really geared more toward the experienced cook. However, there are some very good basic cookbooks out there that I highly recommend.

First of all, the best cookbook I can think of (off the top of my Cookbook-collecting head) for a new cook would be “How to Boil Water.” It covers many, many dishes from the very basic, such as Grilled Cheese to more exotic (but still do-able) dishes like Miso Soup. There are hundreds of great tips and shortcuts given, in addition to the recipes. Basically, the book tells new cooks things that it took the rest of us years to learn!

If one of my own three daughters were getting married, this would be the first cookbook I’d buy for them - especially my oldest daughter, who’s idea of cooking is toasting frozen waffles!

I would also recommend any of Sandra Dee’s Semi-Homemade cookbooks for the new cook. Simplicity is the keyword behind these books, and most of them are not complicated - often containing few ingredients and taking little time to prepare.

Sandra Dee’s approach is easy to follow and, I believe, would keep the new cook from becoming confused or frustrated in the kitchen. Her books would allow the new cook to be able to create great looking and tasting dishes as she or he gained the confidence and passion to learn more in the kitchen.

Each of the books above is available from the Food Network Online Store. Sandra Dee’s are also available in most stores.

This Betty Crocker Cookbook is about as good as it gets. My mom bought me one a long time ago and I use it to this day. It has all the basics, like pancakes, buttermilk biscuits, buritos, onion soup, applesauce, dumplings, lemonade, Pumpkin pie (she’ll be needing that one soon), coffee (!!!), cooking guides, etc. It also includes more challenging recipes for the new cook to grow with and challenge herself (or himself) with: calzones, chimichangas, lemon curd, seafood lasagna, linguine with red clam sauce, etc.

The bottom of the cover reads, “Everything You Need to Know To Cook,” and that is 100% accurate.

It’s sold in department stores as well as bookstores. You can get a great deal on this cookbook (and others) at Amazon.com.

Last, but not least, Taste of Home.com is a fantastic source for recipes - and a subsription would be an amazing gift - for the new cook as well as the not so new cook! The recipes are from the you’s and me’s of the world, so they’re usually as simple as they are delicious.

Click HERE for some really, really awesome Taste of Home Cookbooks. You’ll want to check out the Vintage Recipes Cookbooks and the Amish Cookbook first - they’re incredible.

I’m working on a post all about the top 10 recipes a new bride or groom should know how to make - I hope to have it posted before the day’s out!

Congratulations on your daughter’s upcoming wedding - how exciting!!!
Joi

Related posts:

1. Fish, Food TV, and a Fine Breakfast Soda When I was working on the Food TV scroller...
2. The Express Lane Meals Cookbook One of the gifts my husband gave me for Mother's...
3. Taste of Home Cookbook If you're familiar with the Taste of Home Magazine,...
4. Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing - Southern Heaven Some of my favorite recipes are in the Paula...
5. Chef Morimoto’s Gorgeous Cookbook If you're as big a fan of the Iron...