I have a confession. I love buying cookbooks. I love getting excited about a new one, waiting all day for the Amazon truck, and cracking it open to immediately flip through it the second it arrives. To me, it’s a relatively low-cost hit of serotonin. I almost always learn something from flipping through a cookbook, and even if I don’t follow the recipes step by step, I can always find inspiration.
That being said, some of my cookbook purchases are definitely more decorative than others. For example, The Alinea Cookbook is full of beautiful photography and conjures memories of a seriously awesome dinner, but is definitely not practical or achievable for any normal weekday meal.
On the other hand, there are a handful of absolute workhorses that I find myself returning to again and again, and I thought I would share those here.
- Milk Street: Tuesday Nights by Christopher Kimball
I received this book as a gift from my dad a couple of years ago, and was stunned when it quickly became my single most used cookbook. The premise of Tuesday Nights is simple and quick weeknight meals, over 200 of them to be exact, organized into groups called “Fast” (ready in under 45 minutes), Faster (30-35 minutes), and Fastest (under 30 minutes). There is a huge variety of dishes in this book, and every single one I have made has been absolutely bursting with flavor. Some of my favorites so far have been the “Seared Salmon with Avocado Sauce”, the “Indian Spiced Beef with Peas”, and the “Pasta alla Norma”. I love that this cookbook allows for some variety while still getting dinner on the table fast and without using a long list of ingredients. It also happens to be on sale for a great price here.
2. Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child & Simone Beck
Sometimes the classics are classics for a reason. This infamous cookbook is perfect for when you want something a little more elegant. Meals prepared using this book are guaranteed to be delicious, if maybe a little decadent (Julia was not one to skimp on butter). I love to make soups, any of the roast chicken recipes, or French classics like coq au vin. My most frequently used recipe is the bearnaise sauce, which my husband always asks for with steak. Seriously, once you’ve made Julia’s version you’ll never consider using a packet again. For another seriously great price on this all-time favorite: order here.
3. Chinese Cuisine Made Simple by Dorothy Huang
Now I’m taking you from one of the most well-known cookbooks of all time to one that’s much more obscure. This cookbook came into my collection after my now-husband and I took a cooking class at Central Market in Houston. The class was focused on Chinese food and Dorothy herself was our instructor. At the time, we were both Chinese food eaters rather than cookers, and Dorothy showed us the ropes and how simply this cuisine could be made at home. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we bought the book at the end of the class. 9 years and a few sauce stains later it’s still one of our most-used cookbooks, featuring our go-to dumpling recipe, classics like general tsos and beef with broccoli, and a seriously good lemon chicken recipe that uses ingredients I almost always have on hand. This one is a little bit harder to find out the wild, so I have linked it for you here.
4. The New York Times Cookbook
I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface with this book, there are so many recipes. This is a great reference for any classic you can think of. I’ve also learned that lots of “family recipes” in my circle are derived in some way from this book. Your best friend’s mom’s go-to casserole dish? The salad your aunt always served at Christmas? The appetizer your mom always brought to parties? There’s a good chance there is a version of it in this book. My go-to recipe in this book is in fact my husband’s favorite childhood meal “Chicken Breasts with Tarragon” or simply “Chicken Tarragon” as he calls it. Although my mother-in-law has not had to use a recipe for this dish in many years, it did in fact originate from this book.
5. Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa M. Martin
This last one is more suited to a low and slow Sunday afternoon then for a quick weeknight dinner fix. Another gift from my dad, (he’s two-for-two now!), Mosquito Supper Club is filled with Cajun recipes from the Louisiana Bayou. Firstly, it’s beautifully written and really gives you a peak into that bayou way of life. Secondly, the dishes are absolutely drop-dead delicious. The “Crawfish Etoufee” is a favorite of my husband, while I think that the “Redfish Courtbouillon” is truly one of the best things I have ever made. I always make a gumbo when the days start to get shorter, so I expect to be pulling this book out shortly. Next on my list to try is the recipe for “Duck Jambalaya”. I have given this cookbook as a gift quite often and it’s always a hit. Luckily it also happens to be on sale here.
Those are the top 5 most used cookbooks in my collection – at least for now. I’d love to know some of yours. What recipes or cookbooks are your go-tos? I’m always looking to add to my collection!
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