Tag: Cookbooks

Books to Beat Boredom on School Snow Days

It’s mid-December at the time of this writing, and we’ve already had our first snow day. Like usual, while the schools were closed, we at the public library were still open, leading to many a bored teenager, hyper kid, and frazzled parent to brave the weather for some diversion. Often, these seekers of entertainment were not just looking for something to do right then and there, but for ideas for the next snow day, the big one (the real one), where everyone would be stuck inside and forced to make their own fun. Here are some interesting cooking and craft books to recommend to tweens and teens who want to perfect a skill, learn something new, or make something together with their family. Think of this list as a Pinterest alternative.

Continue reading Books to Beat Boredom on School Snow Days

Summer Thyme: Cooking Projects for Lazy Days

Photo by Fractalbee on Open Clipart.
Photo by Fractalbee on Open Clipart.

Sadly, I think the idea of the “lazy days of summer” is now pretty outdated, but many of us still see summer as the season to tackle projects we don’t have time for the rest of the year. For anyone who likes to take on cooking projects, the public library has a veritable treasure trove of books that can help you on your way.

The Project: Brush Up Basic Cooking Skills

A summer cooking project can be as simple as wanting to learn how to make a few simple meals from start to finish. In that case, here are some great all-purpose cookbooks:

How to Cook EverythingHow to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. A modern “how to,” that can both help you find something tasty for dinner and answer the question “what do I do with this?” for unfamiliar items in the CSA (community supported agriculture) box.

The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker. The classic American cookbook. I used to avoid it, thinking the recipes were too complex, but for many basic dishes, the techniques are surprisingly simple.

The Real Girl’s KitchenReal_Girl's_Kitchen by Haylie Duff. Based on her food blog, the actress introduces recipes for a variety of meal and snack options. Her gushing about kale might also make this a good choice for the next project on our list!

The Project: Try a New Diet

I’m not a fan of “dieting,” but I do sometimes explore ways to cook food that fit certain dietary choices or lifestyles. My favorite story about this is that I realized I needed to learn a couple vegan dishes when I had a vegetarian friend and a lactose-free friend over for the same meal. All my vegetarian dishes at that point involved cheese! If you are trying to change eating habits for health reasons, or just looking to expand your repertoire, here are some fun specialized cookbooks:

The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook by the America’s Test Kitchen editors. For those who need or want to be gluten free, but miss old favorites, the America’s Test kitchen team takes on the task of figuring out how to make them. America’s Test Kitchen is famous for making a dish dozens of times until they get it just right, so you can be sure these have been well-rehearsed.

teen_cuisineTeen Cuisine: New Vegetarian by Matthew Locricchio. Aimed at teens who are new to vegetarianism, this  option includes vegetarian versions of traditional “meat” dishes, like BLTS, nuggets, and sloppy joes, and also has a good selection of vegan recipes.

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook veganomiconby Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Like The Joy of Cooking for vegans, this includes “how to” sections on vegan ingredients, plus a wide range of recipes.  Continue reading Summer Thyme: Cooking Projects for Lazy Days