Cookbook Heaven

by Maria Stanley

I’m a bit of a cookbook fan – an OBSESSED cookbook fan.

I love them.

It is a crazy addiction – I buy new ones all the time. I tend to gravitate toward the ones with great photos and food that I would actually eat (nothing “weird”, thanks), but I will admit I have many different ones. I think I just surpassed 150 at last count, but don’t tell my wallet (or my husband) – it may choose to revolt against me.

I thought I would share a few of my favourite recent cookbook purchases with you.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond

I picked this up after hearing about it continuously on Twitter and the web, and I’m so glad I did. This cookbook is fantastic – gorgeous photos, fantastic recipes combined with these delicious stories of her rural life. Familiar recipes such as potato skins, cowboy calzone and rosemary potatoes, will have you salivating, and believing that you too can make each successfully. Each recipe is written in a step-by-step format that includes a photo within each step – a revelation for anyone who is a touch hesitant in the kitchen (this may or may not include yours truly).

The Food You Crave – Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger

Ellie Krieger is a registered dietician and as such, is all about healthy eating and lifestyle. Each recipe includes the usual nutritional information included, as well as which nutrient sources are found in each. Each recipe is informative, detailed and easy to follow. It is beautifully created, and includes notes throughout the book that provide great information about calories, food safety and cholesterol. If you are health conscious, this cookbook is for you.

Cake Love – How to Bake Cakes from Scratch by Warren Brown

I just bought this book last weekend, and I’m so glad I did. I love a good baking cookbook – you may not know this tidbit, but I love me some cake. There are so many things that I love about this cookbook – I love the photos, the graphics and its detailed recipe instructions. Towards the end of the book, he also has a Cake Assembly section that details how to put your cake together. The cake is divided into Pound Cakes, Butter Cakes, Foam Cakes, Frostings and Glazes and Meringues – It is a cake lover’s dream cookbook.

Light of Lucia – A Celebration of Italian Life, Love & Food by Luciana Sampogna

This is also a recent addition to my collection, and a newly released cookbook that came out just this year. I must admit that the sheer beauty of this book compelled me to purchase it right away. It is a gorgeous book, from cover to cover, rich with beautiful photos of life in an Italian family. I love Italian food, and this book does not disappoint in any way. You will want to read it cover to cover. I absolutely love that you experience her love of food and cooking, while flipping through the pages. It is a fantastic addition to any cookbook collection.

Maria Stanley, known as Bored Mommy, is a mom of two adorable kids. Visit her blog at http://mommymaria.wordpress.com and follow her on Twitter.