4 Cookbooks That Made Me Love Cooking Again

4 Cookbooks That Made Me Love Cooking Again

My relationship with cooking has been a little bit all over the place over the past ten years. In college, I tried sometimes, but was on a college budget and there were too many other fun things going on. During PT school, I lived at home, so obviously benefited from home cooked meals (thanks mom and dad). Then came marriage and babies, AKA a whirlwind. We did the home chef thing for a while out of convenience, but then I started really wanting to cook. So I got a few cookbooks and just started.

Now, every week I flip through two cookbooks and flag a few recipes to make. Over the past year I have made recipes I would have never thought to try and loved them. I feel like I am actually learning to cook instead of just “following a recipe”.

  1. Half Baked Harvest Super Simple: I will venture to say that this is my favorite cookbook. I have made most of the recipes in this book, some 2-3 times. There is such a wide variety and there hasn’t been a recipe I don’t like.

  2. Half Baked Harvest Every Day: Obviously after my obsession started with her first two cookbooks, I stood in line to get this one (signed by Tieghan). It is another one I reach for almost every week.

  3. Magnolia Table: This is full of classic recipes. This has a lot of recipes that are great for the holidays and others that are good for every day lunches and dinners.

  4. Cook This Book: This is my newest cookbook and it is quickly moving up the rankings. Molly is so cool and the way she writes this cookbook makes you feel like you are a chef. Her recipes are unique but approachable.

Cooking dinner is now one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. I put music on or sometimes watch a Netflix show while I start cooking. Sometimes Maeve is awake to help me, but we usually don’t eat until 8:30 or 9:00. Don’t knock it until you try it, because we can actually eat in peace and have a conversation while our tiny children sleep.

I hope you find confidence, enjoyment, and a new side of yourself while making your way through these cookbooks.