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Easy Festive Christmas Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles, often overlooked in the vast array of cookie options, have secured a special place among my favorite recipes—a testament to their delightful cinnamon-infused charm. These cookies are more than a treat; they’re a nostalgic journey back to the cherished moments of my childhood. The kitchen, a space filled with warmth and the aroma of cinnamon, was where I formed enduring connections with my beloved Nana, the matriarch of my enduring love for baking. Our baking sessions were about more than just creating delicious treats; they were about building connections and forming bonds. The laughter that echoed in the kitchen during these moments has etched lasting memories, becoming the cornerstone of my passion…
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Lost Recipes
“Since 1921, Betty Crocker Kitchens have been a trusted sources of inspiring-but-doable recipes. That hasn’t changed…but it’s fun to bring back the delicious recipes of where we started,” Betty Crocker. As someone who still makes recipes that my Grandma and Nana made while I was growing up I love this cookbook. Betty Crocker Lost Recipes is a great resource t0 find the new version of those older recipes.
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America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School
America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School is a great way to expand your cooking skills. They offer over 300 different courses you can take. The courses are broken down into three categories: technique lessons, cooking basics and recipe lessons. As a student you have the ability to sort the courses by level of difficulty, main ingredient or recipe type. I was looking for a course on cooking a steak on the stove top or oven, which I didn’t find, but there are lots of other great courses. Crisp roasted potatoes is the course that I decided to take first. I’m not sure about you but I love roasted vegetables and potatoes. Sometimes they just…
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A Literary Holiday Cookbook
“When I sat down to write A Literary Holiday Cookbook, I wanted to create a cookbook both food lovers and fiction lovers could enjoy. It was important to me that this book welcome readers of all culinary skill levels,” Alison Walsh. I love to read as much as I love to cook so you can imagine how excited I was when I found A Literary Holiday Cookbook. All of the recipes are grouped by holiday and then novel. A Christmas Carol, The Hobbit and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow are just a few of the novels that inspire these great recipes.
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The Kitchn Cooking School
The Kitchn offers a free online cooking school. Everyday for 20 days they send you a new lesson to your inbox. I decided to test it out and see what the lessons were like. Below you will find my thoughts on the first three lessons. Make sure to sign up for The Kitchn Cooking school to get all 20 lessons. Day 1: Knife Skills The knife skills lesson is all about how to use your knife properly – to me this is one of the most important things for a home cook. We don’t need to buy the fanciest knife just a good chef’s knife that we are comfortable holding. They demonstrated many…
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Les Marches Francais
“It’s all in the true spirit of market cooking, letting spontaneity and a sense of fun be the guiding lights to the adventure,” Brian Defehr. Les Marches Francais is a great cookbook. I picked it up as it is cooking for the seasons from the Paris markets. I didn’t realize this cookbook was gluten free when I purchased it. The recipes were very delicious and easy to follow. Les Marches Francais feeds my love for Paris and it’s wonderful food.
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13 Thanksgiving Kitchen Essentials
Thanksgiving requires some cooking essentials that you use on a regular basis in your kitchen and some that are more specialized. Check out my list of 13 Thanksgiving kitchen essentials to get you prepared for the big day. 1. Meat Thermometer A meat thermometer is one of my most used kitchen tools. I use my instant read thermometer a few times a week. Some people prefer the the probe thermometers that you leave in the meat while it cooks – this is just a personal decision. Kizen Instant Read Meat Thermometer * 2. Roasting Pan I have tried to make a turkey in a baking dish and it doesn’t always work the best. A…
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Giada’s Italy
“Like me, the recipes in this book are Italian through and through, yet completely at home in an American Kitchen. I hope they will help you channel the spirit of those big-hearted Italian cooks and rediscover the simple pleasure of feeding food you feel good about to the people you care about,” Giada De Laurentiis. Giada’s Italy is a great cookbook for those of all skill levels. I have found over the years that all most all of Giada’s recipes are easy to follow and don’t require many exotic ingredients.
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3 Weeks to a Great Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is definitely going to look a little different this year but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to plan for the day. Each year all of us decide where we are going to eat and what needs to be done. Below is a list to help you make your best Thanksgiving ever! Three Weeks Before Thanksgiving Decide how many people you are feeding and what time dinner will be served. Are you going to offer dinner as a buffet or a sit down dinner? Make a list of what you are going to make. Is there anything special that you need to make for anyone? Do you have anyone who has food…
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The Mexican Home Kitchen
“In The Mexican Home Kitchen, you will find homestyle meals that are cooked in everyday life in Mexico, dishes that people are making today in their kitchens for their families,” Mely Martinez. I love Mexican food. My family used to go out for Mexican food once a week when I was growing up. I remember having so many meals full of conversation and laughter over a plate of enchiladas and a bowl of salsa. The Mexican Home Kitchen is a well written cookbook with traditional recipes that we may not always think of here in the U.S. My hope is that you will enjoy these as much as I do.



























