Favorite cookbooks and recipes (updated)

To see full blog post, please visit 

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2012/12/cookbooks-pinterest-and-food-bloggers.html

(Sneak peek of my #1 pinterest found recipe)

Usually I buy a several cookbooks every year, but this year I have found that pinterest and blogs have provided me with quite a few great recipes, and I have not bought as many cookbooks.  In fact, I think I only purchased two over the past year.  One of them is my new favorite fall/winter cookbook, and the other I have not tested out yet.  

Without a doubt, Slow Cooker Revolution has been my favorite cookbook of the year!  I am a huge fan of slow cookers in the fall and winter – they enable me to put together recipes in the morning or at lunch time, and the meal cooks all day or afternoon and is ready when I get home from hours of driving the kids.  What I love about this slow cooker (or crock pot, as I call my beloved machine) cookbook is that the recipes are much fresher and healthier than so many of the old fashioned crock pot recipes.  I have made quite a few recipes from this book, and so far my favorite is the chicken gumbo.  Some of the recipes require a decent amount of prep as many of the ingredients are fresh, but the prep is done when I tend to have more time to devote to it.  However, other recipes are very easy prep and these are highlighted within the book.  Click here to see Slow Cooker Revolution on Amazon.

Update: many of you have emailed asking for a crock pot recommendation.  The author's of Slow Cooker Revolution tested many brands, and like the Crock Pot programmable touch screen model (seen above).  Amazon has an excellent price on it, click here for link.

My crock pot is made by the Crock Pot brand, but I bought it a long time ago so the model is not made any more.  The size seems to be the same as the one above, and it has the time set and high/low/warm function.  The ability to set the time to the half hour is key.  When the time is over, the crock pot goes to warm, preventing the food from being overcooked.

The second cookbook I bought this year is The Homesick Texan, written by a Texas raised food blogger living in NYC.  I have enjoyed flipping through the cookbook, but have yet to cook anything from it.  Does anyone have a recipe from this book that they could recommend as a starting point? Some of the Amazon reviews rave about the jalapeno mustard roast chicken, chipotle pimento cheese and the Tex-Mex meatloaf.  Click here to see on Amazon.

I checked out the top cookbook section of Amazon, and there are a few that look interesting.

Here is another one written by popular food blogger Deb Perelman (her blog is The Smitten Kitchen), and it has great reviews.  Click here to see on Amazon.

I have tried some of the Pioneer Woman recipes from her blog (crash hot potatoes are a wonderful side dish with steak), but don’t own any of her cookbooks.  Food From My Frontier is her newest one (click here to see on Amazon); her original is The Pioneer Woman Cooks .

There are several cookbooks by food writer Robb Walsh on the best seller list – his specialty is Texas cuisine, and his cookbooks get rave reviews.  Click here to see his Amazon page, which has all of his books listed.

I smiled when I saw this Downton Abbey Cookbook – the reviews are quite good, and supposedly it has many traditional English recipes updated for 21st century American cooks. This would be a fun gift for the Downton Abbey fan on your list!  Click here to see on Amazon.

Barefoot Contessa has a new cookbook out – I have all of her cookbooks, and really enjoy them.  I love the title – Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust.  Click here to see on Amazon.

I like to read cookbooks almost like some people read magazines, so this is making me want to order some cookbooks and get some inspiration!

Last year, I posted about one of my favorite reference cook books, The New Best Recipe  in this post (click here for link).  I use this cookbook frequently as a reference and for recipes, and I highly recommend it. Click here to see on Amazon.

I mentioned pinterest recipes as a great source of inspiration this  year.  Here is my favorite pinterest found recipe – Cilantro lime chicken made in the crock pot – it is so, so good, and extremely easy. I make it with low sodium taco seasoning and Pace regular salsa.  Image and recipe via Pip and Ebby. Click here for the recipe.

I would love to hear about any pinterest found recipes, food blogger recipes, or good cookbooks that you could recommend!  I might be asking for the Barefoot Contessa and The Smitten Kitchen cookbook for Christmas, but would love to know about any others whether new or old.

There are still some wonderful Jennifer Ferris paintings available for immediate shipment!

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/artist/jennifer-ferris

Yesterday's blog post on Jennifer: 

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2012/12/introducing-paintings-of-jennifer-ferris.html

Designers favorite books: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2010/12/designers-favorite-books-and-mine-too.html

2012 books on my Christmas list: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2012/11/books-for-my-christmas-list.html

2011 books on my Christmas list: http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/12/my-book-list-christmas-2011.html

Small art, perfect for special, one of a kind holiday gifts or hostess gifts!http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/category/art

To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store  (newly updated!).
 
To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.
To follow my blog on Facebook, click here.
Twitter: @TTIBlog Instagram: http://followgram.me/ttiblog/modal
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ttiblog/
Visit my online store, Quatrefoil Design: www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com