Favorite Cookbooks!!

So as of today, I am sitting at my new computer typing away, using all my fingers instead of just my thumbs. Nice.
I didn't post yesterday because I just couldn't afford the thirty minutes it takes me to post one of my rather long blogs. But I will try to make up for it today.
Not in length I might add, but in content.


My thoughts for today are on cookbooks and which ones are good and which ones not so good. During all of our first married years, I only used two cookbooks because I was too scared to try anything new, and too intimidated to tackle one of the lengthy, difficult recipes. But after a while, my family got tired of eating chicken spaghetti and stroganoff. But I still wasn't sure what type of cookbook to look for.

I will tell you that I have discovered that instead of spending twenty-five dollars on a cookbook that your not sure you will use more than a recipe or two from, I have started buying magazines. Especially at Sam's. They are cheap as anything, full of pictures, and you can choose from a variety of different kinds such as: Comfort food, Casseroles, Desserts, Crockpot, and such and such.
I enjoy this more than most cookbooks because I really like seeing a picture. Sadly, I find I am drawn to yellow foods. More cheese and butter. Yes yes, I know I know.

Taste of Home is my personal favorite as far as magazines, but I also love, love, love Paula Dean. Many of the recipes I have and will post, are from Southern Living. Pardon me for sounding prejudice, but people in the south just know how to cook better.

Now as far as cookbooks go, I was recently given a gift unlike any I have ever received of about fifty hardback cookbooks! I have had soooo much fun pouring over these treasures.
My all time personal favorites would have to be: Better Homes and Gardens (great for just everyday things such as meat loaf, broth, chicken pot pie), Sassafrass ( my only complaint being the lack of pictures), A Year of Celebrations (normal families making terrific food), Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook, and my all time favorite to thumb through, A Return to Sunday Dinner (which will be my subject this upcoming weekend).

I also love finding really old cookbooks at garage sale. They were much better cooks than we are now, adding alot more time and love to their dishes than we do. Also seeing the odd things they use such as neck of the chicken and lard.

Lastly my most special cookbook is the one that I have been adding to since I was engaged. It is stuffed full of recipes from my mom, old friends, magazine clippings, pretty cards that people wrote some favorites on. Ally has recently expressed her wish to get this when she is grown, and I now know a perfect addition to her hope chest.

That is all for today. I finally made the chicken and dumplin's and I promise to post the recipe tomorrow. For now, the school, laundry, ironing, children, dinner preparations, and fixing my hair are all beckoning me to come and begin them. Goodbye Friends!