Some of My Favorite Cookbooks

I have a confession to make…I am a cookbook junkie. I own hundreds and hundreds of them and I read them like novels. If I’m having a bad day, I’ll reread a favorite one for comfort. I embrace my weirdness.

At the start of the giving season, I wanted to take a minute to recommend a few of my favorites in case you’re looking for gift ideas (including for yourself!). The list includes my first ever cookbook, “The Pastry Queen Cookbook”. Years ago we would drive from San Antonio to Fredericksburg, Texas to pick strawberries and visit this bakery for a treat. Something about this place and this book really kindled my love of cooking!

The Pastry Queen Cookbook: Royally good recipes from the Texas Hill Country’s Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe

Like I mentioned earlier, The Pastry Queen is my first ever cookbook and therefore probably my very favorite! As you can tell from the cover of the book, it’s well used and loved. Believe it or not, I even cleaned it up a little for it’s photo shoot – haha

Some of my favorites are: Tuxedo Cake, Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones, and All Sold Out Chicken Pot Pies. I could just go ahead and list the whole index…..

The Magnolia Bakery Handbook: A Complete Guide for the Home Baker by Bobbie Lloyd

This is a brand new release, but The Magnolia Bakery Handbook has become an instant favorite. If you’ve ever been to Magnolia Bakery in New York City, you’ll know what I mean! I’m not an expert on the authenticity of Magnolia Bakery products, but I have liked the way the recipes I’ve tried have turned out so far.

Some of my favorites/want to try soon are: Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Brownies, Apple Crisp, Lemon Vanill Mini-Bundt Cakes, No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars, Everyone’s Favorite Vanilla Cake.

Hope’s Table: Everyday Recipes from a Mennonite Kitchen by Hope Helmuth

If you’re looking for simple, good, home cooking Hope’s Table is the book for you. We lived near Mennonite country in Ohio for a few years and I fell in love with this style of cooking. Nothing fancy, yet extremely satisfying and comforting food. This book is very inspiring to me.

Some of my favorites/want to try soon are: Cheesy Breadsticks, Poppy Seed Dressing, Grilled Mushrooms, Stromboli, Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Bowl.

Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin

While I’m not going to pretend to know much about southern cooking, we did live in Mississippi and Georgia for a few years and Jubilee reminds me of the type of food I really enjoyed eating in peoples homes. This is soul food at its best! I also enjoy the history of African American cuisine given in this book.

Some of my favorites/want to try soon are: Cheese Straws, Organge-Glazed Chicken Wings, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Pound Cake.

Rustic Joyful Food: Generations By Danielle Kartes

I’m a sentimental cook, so Generations is right up my alley. This collection of classic on recipes handed down from one generation to the next is a favorite on my shelf. Danielle Kartes has several other cookbooks as well, and I like them all (but this is my favorite). Everything is classic and comforting, with easy to find ingredients.

Some of my favorites/want to try soon are: Puff Pastry Beef Pot Pie, Stuffed Shells, Clam Chowder, Cream Cheese Brownies.

Amazon Affiliate

I have recently become an Amazon Affiliate and that’s super exciting to me because now I’m able to share all of my favorite products with you – with an easy way for you to find them. I often get messages asking about certain pans or dishes, and now I will be able to include the links directly in my posts. I may receive a small commission if the product is purchased through the link, but this is in no way a sponsorship and I would never share a product that I didn’t truly believe in.

I hope you find some new favorites too!!