A Recipe Collection

I have been reorganizing the pantry over the last couple of days. It got way out of control during Alex's birthday weekend, I have no idea how that happened. This time I focused on the appliances side of the pantry. I have been culling out what we don't need, like two extra crock pots, and what we haven't used.

One thing that took up a lot of prime real estate in our pantry is my cook book collection. Which I use, but only a fraction of the library itself. Slowly I have been moving my most used cook books out to the hutch in our dining nook. Yesterday I moved it all out there, removing the books that I never use.

Here is the space, three shelves of books. A handful used much more than others. I am going to pay attention to the books that I am not using, and weed them out, because really what use are they.

My top shelf: The Cooking with Jamie book is a new acquisition from Christmas. Gotta love the Brits! Which moves me onto the Nigella books, every single one is well used and loved.

My Second Shelf:Front and Center, the cooking bible, The Better Homes Big Red Book. Seriously, any new cook starting out needs this book. They update every couple of years to current food trends. My moms has Salisbury steak in it. :) The illustrated Cookbook is a great resource for HOW to cut, chop and work in my kitchen. It's ancient and there are plenty of newer versions out there. But really who wants to pay $75 for a reference book. The Nourishing traditions book on the far right is a FABULOUS resource for how to make anything and everything from scratch. She is hardcore against processed foods and believes in a protein and fat loving diet, but if the Apocalypse every happens, I will know how to make ranch dressing from scratch.

My third Shelf: Joie de Vivre is not only a great introduction to French cooking but a joy to read. Of course everyone should have the spiral of Crockpot meals. But my favorite thing on this shelf is the Cooks Illustrated magazine for American Classics. Best magazine I have ever bought, that issue alone is amazing!

And inside the cabinet on the left I have my pile of magazines and Everyday foods. Plus my recently rebuild recipe folder. Previously this pile was messy, rarely used and had print outs of various recipes all over the place. I sat down and filed all paper recipes into paper protectors and put them in the binder. Eventually I will go through the magazines and rip out and file the recipes I want.

While weeding out books I stumbled across this Vegetarian cookbook that I had forgotten all about. I snagged it from my mom probably 16 years ago. It is so 70's, but full of great veggie recipes.

The TOC is awesome, really you can make so much just veggie. And with a whole chapter devoted to Cheese, I knew I needed to keep this book around.

But this final paragraph in the introduction had me laughing my ass off. You know a cook book is from the 70's when there is open pot references and even food recommendations for munchies.