Kim in Appalachia Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 My dd21 will have an apartment at college this year. I would love to get her a cookbook. I'm looking for something basic, that offers quick and easy meals. She's a bit of a foody, but will lack the time to make the stuff she would love to cook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I'm two months ahead of you! After much research, I sent my son off with Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything--The Basics. Another I considered may interest you. It was his How to Cook Everything--Fast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 I was looking at that book, but the reviews said it was more about tips and prep and not recipes. Did it have good recipes? I like his stuff, but he can get complicated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 If she can already cook, then I would skip "The Basics" and just go with How To Cook Everything. If you wanted to add to it, I personally love How To Cook Everything Vegetarian. He just is great at writing a recipe that conveys the basics, and then gives you tips and ideas on how to elevate what you've just made. Or how to change what you've just made to reflect a completely different flavor profile. On top of that, his recipes are solid and tasty. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upward Journey Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I have a couple of cookbooks that fit the bill. 1. Leaving Home Cookbook and Survival Guide ~ Seth Braun 2. Cooking Know-How ~ Weinstein & Scarbrough 3. No More Takeout! ~ Hartigan & Boak Also the old stand-bys 1. More-with-Less Cookbook ~ Longacre 2. Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook ~ Ranck & Good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Check out Everyday Food's cookbooks. I loved their magazines and would suggest a subscription to that if it was still published. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in IL Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Love Pilneer Woman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 My go to after 23 years of marriage is the red plaid Betty crocker cookbook I got as a wedding gift. Covers everything from boiling an egg and baking a potato to canning and freezing and fancier meals. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Quick Cook by Martha Stewart is a pretty good standby for that. It's a little more upscale than the standard fastish food, and once you have your kitchen stocked with mustards, jellies, herbs, spices, etc. it's pretty easy to pull off the recipes. They are good. It's oldish but it's a good compromise between 'better than plain food' but 'fast and recognizable.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 I was looking at that book, but the reviews said it was more about tips and prep and not recipes. Did it have good recipes? I like his stuff, but he can get complicated. I think he teaches techniques through the preparation of recipes that are more varied and substantive than the usual beginner cookbooks. If you look through the table of contents you can click on the links to see some sample recipes. http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Basics-Food--/dp/0470528060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439335934&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+cook+everything+the+basics It might still not be right for your daughter, but I wouldn't discount the cookbook for the reasons mentioned above. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted August 11, 2015 Share Posted August 11, 2015 Looney Spoons, etc. are good for that. Easy to acquire ingredients, easy to cook, taste good too! Also easy to substitute ingredients, if you're an experienced cook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 The Best Recipe is great for an all around starter cookbook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 I am a huge fan of Clueless in the Kitchen. It has basic, not-fussy recipes for lots of simple meals of the kind a young person is likely to want to make (nothing exotic). The recipes are from scratch, but don't require an arsenal of special cookware or hard-to-find ingredients. There is also a Clueless baking book and one for vegetarians. The author assumes the reader doesn't know a ton about cooking, so there are helpful explanations for things other books sometimes take for granted. (For example, in the roast chicken recipe you use a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic to rub on the chicken. The author explains you should do it like rubbing on sunscreen - something most young people can understand.There are also quite a few cake/frosting recipes throughout the series (along with other desserts, though the focus is on main courses), all of which are very simple and absolutely delish! Anyone who usually makes cakes from a mix should try the recipes in this series - they are just as easy as a mix and taste way, way better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 I was going to say a red plaid BHG cookbook. It was my first cookbook in college and I still use it. I actually have bought a few updated editions as well. Everything turns out. The instructions are clear. Couldn't be happier with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 I like Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Comfort Foods. http://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Foods-Rachael-30-Minute-Meals/dp/1891105051/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439349062&sr=8-1&keywords=30+minute+comfort+foods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 My 2 favorite books are "Joy of Cooking" or Bittman's "How to Cook Everything"... I own a hard copy of Bittman's book and got a free copy on my ipad back in the day. Bittman's How to Cook Everything and the veggie version looks like it still has an ipad option for like ~10$. I prefer the hard copy version but younger folks might prefer the cheaper, very well done digital version... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Pioneer Woman is great. But for super young people, and singles, I look for the cookbooks that are "Cooking with Three Ingredients" or "...with 4 Ingredients." Because Ingredients are elusive to the young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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