Sharing My Cookbooks, Part 1

Its hard to pick favourites…I just can’t do it! So I’m going to share what’s presently on my shelf. Part 1 is all cookbooks, Part 2 will be baking/other. I’m adding Amazon links, more for the fact that you’ll be able to find it easier vs me making money off of this. As I’m in Canada and have Canadian readers/friends, I’m going to add both USA and CAD Amazon links. The USA one will be the main link and the Canadian one will be in brackets after it.

What makes a good cookbook for me? It needs to have personality. The author’s voice needs to shine through. I don’t just want to know that this dish would go well with a green salad. I want to know why they make it, how they came up with it, or why its a special family recipe.

You should also know I’m ruthless and if a book just doesn’t “do it” for me. It goes. Yep, it gets given away no matter how little or long time I’ve had it.

These are in no particular order other than how they were on the shelf, so grab a coffee, sit back and enjoy!

p.s. after looking at all these amazon.com links its a good thing I’m not in the states cause your cookbooks are way cheaper!!

The Forest Feast Gatherings by Erin Gleason (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

I JUST bought this the other day! I had some birthday money left and decided to do a quick browse in the book store on a solo run to town. I bought the Forest Feast for Kids book for my niece last fall and knew it was sooo beautiful. We love having people over and this fits perfect.

My Favourite Aspect?

The beauty! The simple, wholesome beauty! I love the menu set ups and simple DIY tips for setting up a beautiful gathering

My Least Favourite Aspect?

I don’t know if I’ve had it long enough to have a least favourite part? Its vegetarian, but I won’t hold it against it!

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

The cocktails! Alll the cocktails man. And a salad with loads of herbs in it. Looks amazing.

The Venison Bible by Nichola Fletcher (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

Friends bought this cute little book for me in Scotland! It was so sweet of them.

My Favourite Aspect?

GOOD recipes. Simple, no weird ingredients. In the USA especially this book is dirt cheap.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

This book deserves to be a full sized, with photos book.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Since I got this book we haven’t had much venison in our freezer due to butchering a beef calf! There is some stews and steak recipes like one with blackberries I’m excited to try.

Well Fed Weeknights by Melissa Joulwan (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

I won it! An IG friend tagged me in a comment and I won!

My Favourite Aspect?

There is amazing photos and big spreads of eight (or ten?) ways/flavours to have a burger, tuna salad mix, chicken breast, hot dog and more. Its super inspiring.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

Its not their fault my freezer isn’t stocked with “quick and easy” to cook meats like ground beef and chicken breasts. Yes these are cheap to buy, but this year I have very limited amounts of those so I haven’t been able to experiment as much as I want.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Marius LOVES the Asian Tuna Salad mix. He’s a rebel and puts it on bread even though this is a paleo book. I want to try some of the burger variations!

Thug Kitchen (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

My sister hijacked my prime account, told me not to check my emails from Amazon, and had it sent to me for my birthday this year! She was kind enough to use her own credit card, hah!

My Favourite Aspect?

I really like a lot of the breakfast ideas! And no weird ingredients

My Least Favourite Aspect?

Sometimes too many fresh ingredients that would involve buying a bazillion different things, or more prep than I want to do. One of those “these people don’t have kids…” cookbooks.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Breakfast bars! I’m told there is some grilled peach salsa I NEED to make.

Not Your Mothers Make ahead and Freeze Cookbook by Jessica Fisher (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

Years ago, when I still felt bad about buying anything for myself, especially something as frivolous as a cookbook, I came across this book on Amazon. I splurged on myself and bought it! I then read the back and discovered she had a blog. I loved her! Then I discovered she had instagram! Then I REALLY loved her.

My Favourite Aspect?

Good whole foods. I love the baking especially! I’ve made many many of the baking recipes and made mixes ahead.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

I’m not as big a fan of the main dish recipes, but thats just cause of what we have in our freezer for meat. I also wish it had more pictures, but the personality makes up for it.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Mix and Match Muffins and Cocoa Brownies are go to’s in our house!

Commonsense Kitchen by Tom Hudgens (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

Amazon tells me I bought this September 2011! Sofya of The Girls Guide To Guns and Butter (blog is no longer 🙁 ) knew this guy and loved this book. I thought I’d try it and I’m glad I did.

My Favourite Aspect?

I call this the farmers Joy of Cooking. One of the first places I look when I need something like pudding, biscuits,  how to cook xyz vegetable or a basic meat recipe. The stories are terrific.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

I wish there was more pictures!

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Its hard to name all the recipes I like? I like the stew, the chocolate pudding, there is marinades I love…

From Scratch by Shaye Elliott (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

I’ve followed The Elliott Homestead blog for a long time. Since they only had one baby! A friend bought the book, I loved a treat she made for me from it and that sold me! I had to order it from the states at that point, 2013?

My Favourite Aspect?

Shaye stocks her kitchen like I do. While I don’t like as many of her newer recipes and I haven’t bought her newer books (yet?) I appreciate the whole foods approach.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

I actually can’t tell you my least favourite part. I really enjoy this book.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Cabbage Meatball soup, Lazy Fudge, and more!

Make Ahead Meals and Family Meals by Michael Smith (Canada- Make Ahead Meals and Family Meals)

Why/How Did I get it?

I bought these both this summer. I sadly accidentally gave away another book by him called Chef at Home. I may even re-buy it. I put these together cause the style of recipes is the same, he’s just categorized them into two different books. I consider them basically different volumes of the same series.

My Favourite Aspect?

Photos, personality, it’s got it all! Whole foods, yummy recipes.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

Hmmm I actually can’t tell you?

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

I’ve made butter chicken, a chicken and rice dish and many others! Love em all.

Dinner a Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

Amazon tells me I bought this June 9, 2012 and the book came out June 5, 2012! I have followed their blog for a long time. I don’t have their second book, but I do have their third, although its sitting in my maybe give away pile as I don’t love it the same.

My Favourite Aspect?

So.Many.Stories. This book reads like a novel with loads of recipes. The personality is overflowing.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

It can be a bit hard to navigate as it’s not set up in any sort of “normal” order, but by seasons of life.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

The pizza dough changed my life! Peanut Butter noodles are so yummy!

Good Cheap Eats and Good Cheap Eats Dinner in 30 Minutes (or less!) by Jessica Fisher (Canada GCE and GCE 30 min)

Why/How Did I get it?

After buying her freezer cooking book I discovered she had other books! It was years before I purchased/these came out but they’re so good. I paired these together as the recipes are the same style so I think of them as kinda two parts to a series? I go to one if I want a good frugal meal, I go to the other if I want a quick dish (but they’re pretty frugal too!) I use them pretty interchangably and love them the same.

My Favourite Aspect?

She sets up every recipe as a full meal with side dishes where appropriate (breakfast doesn’t, for example) So it’s not just your main dish that will be $10 or less (although the $10 is a little dated, I just think of them as frugal meals, not that its going to cost me $10 or less) its your whole meal that will be that. Same with the 30 min or less book, making the WHOLE MEAL will take that much time. Not just the salad. Marius loves her books too. Without fail if I make something from one of her books he asks where I got the recipe cause he wants to make sure I make it again.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

My least favourite part is that everyone doesn’t own these. While Amazon.ca says it’ll cost $58 to purchase all three, Amazon.com says $28. THATS A STEAL GUY. If you’re in the states, trying to make dinner for your family every darn night and needing solid, well tested, whole food recipes…go buy them.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Hands Free Cashew Chicken (GCE 30min) and Beef Pot Pie with Flaky Cheddar Crust (GCE) are staples in our house.

Allll the PDUB books. Thats Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman for those who don’t know her…(do you live under a rock?) (USA + Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

From first to last-

Marius bought me The Pioneer Woman Cooks for my birthday one year (okay I kinda made him)

I bought Food From My Frontier soon after it came out.

Marius and the kids gave me A Year of Holidays for Christmas one year. Okokok I bought it and made him wrap and give to me.

After Freja was born Dinnertime came out and I snagged that up ASAP.

While I love all of them, if I were to just pick one or two, I’d pick The Pioneer Woman Cooks and/or Dinnertime first.

My Favourite Aspect?

Personality!! Personality!! Personality!! Have I told you I love personality in a book? She is so fun! My Mother in Law also fell in love with her books and I gave her two for Mothers day last year. My Mother in law doesn’t often LOVE a cookbook so when she does, I’ve started amazoning them to her. Is that a word? I hope so. The recipes are step by step with photos for each step!

My Least Favourite Aspect?

Sometimes the recipes can be a bit spendy with the liberal use or rich foods. But thats not neccesarily a bad thing when I’ve got kids with hollow leg syndrome.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Oh jeez guys. Iced Coffee. Cinnamon Buns. Salisbury Steak. I could go on and on and on. Chocolate sheet cake.

What is it?

The Deerholme Mushroom Book by Bill Jones (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

Marius went to a workshop with this guy and the next spring I saw his book in a bookstore and it happened to be valentines day so I snagged it up and gave it to him.

My Favourite Aspect?

So many great ideas for wild mushrooms! And domestic.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

He’s a chef and many are a little too fancy for my taste/time.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

I keep meaning to make this compound butter with sautéed mushrooms in it, kinda like Steakhouse butter!

The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair (Canada)

Why/How Did I get it?

My sister bought me this book about 6 years ago. I had little to no cookbooks to my name and had never heard of her blog.

My Favourite Aspect?

This book changed how I cook. It inspired a lot of what I do and gave me confidence to use asian flavours. I’ve had so much fun with this book.

My Least Favourite Aspect?

I actually don’t like her blog. I’ve also bought and gave away her second cookbook as it didn’t do it for me. Sometimes ingredients are hard to find if you don’t have a china town or good ethnic food section.

Favourite Recipes/Ones I want to try?

Beef and Broccoli I make with venison, Salt and Pepper Squid. Egg Rolls. Lettuce cups. SO many favourites.

I hope you enjoyed this look through my cookbooks…what’s you’re favourite cookbook??

This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, but amazon throws me a bone when you buy through those links.