Cookbook Recommendations

One of my new readers, Michelle, asked me if I could make a list of my favorite cookbooks.
Most of the time when I cook, I don’t use cookbooks. In fact, I think I only own 3 or 4! Usually I see a recipe in a magazine or on TV, or take a classic recipe, and give it my twist.
However, I do check cookbooks out weekly to complete my country challenge, and of those, I do have a few favorites! So here they are, in no particular order…
The cookbooks I own:

• Moosewood – Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant and Low Fat Favorites (These I collected when I was a vegetarian, but I still use them often!
• Baking, From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan – I bought this when I joined Tuesdays with Dorie, and though I’m no longer baking with the group, this is my baking Bible. It is full of wonderful recipes, as well as information and each recipe has a few variations, so there are literally thousands of recipes!
• Tangy, Hot, Tart, and Sweet by Padma Lakshmi - My sister got this for my, autographed, for Christmas. I love how Padma has a great variety of recipes from around the world!
• The Irish Spirit by Margaret Johnson - I bought this book when I blogged about Ireland because I found so many delicious recipes and were all based around the alcohol of Ireland. It's a fun format, and each recipe is better than the next.

Here are a few that I've used in the past and love:

• The South American Table by Maria Baez Kijac - This is probably my absolute favorite book I've found so far. It has hundreds of recipes from all over South America, filled with classics and obscure recipes. It also is so informative about how the recipes reached a region, and the ingredients used. I have used this cookbook many times, and will most likely one day buy it!
• Sam Choy's Island Flavors and Sam Choy's Polynesian Kitchen - I absolutely love Sam Choy's recipes. I think the reason is because he takes ingredients with big flavor, and makes simple but delicious recipes. I also LOVE pairing sweet and savory, and his recipes (Mango Chicken - yum!!) often combine fruit with protein.
• Baja Cooking on the Edge by Deborah Schneider - This cookbook dives into my husbands favorite, tex-mex cooking. This cookbook is so colorful, and has tons of delicious recipes.
• Bobby Flay's Bold American Food - This cookbook is another one with beautiful photos, and some Bobby Flay classics, like yucatan chicken, and many of his delicious sauces and condiments. It's full of big flavor!
• Tuscany, The Beautiful - This cookbook is full of beautiful photos of the food, land, and people. It has many classics and really showcases the ingredients of the region.