Good cookbooks?

[connorlevismom]

I am looking for a good cookbook with easy recipies and for pretty bland eaters. We don't like anything fancy or anything with a bunch of junk in it like mushrooms, onions, celery..... that kind of stuff. Just good, easy meals.

Kristine

 

[NotUrsula]

Um, onions and celery at least are pretty basic vegetable flavorings -- what do you season your food with?

Honestly, I don't think you're really going to find anything that doesn't commonly have basics like garlic, onion and celery added, unless maybe it's Best Recipes From the backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans, and Jars -- that one uses a lot of packaged ingredients that will already have seasonings in them, so you're not adding them separately. Most of those recipes end up being LOADED with sodium, however, because of all the msg in the various packaged ingredients.

My favorite easy cookbook series are the Trim & Terrific books by Holly Clegg. I'm not sure you would like them -- they definitely make liberal use of seasonings in order to cut fat and sodium.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

I don't know if this is still in print "Better Homes and Garden cookbook."

 

[disykat]

I haven't seen it, but how about checking out The Pioneer Woman's cookbook? I don't even know the title, but I follow her website thepioneerwoman.com and her meals seem very basic.

 

[connorlevismom]

Um, onions and celery at least are pretty basic vegetable flavorings -- what do you season your food with?

Honestly, I don't think you're really going to find anything that doesn't commonly have basics like garlic, onion and celery added, unless maybe it's Best Recipes From the backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans, and Jars -- that one uses a lot of packaged ingredients that will already have seasonings in them, so you're not adding them separately. Most of those recipes end up being LOADED with sodium, however, because of all the msg in the various packaged ingredients.

My favorite easy cookbook series are the Trim & Terrific books by Holly Clegg. I'm not sure you would like them -- they definitely make liberal use of seasonings in order to cut fat and sodium.

I am OK with garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, but I don't like the actual items in my food. Just my personal preference. Just the way I am.

Kristine

 

[binny]

I haven't seen it, but how about checking out The Pioneer Woman's cookbook? I don't even know the title, but I follow her website thepioneerwoman.com and her meals seem very basic.

thats what I was going to say, If it has stuff in it you dont like just leave it out. I love the Pioneer woman!

 

[Judy in Texas]

Not an easy request... I think you might have to go with a regular cook book and substitute for the ingrdients you don't like. Since you are OK with garlic powder, celery salt, etc, is it a consistency thing? If so, consider getting a bottle of celery powder (do a google search) for example. You will get the flavor but not the chunks.

 

[connorlevismom]

Not an easy request... I think you might have to go with a regular cook book and substitute for the ingrdients you don't like. Since you are OK with garlic powder, celery salt, etc, is it a consistency thing? If so, consider getting a bottle of celery powder (do a google search) for example. You will get the flavor but not the chunks.

Yes, I have an issue with chucks in my food. Oh, and when I was a child my mom accidentally dropped onion in my Rice Crispies (she was making my dads lunch at the same time) and I threw up all over the place. Never was quite able to stomach onions ever again. LOL

Kristine

 

[Judy in Texas]

There might be some recipes where you can cook the veggies separately, puree them and then add them in. Examples would be for soups and sauces. Spaghetti sauce IMO must have onions; but, it would be so simple to run it through a blender to eliminate the chunks. Maybe get one of those hand-held drink blenders. Google has lots of options. There is a Biggest Loser super-duper one with lots of options for under $40 and other simpler ones for much less.

http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Loser-AB-1001-BL-Double-Up-Handheld/dp/B001DTX9E6

 

[NotUrsula]

I am OK with garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, but I don't like the actual items in my food. Just my personal preference. Just the way I am.

Kristine

If it's just a texture thing, you can substitute liquid extracts and powdered versions, or skip certain ingredients if you don't like them. Don't write off an entire cookbook just for textures (well, don't go near Rachael Ray; she is obsessed with having lots of textures in her recipes, and you'd hate that.)

I've got texture issues myself, and here is the best advice I ever got:
Go out and get yourself a coffee grinder to be kept just for herbs/spices, and also a stick blender with an optional jar. It's maybe a $40 total investment and you can use these to very easily pulverize/puree any lumpy ingredients that you don't like the texture of. It will open WORLDS of possibilities for you.

Just FYI, make it a point to buy Garlic powder, Onion powder, etc., rather than the versions blended with salt. You will be able to control the saltiness much better if you are not adding extra every time you add another herb or spice.

Here is Holly Clegg's website, see if any of these look good to you: http://www.hollyclegg.com/recipes.cfm?sort=book


When looking at cookbooks, remember that even if a recipe has an exotic-sounding title, it may consist of a lot of familiar things combined in ways that you hadn't expected, so look at actual recipes before you decide whether it sounds good, don't just stop at the index.

 

[koolaidmoms]

My favorite cookbook forever has been the Betty Crocker Cookbook. Not overly fussy but good decent comfort foods. I am BIG on substitutes. I don't like mushrooms or peas as a texture thing.

Hope this helps some.

 

[daughtersrus]

My favorites are the Quick Cooking books from Taste of Home. The recipes are simple with basic ingredients. They have a magazine that comes out 6 times a year but at the end of the year, they put all of the recipes in a book. I've bought many of them on Amazon for 1 cent + shipping.

 

[arminnie]

Here is Holly Clegg's website, see if any of these look good to you: http://www.hollyclegg.com/recipes.cfm?sort=book

I've met Holly. She and I went to the same small woman's college. She does use a lot of seasoning which I like.

Since you don't like a lot of "extras" just use what meat/vegetable you like with a little s&p. Use canned soup if that's your thing or a prepared sauce. You don't really need a lot of recipes if you don't like the extra stuff. My mother was like that.