The First Step

Hi.

My name is Jil – and I am a cookbook addict.

(Not my actual collection) click.for.source.

They say that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem – and I, my friends, may just have a problem.

Though the nature of my cookbook addiction is not what one might deem as “serious” or “life-threatening”… it does cause problems for my bank account.

I’ll be the first to admit, that lately my food has been very uninspired or repetitive – hence my lack of posting (pretty sure my last post started this way, too). My days have been pretty run of the mill as of late, and I don’t think that boring you with my “gym, errands, lunch, work, dinner, sleep” routine makes for inspired posts or enthusiastic blog readers. Basically, I love you guys – but my life has been boring as hell lately…and I’m not gonna pass my boredom onto you. 🙂

Now…okay, back to my problem. The repetitive nature that is my life has led to an uninspired cook…in come the cookbooks. Now, I am definitely not lacking in the cookbook department, I’ve got baking, clean food, Parisian food, organic food, simple food, Julia, Ina, vegetarian, vegan, weight-loss, and gimmicky themed cookbooks up the wazzzuu (spelling?) – but they are all in storage. Uninspiring.

Plus, it’s not like I necessarily need them…I can be pretty self-sufficient in the recipe department…but there is just something about turning the pages of a good cookbook…oh, and the pictures. Yep. Cookbooks will not be ending up on my Nook anytime soon.

Last night, I cozied up to Amazon (yes, this was my Saturday night, be jeeeealous) and scoured over pages and pages of mouthwatering eats.

• Yes, I want to make those prosciutto-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese.
• Yes, I want to make that Vietnamese prawn dish.
• Yes, I want to make those sweet potato empanadas.

So in one-fell-swoop I’d fulfilled my cookbook addiction and my lil’ pop culture/celeb one, too.

Which books ended up making a dent in my bank account (they were ALL at least 40% off though which I am thankful for)??

1. Giada De Laurentiis – Giada at Home – Family Recipes from Italy and California 

click.for.source.

Why? I’ll be the first to admit – sometimes Giada can annoy me. Especially with the random over annunciation of *just* the Italian words. However, I admire her for the fact that this is a woman who 1. Loves food 2. Loves taking care of herself (umm, teeny tiny woman!) 3. Demonstrates balance without “diety” fads.  She shows that being thin or fit doesn’t mean eating unhealthfully (aka nixing important fats and carbohydrates for the sake of a smaller pant-size) or getting rid of everything you love. I’m sure that she works out like crazy, but she shows that you don’t have to get rid of stuff. You love pasta, chocolate and prosciutto (I know I do)? You can have ’em just don’t over do it.

2. Gwyneth Palthrow – My Father’s Daughter 

click.for.source.

Why? Okay, so Gwyn has definitely gotten some flack for her GOOP stuff…the cleanses and all that jazz. However, flipping through the pages of this cookbook the recipes (whether she actually eats them or not) look crazy good. I admire her writing, and I love the little stories that go with these recipes. She’s a lover of the organics (though, I can’t afford a lot of the things she buys organic) and of clean ingredients. I dig. Plus, Mario Batali had a hand in this cookbook – so it has to be good.

3. Eva Longoria – Eva’s Kitchen

click.for.source.

Why? Okay – so my love affair with the celeb cookbook continues. This cookbook got some great reviews from actual chefs, and just from your average Joe, too. I don’t have *any* cookbooks with great Mexican (or TexMex, I guess, too) recipes in them, and while maybe these aren’t *the* most authentic – I can’t be the person to vouch for that one – it’s at least not the “Mexican” food from TGIMcMexico’s.

So in the end, I love my addiction to cookbooks. As long as I am not found in a hoard of them, stacked to my ceilings … I think I’m okay.

• What are your fave cookbooks? What makes you buy a cookbook?

For me, amazing pictures will always suck me in….the same can be said for blogs I read.

 

 

 

 

 

Flashback

I love coming home and reminiscing with my mom.

I credit her, completely, with my love of cooking and baking.

It’s so funny to sit down with her and go through all of her cookbooks, and remember all the recipes she’s made over time..

Yesterday, we sat down with this cookbook:

Purchased way before I was born, it is such an unassuming cookbook…yet it is chock full of my childhood memories.

From birthday cakes to stroganoff – it’s all in there, and it was so fun to go through it with her!

• Any foods/cookbooks/recipes from your childhood that you till go back to??

… in other news – I’m doing something new for Easter.

• Any guesses??
  

Hope you all are absolutely wonderful!