I love a good cookbook. Even if I only get one recipe out of a cookbook, it is worth it to me to look through it! That’s why using the library’s collection is so wonderful – you don’t have to purchase the cookbooks to find those great recipes. Here are six of our latest cookbooks!
Children’s Quick and Easy Cookbook. Wilkes, Angela. New York, NY : Dk Publishing, 2023.
If you have young children or grandchildren (or neighbors’ kids who love to invade your kitchen), these easy recipes for little hands are a lot of fun! Kids can make simple meals, with the help of their adults, and learn to enjoy preparing food.
Dinnertime SOS. Palanjian, Amy. New York : Rodale, [2023].
This is a collection of super-fast, family-friendly meals that take 20 minutes or less to make (or can be prepared ahead of time, using your slow cooker or Instant Pot). With our busy lives these days, we need easy meals that taste good and are healthy as well, and Palanjian has compiled a list of 100 meals for those crazy days.
This cookbook includes recipes for the two different types of home cooks – those who want something that can be thrown together in minutes, and those who like meal prepping and freezing dishes. With both options, you can create a meal quickly after work, or do a little work ahead of time and just reheat and go. All of the recipes are vegetarian, and Donofrio has several recipes for each vegetable, making your trips to the grocery store more efficient!
This book not only helps you get fresh, healthy meals on the table fast, but she also helps you organize your kitchen so you can always find the spice you know you bought or the right container for your leftovers! Meal prepping involves preparing dishes or parts of dishes ahead of time, and storing them properly so preparing dinner when you get home is easy. There are tips and tricks, as well as recipes, to introduce you to meal prepping, or take your skills to the next level!
The innovative strategy in this cookbook is taking a simple ingredient and using it three different ways, to create three totally different meals. For instance, she takes turkey spinach meatballs and uses them to make a cheesy meatball bake, Italian wedding soup, and meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy. Depending on your mood, and the amount of time you have to cook, you have three great options for each foundational ingredient.
If you’re wanting something special that doesn’t take a lot of time, the Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond has great recipes that taste like they took much longer than they do. This collection has everything from “company” meals to fun dishes that teens will love, and zippy extras, like refrigerator pickles, to make dinner a breeze each night!
Check out these cookbooks, and SO many others, in our libraries!
Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at madams@alamancelibraries.org or 336-570-6981.