We love to encourage cooking on this website so this week we’re talking about some of our favorite “vintage” cookbooks that you can use to expand your recipe repertoire. I found all of these books at our local Santa Clara County Library so you should be able to try them out for free. Another option for getting cookbooks is to visit our Cookbook Swap in our Rubbingnickels.com Barter Corner. Lastly, you can also buy the cookbooks used on Amazon for a song.
Great, Good Food by Julee Rosso. Julee Rosso is known for her Silver Palate Cookbook but this is her take on healthy cooking from 1993. I have been cooking with this book for at least 15 years and this cookbook‘s techniques still hold up today. Some of my favorite recipes from the book are: Broccoli Pesto, a great low-fat topping for pasta; Sassy Baked Beans, a potluck “go-to”; and, Lime Chicken Strips, a yummy party appetizer and weeknight meal. You can find this cookbook for under $8.00 used at Amazon.com.
The California Cook by Diane Rossen Worthington (1994). The funny thing about this cookbook is that it was given to my husband by one of his ex-girlfriends and still has her inscription in the front cover. That hasn’t stopped me from using it for more than 12 years! This cookbook was ahead of its time in that it incorporates fresh, local ingredients with a casual style. My favorite recipes from this book are: Farmer’s Market Chopped Salad, a perfect entrée salad for lunch or summer dinner; Spicy Almond Couscous, a perfect last-minute side dish; Glazed Halibut with Orange-Chive Sauce; and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto. You can find this book used for under $3.00 at Amazon.
Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals by Sara Moulton (2005). This cookbook has some very simple yet delicious recipes for whipping up family meals. My favorite recipes include: Food Processor Pizza Dough, a super-fast and easy recipe; Parmigiano-Reggiano Couscous; and, Turkey Cutlets Milanese. You can find this book used for under $6.00 at Amazon.com.
Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by Pam Anderson (2005). If I’m having a get-together with a large amount of people, I usually find something creative from this cookbook. Her recipe for Grown-up Sloppy Joes has been served many times at summer parties and has gotten rave reviews from many gourmands. Another of my favorites is her spin on chili called White Chicken Chili with Hominy. This is fast and belly-pleasing for a big crowd. Last, but not least, she has a perfect dessert for a crowd called S’more Bars which are a kids’ favorite. Get it used for under $10 at Amazon.
We hope you find some new “go-to” recipes!
Julie Arnheim and Darcy Ratner
Founders, Rubbingnickels.com
a friend
Hey there, I was reading your article and I just wanted to say thank you for putting out such great content. There’s so much junk on the internet these days its difficult to find anything worthwhile. I actually have cooked this recipe before, I got this book last month on recommendation from a friend http://ninjahq.com/go/cookingrecipes and it turned out very nice! I’m very eager to try your variation of it though, it looks excellent. I think you might enjoy those recipes, they’re very good. Thanks for the article and tips.