So, you want to cook more in 2024?

I'm here to help!

Uhhhh hey! It’s so silly of me to promise y’all two newsletters in a row. Maybe 2024 will be the year I begin to hold myself to realistic standards (not likely). I waffled for a while about what I wanted my new year’s newsletter to look like. A 2023 recap seemed silly, an ins and outs list felt forced, and a list of hopes, dreams & goals for 2024 felt scary.

Maybe I need to… ummmm… grow up?! But, instead, I just sat on it for a few days and an idea appeared to me! I’m pretty sure the main reason most of you are here is for food-related content. So, if you’ve resolved or hoped or dreamed of cooking more in 2024, I’m here to help! Today’s newsletter is a guide to my favorite cookbooks & kitchen tools to get you feeling more confident and excited about cooking in the new year.

I’m spending January reconnecting with my kitchen (ew, who else hated that). Kevin and I are participating in dry January, so I’m flexing every creative muscle I have to make drinking sparkling water, kombucha, little treat drinks (i.e. Poppi, Olipop), annnnnd diet coke 🫣 more ✨fun✨. We’re also trying to save money by doing a “no-buy” month. Other than groceries, gas, and some random subscriptions we aren’t purchasing anything in January. Finally, we’re cutting back on eating out & grabbing takeout on busy weeknights. Thus, kitchen reconnection! So, we’re basically on this journey together and I can’t wait to share more of what I’m making this month.

I want to go ahead and make the disclaimer that there will be affiliate links in this newsletter! So, if you shop from those links, I will get a portion of the profit. Everything I will talk about today, or have listed in my storefront is something that I have in my kitchen and use often. Please feel free to search any & everything separately if shopping directly from the links isn’t your thing 😊 Ok! Let’s go!

Let’s start with some literature…

Pictured above is our cookbook stack™. Kevin assured me that he won’t ever make me get rid of or stop buying cookbooks, but we are getting creative with the storage. I’m also in my January Clean mode, so I’m certain that several of these cookbooks will be deemed frivolous and unnecessary. Sorry, but it’s true. Let me tell you about the ones I love.

The Essentials:

These are cookbooks that give a fantastic overview of cooking. I believe that, when read like a book, they can give any aspiring home cook a wonderful foundation of skills and techniques. I also recommend supplementing these books with video tutorials. Luckily, many of the chefs who authored these cookbooks have YouTube channels where they talk you through several recipes and techniques.

1. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat

   Out of all of the books on this list, I would say that Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is the easiest to read like a novel. We learn about each of the elements of cooking and the latter half of the book includes recipes to follow & expand one’s understanding of each element. There are delicious illustrations sprinkled among the pages, and Samin has a Netflix show that goes by the same name for even further learning! Also, it would be a crime if I didn’t also tell you about the Home Cooking Podcast that Samin hosted with Hrishikesh Hirway. This podcast was born during covid, and although they no longer release new episodes, the existing episodes are a treat!

2. The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt

   This book is… Hefty. Also dense. Also, I haven’t really brought myself to sit down and read it all because it intimidates me. But one thing I do know is that J. Kenji López-Alt and his long name know how to cook. Dave Portnoy may hate him, but this man is revered in the food industry. I first heard about López-Alt while watching Binging with Babish YouTube videos. Babish was often citing the man’s techniques and recipes. This book sets such a firm foundation of cooking techniques and the why behind them. One thing I don’t know enough about is the science behind cooking, and I’m relying on The Food Lab to teach me.

3. Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook by Sohla El-Waylly

   I’ve talked about this cookbook before. I was generously gifted the book (literally, don’t know how, but would die to stay on that PR list) It’s gorgeous, it’s reader-friendly, it’s also huge while somehow maintaining approachability. Sohla breaks the book up into larger (but still pretty specific) categories such as salads, eggs, soups, etc. and gives several tips, techniques & recipes for each category. Most importantly, she explains the why behind so many cooking techniques. Another one of my favorite things about this cookbook is that Sohla offers several variations of each recipe so you can think outside the box and play around with flavors a bit.

4. Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

   I fear that my dad is looking down on me with a skeptical frown right now. He always claimed that Ina Garten made him nervous. Maybe it was the soft talking or the propensity for ingredients sourced from only the finest specialty shops (she wouldn’t be caught dead in the Belmont Bi-Rite), but Walt Johnson was not drinking the Barefoot Contessa Kool-Aid. I, however, can appreciate her sophisticated, yet approachable catalogue of recipes. Go-To Dinners is one of the cookbooks that was recommended to me as I hung up my stubborn “I don’t need a recipe” attitude and started learning through following someone else’s instructions. Thanks, Ina.

The Fun & Varied:

1. The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton

   Ok… This one is interesting bc no recipes? I was gifted this quirky little book by my brother’s girlfriend a couple of years ago (Hi Grace!). It has lots of ideas & inspiration & despite the title, it is full of recipes. Just not many specific measurements. It’s not a cookbook shelf essential, but if you’re in the mood to play it a little bit fast and loose in the kitchen without going too crazy- this is the book for you!

2. Cook This Book: Techniques That Teach and Recipes to Repeat by Molly Baz

   This is also a recent addition to my collection, so I haven’t had so much time to dive in. One of the reasons this cookbook didn’t make the “Essentials” list is that several of the recipes are a little more “out there”. That’s not to say that they aren’t all delicious. I’m also not implying that you lovely readers aren’t down for the fun & funky recipes in Baz’s debut cookbook. It’s just no “Go-To Dinners”. My favorite thing about Cook This Book is the inclusion of QR codes throughout that will link directly to video tutorials. It’s true that some things are better explained via video, and Baz has you covered.

3. The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook: 120+ Everyday Recipes for the Healthy Home Cook by Laura Lea Bryant

   I started following Laura Lea years ago. She’s from Nashville, and went to the same high school as me! She and I were never in school at the same time, but I have been a fan of hers for years. Her recipes definitely cater to the health conscious with both of her cookbooks offering a range of gluten free, dairy free, and vegan recipes. I have cooked several of Laura Lea’s recipes over the years, and have yet to find one I didn’t love. Head’s up- several of LL’s recipes require specialty ingredients, but several of them are things you’ll use over and over if you’re a fan of hers.

4. That Sounds So Good: 100 Real-Life Recipes for Every Day of the Week by Carla Lalli Music

   My brother got me this cookbook for Christmas a couple of years ago, and unbeknownst to him, it had been sitting on my mental wishlist for a while. He bought it because of the eye-catching cover. I think the main reason I put this cookbook on the “fun & varied” list, because there are certainly some out-of-the-box recipes, but there’s also an entire section dedicated to grilling! Fun! I don’t have a grill at the moment, but can’t wait to reference it again when I do 😎 It’s also worth mentioning that Lalli-Music’s method for cooking chicken breasts is my tried and true.

Niche & we love her for it:

1. Let's Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home by Dan Pelosi

   Ok, another cookbook I’ve raved about for the last couple of months. I’ve made several recipes from Dan’s (aka Grossy Pelosi) debut cookbook. If you aren’t following Dan on Instagram, please exit the newsletter, do so & return to keep reading. Some of my absolute favorites from Let’s Eat are the Tiramisu Affogato, the Baked Pasta Primavera and of course his iconic vodka sawce.

2. The Book on Pie: Everything You Need to Know to Bake Perfect Pies by Erin Jeanne McDowell

   Another Christmas book (I actually think the final three books are Christmas books)! I have such reverence for Erin Jeanne McDowell. I don’t know what it is about her, but I respect and adore her. Pies and pie crusts are so finicky and daunting to me, and she’s written an entire gorgeous book about them. She’s convinced me I can do anything, and I’m playing around with the idea of making an ambitious chicken pot (slab) pie from The Book on Pie later this week.

3. More Than Cake: 100 Baking Recipes Built for Pleasure and Community by Natasha Pickowicz

   I don’t even need to tell y’all when or where I got this book… OK?! It was cookbookmas 2023 for me. I’ve followed Natasha Pickowicz on Instagram for several months, and am always so inspired to see how she stretches the boundaries of what dessert can be. More Than Cake? She’s got whimsy she’s got tips and tricks and she encourages thinking outside of the box!

4. Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes by Nigella Lawson

   Ok, first things first… Nigella Lawson is a queen for naming this cookbook Nigellissima. Dying for that kind of self-promo power. Secondly, we’ve got to be putting respect on Nigella’s name. I remember watching her on food network when I was younger, but then I fully forgot about her for years… Sorry, girl! UNTIL! I set out to bake a gorgeous chocolate cake for Kevin’s 29th birthday. Enter Nigella’s Guinness Chocolate Cake recipe from the NYT cooking app. Suddenly, I was her biggest fan. I checked Nigellissima out from the library, and have yet to make anything from it, but that won’t be true for long! I am obsessed with the simplicity of these recipes, and now long to spend a summer on the Italian coast!!!

   An Honorable Mention: The New York Times Cooking App. Totally worth the subscription & so easy to browse! If I’m ever in the mood for something, my first step is to search that particular dish on the app for inspiration & possible recipes to follow!

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Wow. A word-heavy, picture-light newsletter. I originally intended to make this a massive double-feature with a section on kitchen essentials as well, but I think making a part two would be less overwhelming for everyone! Not to worry, I won’t make you wait another 10 days, I promise 😊 Also, it’s clear that I have a little bit of a cookbook problem with no plans on stopping- so, please tell me your favorites in the comments!

FINALLY- I’ve been pretty active on my Instagram stories over the last week or so. I’d love if you joined me over there (if you haven’t already)! I’m really enjoying sharing all of my kitchen time with you all. I made bagels, I shared how I’ve been making the most of Carla Lalli Music’s chicken cooking technique, etc. etc.