My Favorite New Cookbooks - Highly Recommneded!

Good Morning!

Y'all know how much I love cooking and my passion for it. I also love to read books and one of my biggest collections are my cookbooks. I always think, "well, that's enough books" but then another good one is published and I am a sucker for a good cookbook! I love to read them and dog-ear the pages on the recipes I want to try out.

Added to my collection are the following delicious ones...

Sweets by Patty Pinner

This book is filled with nostalgic black and white vintage photos of her family which will remind you of your own family back in the good 'ol days...don't miss out on the Pineapple Upside Down Cake baked in an iron black skillet, oh my!!!

Bon Appetit, Y'All by Virginia Willis

Filled with beautiful pictures of southern favorites and lots of stories and recipes from three generations of southern cooking, it doesn't get any better than this...don't miss out on Mama's Barbeque Sauce kept in mason jars, ooh it is delish!!

Screen Doors and Sweet Tea by Martha Hall Foose

This one I got a heads-up from my good friend Margie in Tennessee...not only is the cover picture of a woman dressed in an apron serving a huge tomato filled with peas and corn salad an eye-catcher but the book is filled with tales and awfully tempting southern recipes. There's a picture of mason jars filled with banana pudding and meringue and the recipe is to die for! Also, try out the Curried Sweet Potato Soup with Pork Rind Croutons, a little bit of heaven here on earth! This one is a keeper!

The Deen Brothers Y'All Come Eat by Jamie and Bobby Deen

What's that old saying..."the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", well in this case it could not be truer, the Deen Brothers sure learned from their Mama Paula, the Queen of Southern Cooking! This book is filled with colorful family pictures...don't miss out on Brooke's Homemade Meatloaf, it is killer! The Ground Beef and Baked Beans Casserole is another good one as well as the Pot Roasted Beef with Sweet Potatoes and Celery. These boys know good cooking and good eating!

The Comfort Table by Katie Lee Joel

Billy Joel is sure a lucky guy snaring Miss Katie Lee as his wife. This is a Southern girl who stays true to her roots and it shows in her delicious recipes. Her Buttermilk Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas are incrdible as well as her homey Chicken Pot Pie. This is a marvelous book to have in your collection!

Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen by Trisha Yearwood

This girl knows her way around the kitchen thanks to her Mama who taught her well. All her recipes are tried and trues...try Kyle's Lemon Pound Cake which is irristable and the Barbequed Pork Ribs, they fall off the bone practically! Another great southern cookbook! Filled with colorful pictures of delicious food and family...

Back to the Table by Art Smith

Art Smith is another southern cook who remembers where he came from. His recipes are simple and delicious..I have so many dog-eared pages in this book. here are a few which are incredibly delicious... The Hummingbird Cake, Summer Squash and Lemon Thyme Soup, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Zucchini and Tomato Frittata, are a few of my favorites in this book. The pictures in the book are all mouth-watering ones too!

I also love Cuban food and have quite a collection of Cuban cookbooks. Some of my newest ones are:

In A Cuban Kitchen by Alex Garcia

Alex shares all the classic flavors of our old country's famous foods. Guava and Cheese Turnovers, Picadillo, Roasted Red Snapper, Grandmother's Chicken Soup and Flan. All of our favorite home-style recipes are in this wonderful book.

Eating Cuban by Beverly Cox and Martin Jacobs

This book is filled with nostalgic old fotos of Cuba and famous dishes that we all adore. The book is sectioned off by Raices (Our Roots), Clasicos Creolos (Creole Classics), Comidas Ambulantes (Street Foods), Cocina Nueva Onda (New Wave Cooking), and Bebidas (Beverages). Try out the Classic Cuban-Style Black Beans, Poast Pork Loin and Cuban Cold Pumpkin Salad. Delicioso!!!

In The Kennedy Kitchen by Neil Connolly

This book contains recipes and recollections of a great American family, the Kennedy's. It contains the family's favorite, Meat Loaf. I made this on 4-27-07 and it was incredibly delicious! The Lobster Stew is a rich stew which is quick to make and elegant at the same time. The Honey-Pecan Sweet Potatoes are so good, you'll want to slap someone! You will also enjoy the family fotos included in the book and the little stories that go with them.

Essentially Lilly: A Guide to Colorful Holidays by Lilly Pulitzer

This book was written by the Grand Dame of Palm Beach for those of us who love to entertain. It has many different holiday menus filled with yummy foods and beautiful pictures. Lily includes a lot of helpful hints and ideas to make your celebration the best one. Try her Peach Muffins with Pecan Streusel, the Lemon Blueberry Bars, Seafood and Avocado Salad with Lime Vinaigrette and the Baked Ham with Ginger Pineapple Glaze and you will get rave reviews from family and friends.

And there you have it, my recommendations on great cookbooks out there. I love them all and I thrill my family with dishes from all of them. You will too!

Happy Cooking!

Gina