Getting the Most Out of the Cookbooks On Your Shelf

February 10, 2010 5:55 pm

Getting the Most Out of the Cookbooks On Your Shelf

If you're anything like the most of us, you have a bookshelf full of books you haven't read or looked at in years, including cookbooks. While cookbooks make great gifts and are often the aisle we hit hardest when it comes to impulse shopping at Barnes & Noble, the sad truth is that more often than not, they end up on our shelves gathering dust. Here's our helpful tips for rekindling the romance with those dusty volumes.

Don't Be Intimidated
An easy first step is to simply pick up your books and reviewing what you have. It may seem like a pain to go through the process of planning a meal by the book, but even browsing your books and the recipes inside will inspire you to try out new recipes or help you envision new meals when you're at the store. Tip, flag the recipes that you are most excited about— even if you don't make them this time, it will save you time in the future.

Search By Ingredient
One of the biggest impediments to trying a new recipe is the thought of having to make a major grocery run first. Avoid that by searching the index by main ingredient. If you have chicken breasts in the freezer, look for chicken recipes, it eliminates one thing you have to shop for. Tip, it's easiest to start by picking your protein—it will narrow down your recipe choices significantly, saving you time and tough decisions.

Embrace Substitutions
If you're drawn to a recipe that calls for kale, but have leftover spinach on hand, give it a try. You don't want to substitute across categories (there's butter in cookies for a reason), but more often than not, a marinade that works well on cod will also work well on the tilapia that's on sale. If you don't want to spend all of your money on expensive spices, pick the most important ones that you know you'll use again. Tip, often cookbooks will suggest good substitutions in the text, so pay attention when you're reading. You'll begin to learn which ingredients work interchangeably.

Pick One Recipe, Not An Entire Meal
Whoever you are serving will surely be impressed by a fancy, complete meal, but you are more likely to complete the task if it seems manageable. Pick one new recipe to try out and round the meal out with your old staples. Try this delicious Parmesan Asparagus recipe with a simple protein and some rice for something slightly new. If you want to branch out further, pick something like this Chicken Curry with a Twist. Trick, you most likely have some of the ingredients already and it is a full meal with just some Basmati rice.

Pay Attention to Tips and Tricks
Your cookbook author is published for a reason; he or she is an expert chef. Very often chefs will include their personal tips or tricks in recipes. Pay attention! You may learn a great new way to take apart a chicken, or a new way to use your stale bread. Chef's really do use the shortcuts to keep dinner service running smoothly, and so should you!