Favorite resources

I recently found myself explaining my love of cooking to a friend.  Making things from scratch can be fun, less expensive, and healthier.  It can also be a huge time commitment.  I started making a lot more "from scratch" when I became a stay at home mom.  My firstborn was wonderful at taking very long naps.  I was in the house, couldn't leave, and had time on my hands.  I also had a smaller budget since I had stopped working.  I learned to open the pantry door, do a little research, and make something fabulous for dinner.   As our family has grown, my idle time seems to be disappearing, and my budget ever-shrinking, but it's a huge blessing to have a few things up my sleeve that I know I can fall back on.

So many of the things I cook are not my original recipes.  Most of the ones I use regularly I have made my own over time.  Sometimes, though, there are recipes that cannot be improved upon.

My most favorite recipes come from:
1.  Cooks Illustrated 
      We have a subscription for online.  We use it.  My only complaint about this (and it doesn't apply to all recipes is that they can take forever.  We joke that the first step of their pumpkin pie recipe should have said, "Take a pumpkin seed, plant it in fertile soil, and water."  It was, however, the best pumpkin pie I've ever eaten.

2.  How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
      When we started getting a farm share a few years ago with produce that was completely new to us, this was the best resource to get us started.  He also wrote Best Recipes in the World, which is a great companion to the standby.

3.  Food Network
    As you can imagine, loving food like we do, we have seen our fair share of food TV.  I think there are wonderful recipes from food network, some are better than others... and some chefs have strengths in certain areas.  When I was looking for a good scone recipe, I thought Ina Garten would be a good bet.  She was!  When I wanted to make fresh pasta from scratch, I consulted Anne Burrell.  She also made the most amazing focaccia.  I try to keep in mind what any one chef is known for, and when I'm looking for a recipe in that area, I'll select one from that chef.  Bobby Flay= Southwestern
Paula Deen= southern, etc.  If you don't know where else to start, Alton Brown has put in tons of research into his recipes.  He also writes them like a scientist, and less like a cook.

4.  The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum
    I love my basic boule recipe, but when now that I can make it with my eyes closed, I'm ready for bigger adventures to see if I can make something even better.  I got book for Christmas, and my husband has already made a homemade sourdough starter with her recipe.  This book takes a little getting used to, as she explains the many options of how to make something (by hand, in a stand mixer) and explains how to use special equipment AND how to make due without it.  Sometimes it takes a few times of reading it through to know which steps might apply to you with your chosen method and equipment, but it's worth it.  She's done so much of the trial and error for you.