Do you have one you recommend?? I mean BASIC. They will not probably be cooking in red wine and will not have three or four fresh herbs on hand.
Pictures are a plus.
I looked at Mark Bittman’s popular books like “How To Cook Everything” - I think the no pictures will not entice them!
S and fiance can grill, put together hot sandwiches, make pasta salad, etc. - but could they put a roast in the oven or know amounts to make mashed potatoes? Probably not.
Appreciate suggestions. Hopefully I can order tonight off Amazon or B and N with my extra coupon!
I’d check to see if Better Homes & Gardens has a comprehensive cookbook. Their publications tend to have lots of pictures and to be very clear with instructions.
I like Ree Drummond. She has a blog and I’ve enjoyed many of her recipes. I would look at The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper!
Better Homes & Gardens DOES have a good basic cookbook, with lots of photos, charts and good, simple instructions. I got it for my wedding and I still bring it out from time to time. The one I have is a three-ring binder so you can take the pages out to use them.
I got my kitchen-challenged son “Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!” but that might be TOO basic. But after he described cooking as “doing battle with food”, I knew it was necessary. And yes, I did teach him how to cook, but obviously, none of it stuck.
Look at the new Betty Crocker ones on Amazon. I have my grandma’s ancient copy, but I believe the updated versions still have many basic recipes and loads of pictures.
I second Ree Drummond aka 'Pioneer Woman." She has great pictures and walks you through some good recipes. I can now make a pot roast that is amazing and I feel like a real adult lol.
The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook or Joy of Cooking (not the 1997 version.)
If you like pictures, Done.: A Cook’s Guide to Knowing When Food Is Perfectly Cooked is excellent. It’s not really a cookbook but an excellent guide to avoid over cooking or under cooking foods.
I’ll also chime in on the recommendation for the Betty Crocker cookbook. 25+ years ago my girlfriend (now wife) got it for me after I tried making gravy and ended up with paste. Who knew you needed to add heat to make it thicken? Funny thing is that the bookmark on the gravy page is still there. Just can’t bring myself to remove it.
“How to Cook Everything” is wonderful. My BFF gives a copy to each of my kids when they turn 18. Even more basic than Betty Crocker, but it’s got a lot of great-tasting recipes. I’ve kind of commandeered one of the copies for myself! I’ll give it back when kid #2 moves out.
I’ll second the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook. Everything I’ve made from that cookbook has turned out delicious, and the recipes are clear and detailed. Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman) is also excellent, but even for this butter and meat lover, her recipes can be heavy-- good for the cowboys that work all day on the ranch she lives on, but maybe less so for people with white-collar lifestyles.
I am actually buying Pioneer Woman cookbook for someone else - my niece loves her and loves cooking, so…
I’ll look at that for him too - Costco has it quite inexpensive I think.
Interesting about the app paired with the book. I really thought that was the one I would get, but I was worried after looking online that the “How To …Everything” was too fru-fru for them???
Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything is my favorite, but I agree that the lack of photos is a drawback for beginning cooks. I think the Bittman book linked in post #13 looks terrific. Does any one know if he’s done a cookbook from his New York Times Magazine series which was basically “12 ways to cook ___” I loved those columns. Here’s an example: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/magazine/mag-03Eat-t.html?r=0 They came with a cute grid graphic of photos of the possiblities. Not in the online version for some reason.
I hope I’m not in violation of TOS but Amazon has a current coupon code for some books. “To use this promotion, you must enter “HOLIDAY30” at checkout under the “Gift cards & promotional codes” section to receive 30% off any ONE (1) book, with a maximum discount of $10.” It’s not valid for all books.
