A Guilty Pleasure

August 09, 2011

I have a confession to make. I’m addicted to cookbooks: healthy cookbooks, dessert cookbooks, celebrity cookbooks, comfort food cookbooks—doesn’t matter. I’ve browsed through them all. I love flipping through the pages looking for new ideas during TV commercials, while relaxing after work, or to fill time waiting for an appointment.

Each time I power up the copier, my family starts sending glares my way. I can’t tell you the number of ink cartridges I’ve guiltily drained and replaced while making copies. I’ve probably single-handedly killed a dozen trees with my obsession. This summer, I started my third 3-ring binder of recipes that I’ve found and saved. I could make a new meal every day for a year and still have possibilities left over.

Via the library, though, I am able to indulge in my over-the-top hobby guilt free—or at least bill free. The shelves are filled with countless cookbooks for every occasion. Here are a few of my favorites.

• Budget Meals : Save Big $$$ With Smart Ways to Shop and Efficient Ways to Cook - Better Homes and Gardens Books
• Quick Quicker Quickest : 350 Delicious Meals Ready in 20, 30, or 40 Minutes! - Better Homes and Gardens Books
• Substitute Yourself Skinny : Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor With Hundreds of Simple Substitutions! - Susan Irby 
• Real Simple Meals Made Easy - Renee Schettler
• Cook This, Not That! : Kitchen Survival Guide - David Zinczenko
• Quick Fixes With Mixes : Fast Cooking With Bagged, Bottled & Frozen Ingredients  - Oxmoor House
• Emeril 20-40-60 : Fresh Food Fast 1st ed. - Emeril Lagasse 
• I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening! : Over 150 Ridiculously Easy Recipes for the Super Busy 1st ed - Devin Alexander 
• Hungry Girl 1-2-3 : the Easiest, Most Delicious, Guilt-free Recipes on the Planet 1st ed. - Lisa Lillien

Happy eating!

~Alex R.
Parkville Branch