When it comes to thoughtful presents, books are high on the list. One great idea for children or young adults out on their own for the first time is one of the many cookbooks for beginners. It's true that there are a million plus recipes online these days, but it's so much easier to have a good idea for dinner or to find a forgotten detail in a favorite dish right on your counter.
There are literally hundreds of different kinds of cooking guides. If you're looking for a great wedding present, for instance, one of the classics is good. The Joy Of Cooking, for example, has many gourmet dishes but also covers the basics. In addition, it has a lot of good kitchen information, like how to substitute ingredients if you're missing one on the list. It also explains many cooking terms, which might be unfamiliar.
Classics of another type - exclusively American - are the many volumes from the Betty Crocker kitchen. These books - which include those for children, for family cooking, and for special holidays - specialize in quick, easy-to-prepare dishes. Chocolate chip cookies, hearty stews, macaroni and cheese casseroles, meat loaf, and apple pie are perennial favorites.
Some great collections of recipes start with canned soup. Gravy is easy when cream of mushroom is poured over browned pork chops or hamburger and allowed to simmer. Many casseroles are enhanced with cream of celery or mushroom, and pot roasts made with vegetable soup are fast and easy. A busy mom or dad, or a college student entertaining friends, might like a few shortcuts like these.
Then there are diet books that help people stick to a low-fat, low-sugar, low-carbohydrate, or low-sodium program. Having a selection of recipes to follow may make it possible to stay on the plan long enough to reach whatever weight or health goals have been set. Sending someone a targeted cookbook is a great way to show support.
There are many fun cooking guides for kids, with safe recipes to make alone like no-bake cookies or easy ones to fix under supervision, like grilled cheese or jello squares. Older people who meed to change their eating habits will appreciate new ideas. Healthy eating may be hard for those who can't tell spinach from lettuce or who have never broiled anything. All of these people could benefit from the right cookbook.
You probably know people who've never prepared seafood but who are moving to New England. Perhaps they have gotten a new job and would like to know how to fix crock-pot meals. You may know someone who has never made bread or a cake from scratch. Perhaps one hundred ways to use left-overs is just right for a friend who has left their job to write a book.
Everyone should learn how to prepare food for its flavor as well as its nutritive value. We all could use some new ideas to get out of the food ruts we're in. The right introduction to new foods, new methods, or new implements can make a useful, thoughtful gift that keeps on giving.
There are literally hundreds of different kinds of cooking guides. If you're looking for a great wedding present, for instance, one of the classics is good. The Joy Of Cooking, for example, has many gourmet dishes but also covers the basics. In addition, it has a lot of good kitchen information, like how to substitute ingredients if you're missing one on the list. It also explains many cooking terms, which might be unfamiliar.
Classics of another type - exclusively American - are the many volumes from the Betty Crocker kitchen. These books - which include those for children, for family cooking, and for special holidays - specialize in quick, easy-to-prepare dishes. Chocolate chip cookies, hearty stews, macaroni and cheese casseroles, meat loaf, and apple pie are perennial favorites.
Some great collections of recipes start with canned soup. Gravy is easy when cream of mushroom is poured over browned pork chops or hamburger and allowed to simmer. Many casseroles are enhanced with cream of celery or mushroom, and pot roasts made with vegetable soup are fast and easy. A busy mom or dad, or a college student entertaining friends, might like a few shortcuts like these.
Then there are diet books that help people stick to a low-fat, low-sugar, low-carbohydrate, or low-sodium program. Having a selection of recipes to follow may make it possible to stay on the plan long enough to reach whatever weight or health goals have been set. Sending someone a targeted cookbook is a great way to show support.
There are many fun cooking guides for kids, with safe recipes to make alone like no-bake cookies or easy ones to fix under supervision, like grilled cheese or jello squares. Older people who meed to change their eating habits will appreciate new ideas. Healthy eating may be hard for those who can't tell spinach from lettuce or who have never broiled anything. All of these people could benefit from the right cookbook.
You probably know people who've never prepared seafood but who are moving to New England. Perhaps they have gotten a new job and would like to know how to fix crock-pot meals. You may know someone who has never made bread or a cake from scratch. Perhaps one hundred ways to use left-overs is just right for a friend who has left their job to write a book.
Everyone should learn how to prepare food for its flavor as well as its nutritive value. We all could use some new ideas to get out of the food ruts we're in. The right introduction to new foods, new methods, or new implements can make a useful, thoughtful gift that keeps on giving.
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