Simpler Living Blog

COOKING, RECIPES

An Ode to the Cookbook (and Some Summer Garden Recipes)

Lehman's
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It's been said that a great cookbook is much more than just a book - it's a lifetime investment. As cheesy as that may sound, isn't it true? Think about your favorite cookbook. Maybe you even got it from your mother or grandmother. The pages start to curl at the edges, you get fingerprints on the cover, you spill all kinds of stuff - vanilla, Worcestershire sauce, various cake batters - on it as you lovingly cook for your family. If you're like me, you make extremely vital notes all over the pages. (In fact, my cookbooks are getting to be more like family history books, as my scribbles tell me that I made this dish for Christmas morning brunch in 2000, tried this new recipe in May and hubby liked it, and experimented with adding extra ingredients to this or that recipe). And many times, those well-used cookbooks get handed down to the next young cook. I am lucky enough to have my great-grandmother's recipe binder, filled with her handwritten recipes (and even one in her mother's handwriting - my great-great-grandmother) plus those she clipped out of publications over the years. Even though it basically contains dessert recipes (she had a real sweet tooth) and about 128 different variations of meatloaf (which my great-grandfather apparently loved), I wouldn't trade it for the world. Another "cookbook" of sorts that I guard with my life is the handmade wooden recipe box filled with handwritten recipes that my maternal grandparents gave me when I got married (grandpa made the box, and grandma, of course, wrote out all her favorite recipes). It is a treasure trove and contains several precious family recipes that must never be lost.

On the slightly more recent side, I also own the Lehman's 55th Anniversary Cookbook, which I had the pleasure of helping to compile this year to celebrate Lehman's 55 years in business. I bet I use it an average of twice a week! (Not bad for someone who only actually cooks a few times a week.) Cookbooks also make great gifts - everyone loves them, even just to read for entertainment. (Find Lehman's most recent anniversary cookbook here.) Now is the time when our gardens and farmer's markets begin overflowing with a plethora of zucchini, cukes, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, sweet corn - the list could go on and on. In the spirit of fresh, local cooking and eating, here are a few recipes from our staff to help you use up and truly savor all those wonderful veggies. [tasty-recipe id="41472"] [tasty-recipe id="41475"] [tasty-recipe id="41476"] Bon appetit, everyone. Note: I also own and highly recommend: The More With Less Cookbook, Simply In Season, and The Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals. Shop Lehman's entire collection of Cookbooks>>

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