Recipes

[shortbreadlover]

just recycle rrecipes with a new name?  i just checked out a bread book and all the recipes were the same ones that have been in other books.  nothing new.

[aroc3435]

@shortbreadlover  I try to read the reviews online before I buy a new cook book, or get it from the library first.  One of my most used and loved cook books is The Joy of Cooking from the mid 70's.

When I'm looking to jazz up a dish that is often in my repetoire but is getting boring I often look at Joy's sauces section and find something I've never tried before like Ravigote Sauce to brighten up a simple baked fish entree, for instance.

A lot of the new recipes are variations on classic ones from many different ethnic sources.  So the longer we've lived and cooked what seems repetitious to us might be brand new to a twenty-something home cook.

I have a very large collection of books, some of them consulted by me more than others but I've only purchased a very few "duds" over the years.  If I get three or four good recipes with clear directions I'm a satisfied purchaser.

Seasonings, vinegars, and spices are important to me, too, and I have a pretty comprehensive selection of those.  When I think they are getting near their expiration date I find a recipe that will use them and am pleasantly surprised.  

Part of cooking meals every day is to change up the menu rotation and not do the same old meals week after week.

A few of my "secret, tried and true ingredients" are celery seed, white pepper, and summer savory.  I use the crushed celery seed in my potato salads and the summer savory in stews, pot pies, and some soups and gravies.  White pepper is excellent in regular and Asian chicken soups, mashed potatoes, and cream soups and white sauces, such as Mornay.