Veronica's Top Ten Cookbooks

To stave off the “what I am going to cook for dinner tonight” dilemma I have tried planning our main meals for the week from one cookbook. Although I haven’t done this every week the weeks I do I spend less money at the supermarket and reduce my supermarket shopping to once a week. To be included in my top ten the recipes needed to be easy, not too many ingredients and no ingredients I will only use once.

Scrumptious by Chelsea Winter. Her savoury mince is now a stable in our household. Her recipe has it on toast but we have had it with potatoes, pasta or just on its own – YUM! The sausage, pumpkin, pasta bake is very hearty and my new barbecue stable is the kumara, bacon and walnut salad.

Jo Seagar: the cook school recipes. Her pecan and panko crusted crusted chicken is a weekend dinner not because the recipe takes ages; more that it is so good with roasted veges which takes a little longer. I have only once used pecans in the recipe and now substitute cashews in its place. The oven backed bacon, pea and parmesan risotto is a good winter meal.

Delicious by Sophie Gray. The Destitute Gourmet’s books have some of my favourite recipes. I use the sweet and sour pork stir fry for chicken as well as for pork – really easy and quicker than a takeaway.

Free Range in the City by Annabel Langbein. This is the first Langbein cookbook I cooked from and my favourite recipe is her ginger chilli sweet and sour chicken. Although it’s quick to prepare it does take 40 minutes to cook so it’s a great dish when you can wait just that little bit longer for a great dinner.

The Ultimate Vegetarian Collection by Alison and Simon Holst. When the children were small their favourite Indian takeaway was butter chicken. When I made this really simple butter curry sauce and used chickpeas instead of chicken they didn’t even notice. I use this book mostly for side dishes but do try the butter chickpeas – really very good.

Slow Cooked by Allyson Gofton. Every winter I make myself promises that I will use my slow cooker more. I like the idea I can throw everything together before leaving for work and coming home to a ready made dinner. One of the things I especially like about this book is the introductory chapters where Allyson goes through the different cuts of meat and the best way to cook them. Plus with just four ingredients her 1970s apricot chicken should be a New Zealand classic.

Easy Week Night Meals by Nadia Lim. The recipes in this book have been divided up between the seasons. However my two favourite summer recipes I cook at any time. The parmesan crumbed chicken is so easy I don’t need to look at the recipe anymore. I have cooked the tandoori chicken salad with roast potatoes several times when we have a large group for dinner as you can bulk up the meal with lots of salad vegetables.

Endless Summer by Annabel Langbein. Another cookbook that doesn’t have the recipes divided in the more traditional entrees, mains and desserts sections. Instead there is summer on a shoestring and “4 ways with” where there are four recipes using strawberries, avocados and asparagus. The broccoli, rocket and almond pesto is lovely with toasted ciabatta bread.

Homemade Happiness by Chelsea Winter. Another Chelsea cookbook filled with simple and yummy dinner fare. The Italian chicken bake has everything baked in the oven including lovely and crunchy potatoes. I have not cooked with mozzarella balls before but they definitely add a creamy cheesy finish to the dish.

And one for Christmas…

Mary Berry's Christmas Collection: over 100 of my fabulous recipes and tips for a hassle-free festive season. Highlight was the redcurrant sauce. After I picking the redcurrants from the local fruit picking orchard I put all the ingredients in the pot to simmer on low. Completely forgot about them and was lucky they didn’t burn. Made the most gorgeous sauce that is a perfect match with venison.

Posted by Veronica