Tuesday, June 21, 2011

One month away...

I'm exactly 31 days until the day I have been scheduled to move to Chapel Hill, NC and start the next chapter in my life.

I never think that I have done enough in the time I have. And I guess that means that I don't savor the moments in my life. But looking back, I really had lots of valuable and cherished experiences throughout my time at University of Florida.

And even this summer, despite not going to Europe, I have still been able to make the most of my free time with lots of trips and (wishing I had more) work.

And now I get to do one of my favorite things: planning, making lists, imagining. I get to plan a move to a new apartment with my boyfriend (eek!), make lists of what I want to buy for my new place and what to throw out/not bring, and imagine the possibilities of a new school and new experiences.

On my current shopping list are new cookbooks, and after spending hours at Books-A-Million (because I can't buy a book on Amazon.com without seeing it first!), I have decided to buy (when I get the money):

1) The Illustrated Kitchen Bible
This has amazing pictures for EVERY recipe, which is key for me. And the amount of pictures does not deter from the amount of recipes! I found that to be an issue with a lot of the larger cookbooks. And the best part is, I didn't come across any recipe that I didn't think I could do.


2) Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook
This book has step-by-step pictures for lots of things that I'm still learning! Things like How To Braise, How To Bake And Roast Vegetables, How To Butterfly And Stuff, How To Stew, How To Make Custard, and so much more! You can never go wrong with Martha :)



3) The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
Thank you Megan for introducing me to Ree Drummond! I love her blog, and can't wait for her cooking show on Food Network!!! This adds the comfort food aspect of this cookbook collection. I want to make EVERYTHING in here, and most of these recipes are not found in the others that I want.



4) And I'm still looking for a beginner's Indian food guide, but at the moment I'm looking at these two:
OR


5) In the Small Kitchen
I think I might get this just because it's so fun! It's by 2 women in their 20's for "quarter-lifers" with categories like: Getting Started which introduces the equipment, the pantry and the market; Cooking for one (which easily doubles for two); Potlucking; Cocktail Parties; Dating & Food; Brunch; Giving; The Dinner Party; Leftovers; One Year Closer to Thirty. It also has chapters on Acknowledgment; Meals, Menus, and a Year's Worth of Occasions.


Now I can't go crazy with the amount of books!

But I think that these will be a good start.

1 comment:

  1. I've heard great things about the Small Kitchen book! And of course the PW cookbook is fabulous. Can we have a PW watch party?

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