I was first introduced to Everyday Homemaking a few years ago when I was invited to review Vicki Bentley's family chore system. I fell in love with her Kingdom-purposed heart and was super excited to have the opportunity to review Everyday Cooking this summer. Available in either a print or digital version (with two color options for the cover so you can match your kitchen if you so desire), reading through the pages of this cookbook flood my heart with memories of my grandmother. Mind you now, my grandmother was NOT a cook, but she enjoyed reading a good cookbook and she passed that love right on to me. I love the stories that a really great cookbook can tell. I like peeking into a recipe and finding the heart behind why it is special. The fun thing is that I don't even mind cooking and Vicki makes it easy. She shares stories and explains where her recipes come from and invites you into her kitchen as a friend.
And here's the big thing: I like easy. I like opening a cookbook and finding recipes for foods that my family will actually eat. I like an ingredient list that has things that are in my normal, everyday pantry. I like NOT having to find a special store to carry a specific ingredient that I've never even heard of -- usually something expensive that I'll never use again. Do you know what I mean?
Did I mention that I like easy? Everyday Cooking makes life easy. Vicki shares family-friendly recipes and even offers suggestions for how to make those recipes work with what you have on hand. The conversational tone makes you feel right at home. "Oh, you don't have salsa? No worries. Make your own by mixing up tomato sauce and green chilies."
And let me just be honest and say, I like cookbooks that give me permission to use leftover things. Throughout the entire cookbook, Vicki tells how she makes what she has on-hand work in the day-to-day life of a mom and cook. "If you don't have a cup of shredded cheddar, combine what cheeses you do have." "No tortilla chips in your pantry? That's perfectly fine. Just cut up some corn tortillas or mix the nacho and ranch flavored corn chips you do have. It will add some spice." She shares healthy options and recipes for those with special dietary concerns AS WELL AS some recipes that may not be the healthiest out there, but they sure are tasty. Check out the pictures from Becky's Mystery Cake (page 129--you can thank me later) that we made last week. It was quick and EASY and oh, so good. YUMMY does not even begin to describe this moist and delicious goodness!
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Everyday Cooking is the perfect "textbook" for a home economics class/credit for my high school daughter and my married daughters are borrowing recipes from it for use in their kitchens, as well. It's really most excellent, y'all. And the best part? My cookbook says this is Book One of the Everyday Homemaking Series. I can't wait to get my hands on even more recipes like Teresa Bryant's Mexican Casserole. You can see in my picture that I had two different types of cornbread mix pouches in my pantry and it worked beautifully. BUT had I not had what I needed, there were directions on how to mix up my own. I just love that, don't you?
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Seriously folks, this is the real deal of foods your family will love. You can find out more about all things Everyday Homemaking by visiting the website and the Facebook page. Check it out. Your family is going to thank you.
Everyday Cooking by Vicki Bentley is the easy button of real life recipes.
I was given the opportunity to review Everyday Cooking from Everyday Homemaking as a member of the Homeschool Review Crew. You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Homeschool Review Crew thought of this cookbook and The Everyday Family Chore System.
Makes me want to mix up a batch of Mexican cornbread now! (But I still have Cream of Mushroom soup left, and a bit of chocolate pie for dessert, so....). Your cake looks wonderful. Check out photos in our Food album on our EH Facebook page, as well. And thanks for the review!
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