book talk: cookbooks

As the start of the new semester draws ever-closer (ahem, that would be tomorrow), I am obsessed with food. This, of course, is my go-to coping mechanism for my educator stress. Food is always enjoyable. Food is completely controllable. Food doesn't talk back, ask you questions you already answered at the beginning of class, or email you 12 hours after an assignment is due to tell you that food has lost its assignment sheet, and also has NO IDEA what to do for said assignment, and by-the-way, could you pretty-please accept said assignment a couple more days late?

Ahem.

So, I've been pouring over my cookbooks recently, in an attempt to distract my anxious, over-worried mind and feed my face while I'm at it.

I should also mention that all of this anxiety will have dissipated by, oh, next Monday. It's purely based in the unknown. Once I settle in, meet my students (who will be great and funny and quirky and lovely) and get into the groove of the first unit, we'll all feel so relaxed. Especially me.

But for now, I cook!

This Barefoot Contessa cookbook was a wedding gift, I think from my grandma. I cooked from it almost exclusively throughout our first year of marriage!

A couple of years ago, I read an interview of, I think it was Jennifer Garner, who said that if you ever want to feel like a cooking-rock-star, you should just make an Ina Garten recipe. I couldn't agree more.

And with my cooking-rock-star reputation at stake, I absolutely asked for this beautiful Barefoot Contessa tome for Christmas. 

What I like about Ina Garten's cookbooks is that she is very direct in her writing style. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Also, I am one of those people who must have photographs of what she's cooking--this is both to ensure that I've made it correctly, and to soothe my visual-learner brain. 

On my cookbook wish list is this beauty:

Doesn't that cover look splendid? I am just itching to get my hands on this book! I spied it in a twee little shop on one of our trips this summer, and just biding my time...

What about you? Do you have any go-to cookbooks? Which ones are your faves, and why?