My husband and I went to the library yesterday, which—as bibliophiles who brought more books into our marriage than furniture—we both especially enjoy. Because who doesn’t like being able to pick up any book you want and take it home, without having to count your pennies?
Which is why I came home with an assortment of books (and had to restrain myself from bringing home anymore):
The Natural Formula Book for Home & Yard
We like to make things ourselves (remember the shampoo?!). And while the internet is filled with all sorts of recipes and variations to do so, I like the idea of having everything gathered into one, definitive guide. It seems pretty complete, but I’m not sure how accessible the recommendations will be (such as if they require going to a chemistry shop for ingredients or whether they make use of standard kitchen staples). We'll see...
How to Fix (Just About) Everything
With visions of future home-ownership still occasionally fluttering about, I have been on the lookout for a good, thorough resource filled with instructions about how fix common household problems. I even sat in a bookstore for a good hour flipping through their fix-it section and came up empty. I’m not sure whether this is the answer, which is why I brought it home with me: So that I could flip through it at leisure and see whether it will really live up to its name.
Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Recipes for Two
It’s summertime here in Atlanta, and that means that around dinnertime, the temperature gets pretty hot, no matter how much shade you have. Add a blazing oven to that and no central air, and it becomes a recipe for disaster. So, to minimize how much I have to use the oven (and how often we eat salads and pasta), I decided to look into using my crock pot more. I like that this one is geared toward making smaller portioned meals, but we’ll see if any of the recipes are keepers.
Moosewood Cookbook
I’ve heard about this cookbook and even had a copy on my Amazon wishlist for a time. But I didn’t really know what made it so special that people swoon over it, so I snatched it up to see for myself. Having only glanced at it briefly, I was thrilled to see that all the recipes are hand-illustrated. Such a visual treat! For that reason alone I wouldn't have put it back on the shelf. Now, whether or not the recipes will fit snugly into my kitchen is yet to be seen...
The last book that you can see in the pile is one I’m reading, but isn’t from the library: Growing Up Amish. It’s a memoir from author Ira Wagler who grew up Amish. In it, he describes his experiences and frustrations growing up within the conservative community and what eventually led him to leave the fold for good. I’m about halfway through and riveted by his experiences, many of which are not the typical fodder you’ll find in tales of the Amish. He showcases them in all their humanity—both good and bad—which quickly erases any presumption that their lives are perfect, in spite of their pious efforts.
What are you reading that you’re enjoying? Have you read any of these books?
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I love that you picked up "Growing up Amish" :) that is such a "Carmen" book. I hope it's a good read! When I saw, "How to fix just about everything." I breathed a sigh of relief and thought it was like, a self-help book. I was thinking, "I NEED THAT BOOK." Then I thought...well, I do have the Bible. Haha. And, for the record, I heart my slow cooker. I'm hoping you will too!
ReplyDeleteI love all things Amish. I do. In fact- I think that if I could pick a weekend vacation right now, I'd want to go visit Lancaster county in PA. Netflix has a few good PBS specials on the Amish that I absolutely love. And Moosewood is delightful, good choice!
ReplyDelete@ Holly - Hahaha. You crack me up! I never thought about the title being about that, but wouldn't that be nice?
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to fall in love with my slow cooker. I just have to find some good recipes to pair it with!
@ Emma - Oh, I'll have to check out the Amish specials on Netflix. LOVE the recommendations!
Oh, you'll have to let me know about the Slow Cooker for 2 cookbook is! We got a nice crockpot Christmas, but haven't used it yet. I'd like to find more recipes for it than pulled pork or roast.
ReplyDelete@ apockylypse - Yeah, that's my feeling, too! I feel like the only recipes I can ever find are for cooking roasts or soups. And that's not what we eat everyday around here! I'll keep you posted on how the book turns out!
ReplyDeleteA few years ago for Christmas, we received, the Fix It & Forget It BIG COOKBOOK. It's 1400 recipes! It's by Phyllis Pellman Good. I really like it. There are a lot of casserole-type recipes and recipes for breakfasts and desserts. Even if you only like half of the recipes, I think it's still a good deal. I would recommend Amazon for it though.
ReplyDeleteI recently started going to the library again, and am loving it! I checked out some random books on the way out that were in the "quick reads" section. It was a great way to check out new authors I wouldn't have read before. I just thought it was so fun! The worse part of buying books of authors you don't know is if you HATE the book, but paid 15 dollars for it. It was awesome to not pay a thing :).
ReplyDelete@ Shannon - Oh, thanks for the recommendation. I'll have to look into that book!
ReplyDelete@ Brittany - Exactly! It's so nice to peruse through them in the comfort of your own home. I think libraries are totally underrated.