What is your favorite/go-to cookbook?

[tracymom1]

I cannot read recipes online.  I have some type of mental block that prevents me from planning my meals while sitting at the computer - I much, much prefer to have a nice book to look through to get some ideas.

What are your favorites?  We are mostly a vegetarian family and try to eat balanced meals for breakfast and dinner (lunch is kind of a free-for-all right now).  I have a couple of Mollie Katzen books that I need to dig out.  It is just time for me to start thinking ahead and I know a few good recipe books will help me focus and give me a good starting off point.

Thanks!

[skreader]

I like:

"A Cooks Guide to Chinese Vegetables"

 - (out-of-print, and maybe not relevant to your location)

"The More With Less Cook Book"

- available from amazon, Mennonite in orientation and not exclusively vegetarian, but w/ lots of meatless meals and good info. Inspiring.

Madhur Jaffrey's  Eastern Vegetarian Cooking

 - I think my copy is an out-of-print UK imprint; but on amazon there are plenty of her vegetarian cook books

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

- old classic; lots of different recipes. I prefer it to The Joy of Cooking as my big-old standard

Laurel's Kitchen

 - I preferred the older version from the 70s (probably you can get it on alibris.com) but the "New Laurel's Kitchen" is OK too.

[tifpaul]

Originally Posted by skreader 

The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

- old classic; lots of different recipes. I prefer it to The Joy of Cooking as my big-old standard

Me too.