Bookworm: 9 Favorite Cookbooks

I love collecting all books from classic novels to coffee table books. During the last few years I have discovered that I really enjoy spending time at home in the kitchen preparing meals and treats to share with family and friends. As a result I have began collecting cookbooks. I love flipping through the glossy pages of my favorite cookbooks and choosing the dishes to make for my next get-together.

There are so many great chefs and cookbooks out there this list could have easily gotten out of control and been way too long to share. After a lot of thought I narrowed my collection down to in my opinion nine of the best.

ONE // Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way. Italian food is basically the best. If I could live on pasta and cheese I would be one happy girl. Sauces & Shapes is a great cookbook because it provides authentic Italian recipes that are easy enough for even inexperienced cooks.

TWO // The New Best Recipe. This is a massive general cookbook that you will find yourself relying on again and again. Numerous recipes were tried for each item in this book before the absolute best was chosen to be included.

THREE // Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust. I consider myself to be pretty good in the kitchen and that is partially thanks to Ina Garten. I first got into cooking and baking after I began watching Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network and began picking up tips and techniques from Ina. All of Ina's cookbooks are amazing but I chose this one because it provides so much information and recipes to help entertaining be mistake proof.

FOUR // Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi. This cookbook celebrates vegetables with 120 delicious recipes. The recipes are flavorful and colorful. As a vegetarian there should be little doubt that I would love this book but Plenty was written by a nonvegetarian so I think the recipes really appeal to everyone.

FIVE // Sally's Baking Addiction: Irresistible Cookies, Cupcakes, and Desserts for Your Sweet-Tooth Fix. This is the latest cookbook added to my collection. I have loved Sally McKenney's blog for years and have tried many of her recipes and never had one fail so picking up this book was a must for me. One thing I love about Sally's recipes is that they never call for crazy ingredients or have a million steps. If you can read I promise that you can bake Sally's wonderful creations.

SIX // Extra Virgin: Recipes & Love from Our Tuscan Kitchen. This is another incredible Italian cookbook. In this book you will find beautiful, rustic Italian recipes. Everything is easy to prepare and has huge fresh flavor.

SEVEN // The Weekend Baker: Irresistible Recipes, Simple Techniques, and Stress-Free Strategies for Busy People. I loved baking long before I loved cooking but I often found that I didn't have the time to whip up many of the recipes I wanted to try. The Weekend Baker is a great book for busy people. The recipes in this book are easy to follow and organized so that you can have tasty, homemade baked treats in your home even when you are short on time.

EIGHT // Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking. I think everyone can agree that Julia was basically a rock star in the kitchen and I am sure I am not the only one who has found her recipes intimidating. Julia's Kitchen Wisdom is more of a kitchen guide than a cookbook. It is filled with useful basic recipes and techniques as well as time-saving tips Julia learned over the years.

NINE // Endless Summer Cookbook. This book provides fresh, simple, healthy recipes that are great for summer get-togethers. The peach blueberry cobbler is a huge winner.

image via: target, edited by Sunny Days and Starry Nights