cookbook recommendation sought
June 19, 2018 9:57 AM   Subscribe

I need recommendations for a cookbook that is simply written and easy to use.

I need a cookbook for my father who now has to fend for himself in the kitchen. He knows some very basic things, but I think a simple, easy-to-use cookbook might help him expand his knowledge. When I say simple, I mean a cookbook in this style and format, including the spiral binding, but not just for Italian cooking. This cookbook stands out as an example because it uses ingredients that would normally be in the pantry (as opposed to the arduous shopping trips required to find mysterious, unheard-of ingredients certain other cookbooks demand) and moreover, it does not require a laundry list of ingredients to complete a dish. The recipes in this cookbook are also (mostly) uncomplicated to make. My goal is to find a cookbook that will encourage him to work with it and learn from it on his own, when I am not around to help him. I myself like the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, but I think that would overwhelm him, at least initially. I am leery of kid's cookbooks because he will see the bright colors and pictures and not take it seriously. Above all, it has to be simple and accessible. Hivemind to the rescue!
posted by Armed Only With Hubris to Food & Drink (18 answers total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything series is generally the go-to for this sort of thing, I think.
posted by coppermoss at 10:07 AM on June 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


Best answer: I'm a competent home cook and I find Bittman's books too overwhelming to use regularly. If the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook is too much for him, you don't want to give him a 1000-page monstrosity.

I like Keepers - it's got a limited scope with easy recipes and lots of pictures.
posted by something something at 10:28 AM on June 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


I'm a decent cook and also found Bittman's books overwhelming - and I find Better Homes and Gardens very usable.

Amazon has lots of cookbooks geared toward college students. That might be better than a kids' cookbook (which was the first thing I thought of - I have one I used well into adulthood).

The More With Less Cookbook has simple recipes, but it's very spiritually oriented, if that's an objection. It was written as a response to Mennonites being asked to lower the amount they were spending on food, so the ingredients tend to be very basic.
posted by FencingGal at 10:48 AM on June 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


My fave cookbook at the moment is The Dinner Plans, by the same authors as Keepers. Really tasty quick meals, not overwhelming and enough variety to not be bored. It's been invaluable now with a small baby in the house.
posted by peacheater at 10:50 AM on June 19, 2018


Hmm, this Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook is what I normally recommend. Maybe this college cookbook or something similar would work?
posted by gudrun at 10:55 AM on June 19, 2018


I grew up with the Betty Crocker Cookbook that opens and lays flat.

This 5 Ingredient cookbook from Taste of Home may do the trick.
posted by vunder at 11:07 AM on June 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


I grew up with the Betty Crocker Cookbook that opens and lays flat.

We've been married 20+ years and still use our Betty Crocker binder a lot!
posted by wenestvedt at 11:24 AM on June 19, 2018


Betty Crocker Cooking Basics! I have the first edition; this is the second edition. It’s my go-to for simple meals. It also teaches how to read a recipe and has lots of handy (but basic) reference information.
posted by epj at 11:27 AM on June 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


Maybe something like this?
posted by Twicketface at 11:35 AM on June 19, 2018


I've given Cooking for the Rushed books before. I really like how she lays out the recipes, with explicit instructions.

Here's a sample recipe for Chicken Pot pie

Her books are focused on getting food on the table, with some flavour. It isn't fine dining, but the recipes are decent enough.
posted by Ftsqg at 11:50 AM on June 19, 2018


DK published cookbooks might be a good fit. Everything is illustrated by really clear photographs of the ingredients and exactly how they should be prepped and each comes with a nice introductory section about pantry items, a glossary of terms, etc.
posted by goggie at 12:05 PM on June 19, 2018


Maybe you could make one for him? I have a 3-ring binder where I keep all the recipes I've tried and liked enough to cook more than once. I print them out or photocopy them and put them in plastic sleeves. Then when I want to make one, I only need the page on the counter instead of a whole huge book.
posted by lovecrafty at 12:08 PM on June 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Anyone Can Cook is Better Homes and Gardens's beginner cookbook. You can choose spiral binding or ring binder.
posted by Kriesa at 12:23 PM on June 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


I think HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING-THE BASICS (2003 edition) by Bittman is a good place to look into. Borrow one from the library. This is available used on Amazon for 1.50 or so. I have given this to some people who were starting out with their cooking life and they all found it helpful
posted by indianbadger1 at 12:44 PM on June 19, 2018


It’s not exactly what you asked for, but the first cookbook I wasn’t overwhelmed by was The Ex-Boyfriend Cookbook.

It’s fun and there are stories and the recipes are pretty accessible.
posted by Weeping_angel at 1:54 PM on June 19, 2018


I really think the best things to try would be a) go to the library and check out some books on cooking for one, and/or b) look online for sites that cater specifically to the newly widowed. Even experienced cooks have problems if they are used to cooking for 2 or more.
Also, a Seniors Centre may have some classes or ideas.
posted by Enid Lareg at 3:23 PM on June 19, 2018


Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution was specifically written for people who don't cook. The recipes are simple, easy, and use pretty ordinary ingredients. I think they're timed out really well. If he says it's 15 min from start to finish, it really is. Not 15 min assuming you've already spent 30 min chopping vegetables.

I bought a copy for my dad.
posted by Caravantea at 4:24 PM on June 19, 2018


You may be able to find a used copy of How to Cook without a Book. It's oriented toward beginning cooks, it's simple, and it helps make cooking a little more interesting.

You may find Bittman overwhelming, but his 101 lists are great for lists of simple, one sentence recipes with few ingredients. Take a look at 101 Summer Meals or 101 Salads. They're online free, but would be wonderful printed in a binder or something.

Or Bittman's customizable soups: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/magazine/06eat-t.html
posted by xammerboy at 10:17 PM on June 20, 2018


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