Cooking has been one of my favorite things ever since I was a little girl. I would pull a chair up to the countertop and help my mom by pouring or stirring or sneaking a taste. I was the weird eight year old who would rather watch the Food Network than cartoons. Then when I was fourteen, I discovered the grand new world of cooking on my own...and thus began my obsession with all things related to cooking!
I've been collecting recipes and magazines and cookbooks for just over a decade now. I've come to learn that there are many different avenues in which one might go about finding recipes to try, not to mention the endless variety of ingredients and flavors to incorporate. Through all of that experimenting and adventuring in the world of food, I've also come to learn that there are but a few cookbooks that are really special, that stands out among the rest, that you turn to again and again, without hesitation. And today I am excited to introduce you to one of those books that, though I just recently discovered it, has quickly become a treasure in my home and kitchen.
Hope's Table is such a book.
I've spent the last month cooking the recipes in this book. All of February saw me picking and choosing recipes here and there to make for dinner. So far I've cooked fifteen, but I can assure you that there are still others that I want to cook. In fact, tonight's menu plan is Hope's Beef Enchiladas with Rice and Beans. Anyway, about the recipes I've tried so far...
Each of the recipes I chose was delicious! I loved that the ingredients weren't anything crazy and I didn't have to search over all known creation just for one ingredient. Her recipes have the easiest to follow directions and best of all, her cookbook is absolutely full of gorgeous photographs for each and every recipe. And that, in my book, is a must in a cookbook!
She emphasizes the importance of home and family and the table, all of which are things that I wholeheartedly believe in. Her book feels like that kind that will be passed down for generations and the recipes in it will become family favorites with stories tied to them that will be shared from one person to the next. Truly, this book is a treasure.
I decided to document the meals that I cooked last month so you could see for yourself just how scrumptious her food really is. Please excuse the quality of some of these photos, as it gets quite dark in our home come evening. But I do hope you can get some idea as to the superb recipes that you can find in Hope's book.
Creamy White Chili
I've had a recipe for chicken chili that I've been making for years. I always thought it was really great, that is, until I tried this recipe! My, is it wonderful! I made this one twice last month because we loved it so much...and my other recipe has since been thrown out. A new winner has come to town!
Chicken Parmesan
My mom declared this better than a restaurant...and it is!
Grilled Spicy Peach-Glazed Chicken
Sweet Potato Fries
Southwest Dipping Sauce
My sister is a fan of sauces, so when I saw a wide variety of sauces and dips in Hope's Table, I was excited to be able to try them out. This southwest dipping sauce compliments her sweet potato fries just perfectly...seriously, it is just so good. And chicken is always a favorite around here, so I was happy to find a new way to flavor it...and it tasted so yummy on the grill. It was like a taste of summer in the middle of February!
Hearty Chili
Hope's chili is simple but oh-so-good! I added corn just because we like it, but you could easily leave it out.
Cheesy Breadsticks
Oh my! These breadsticks are to die for! So much yum!
Friday Night Pizza
As I am writing this, it is Sunday night and I've got this pizza crust rising in the oven. Believe me when I say that I've tried probably a dozen different pizza crust recipes over the last few years. I've found a couple that were good, but then this one was awesome. It gets crunchy on the bottom and soft on the inside and is incredibly easy to make. Needless to say, this has become our new family pizza crust recipe! (Thanks, Hope!)
Barbequed Meatballs
Perfect Broccoli
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Comfort food is what I think would describe this meal...and we enjoyed it on a cold, wintry night. So it was perfect!
Crispy Chicken Nuggets
Honey Mustard Dressing
Honey Green Beans
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Okay, I maybe twenty-five, but chicken nuggets are still one of my favorites! I think they always will be, and these are so tasty. The honey mustard dressing is ridiculously good and so much better than the bottled stuff from the store. (I also made these twice last month!) Who would have thought honey and green beans would be good? I'll let you in on a secret: it is divine! And, well, I can always find a new way to make roasted potatoes. These were a winner!
My family always tells me that I am a picky person...and they always remind me that I'm picky about everything. I admit it because it's the honest truth. And cookbooks are just one of the many things that I'm picky about. I like lots of pictures, easy to follow directions, recipes that don't call for off-the-wall ingredients and for the layout to be neat and clean. Then, of course, I'd love for a cookbook to have lots of recipes that my family loves. After all, I consider my bookshelf space very precious and only want the very best to reside there. Hope's Table is very precious. It has already become a beloved addition to my library and has honestly been living on the kitchen counter for the better part of the last four weeks.
I hope you enjoyed this little foodie adventure through Hope's Table. If you are looking for a cookbook that is family-friendly and contains delicious recipes, I highly recommend you check out this one. Hope also has a gorgeous Instagram page, which is how I first found her and book, as well as a beautiful blog where she writes and shares even more recipes.
Do yourself a favor and pop over for a visit!
Thank you for visiting today, dear friends! I hope your week is a beauty!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions, ramblings and photographs are my own. I only recommend books to my readers that I love and cherish, and this is, indeed one of them.*