A toasty kitchen, an interesting radio program or podcast, and the anticipation of the first delicious, scalding bite of a new recipe straight out of the oven that you can’t wait to try: are these not the ingredients for a perfect, cozy winter morning? We take food quite seriously here at Crawfordsville District Public Library, and if you haven’t stopped by in a while to browse our newest cookbooks, you might be surprised at the variety and originality of what we have to offer.
Breakfast lovers like me know that weekend breakfasts take on a magically comfortable quality in the winter when we slow down and take the time to move beyond the basics of tossing bread in a toaster or cereal into a bowl. Two recent cookbook arrivals will give you plenty of ideas for how to brighten up your own breakfast routine and incorporate more adventurous recipes into your mornings: “Sunny-Side Up: More Than 100 Breakfast and Brunch Recipes from the Essential Egg to the Perfect Pastry” by Waylynn Lucas (New 641.52 Luc) and “Baking for Breakfast: 33 Muffin, Biscuit, Egg, and Other Sweet and Savory Dishes for a Special Morning Meal” by Cheryl Day (New 641.8157).
For those who find it hard to unravel themselves from their blanket-y nests on cold mornings, there are plenty of other titles that can add excitement to your wintertime lunches and dinners. You’ll feel warmed and nourished simply by browsing the recipes available in “Easy Soups from Scratch with Quick Breads to Match” by Ivy Manning (New 641.813 Man), and you’ll almost certainly want to look through its close relation, the America’s Test Kitchen “Soups, Stews, and Chilis” cookbook (641.813 Sou). Looking for something a little more substantial, maybe just in time for sports gatherings? Check out “Game-Day Eats: 100 Recipes for Homegating Like a Pro” by Eddie Jackson (New 641.5973 Jac). Just want to keep things simple, warm and filling? A recent favorite of mine was “The Sweet Potato Lover’s Cookbook” by Lyniece Talmadge (New 641.6 Tal).
If you’re trying to eat within a specific dietary plan this year, we’ve been stocking up on titles that go far beyond the basics of proteins and steamed veggies. Following a keto diet? Spice your meals up with “Keto Friendly Recipes: Easy Keto for Busy People” by Jennifer Marie Garza (New 641.5 Gar) and “Keto Instant Pot” by Maria Emmerich (641.56383 Emm). Moving toward a plant-based diet? Flip through “Incredible Plant-Based Desserts: Colorful Vegan Cakes, Cookies, Tarts, and other Epic Delights” by Anthea Cheng (New 641.86 Che), “One-Pot Vegetarian” by Sabrina Fauda-Role (New 641.5636 Fau) and “Love & Lemons Everyday” by Jeanine Donofrio (New 641.5636 Don). Just trying to make small, healthy adjustments to your eating habits? Experiment a little with creating your own nut butters (“Nut Butter” by Carolyn Cesario, 641.645 Ces) or explore the benefits of ingredients like turmeric (“Turmeric for Your Health” by Larry Trivieri, New 615.3 Tri) or apple cider vinegar (“Fire Cider! 101 Zesty Recipes for Health-Boosting Remedies Made with Apple Cider Vinegar” by Rosemary Gladstar, New 641.6411 Gla).
Finally, on to the most important food category of all: dessert! We’ve been drooling over recent arrivals to CDPL, including “Delish Insane Sweets” by Joanna Saltz (New 641.815 Sal), the Test Kitchen’s “The Perfect Cookie” (New 641.854 Per), and “The Cookie Collection” by Brian Hart Hoffman (641.86 Hof). Not as much of a cookie monster as me? Other dessert options are on the menu, including “The New Way to Cake” by Benjamina Ebuehi (on order and arriving soon), “American Pie” by Pascale LeDraoulec (New 641.8 LeD) and “Hello, Jell-O!” by Victoria Belanger (New 641.864 Bel).
Happy winter eatings.
Shelbi Hoover is a reference and local history assistant at Crawfordsville District Public Library.
