a must have

I do not doubt that you are already quite familiar with the cookbook above. If it's not in your possession, it's in your Mother's and you grew up with the recipes from this paperback classic. The New Basics Cookbook is a kitchen essential. All of the recipes are like elevated comfort food and they never fail to please a crowd. My Mom's go-to for dinner parties was more often than not, the famed Chicken Marbella. A wildly flavorful dish that always ensured happy diners. Topped off with a dessert of her famous (at least in my mind) brownies lovingly dusted with confectioner's sugar and thougtfully decorated with fresh raspberries and needless to say, Ing was easily deemed the hostess with the mostest. Approachable, gourmet comfort food will never cease to impress.

Whenever I'm home, I find myself flipping through New Basics and The Silver Palate for inspiration. Most of the pages splattered from recipe testing, recipes decorated with a five year old's drawings, "Hanna" written above the banana muffin recipe (since they are more popularly known as Hanna Banana Muffins), and the crinkling sound the spine makes when you turn the page. All indications of a book that's been well-loved and has truly shown the test of time.

If you don't already own this gem of a book, I suggest making it part of your cookbook library. I think you too will find yourself reminiscing about your childhood when you flip through the recipes and will be dog-earing page after wonderful page for ideas for your next get together.