By the Cookbooks

     I love a good soup. They're usually super easy to make, and they make a lot.      This recipe from Taste of Home threw me for a curve ball though since you make it in a skillet, but overall it was injured and amazing. Ingredients       1 lb beef       1/2 cup of onions       1 15 ounce can tomato sauce       1 1/2 cup of frozen mixed veggies thawed       1 1/4 cup of frozen corn thawed       1 1/4 cup of beef broth       1 tbs of soy sauce       1 tbs molasses Directions      In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat, until no more pink.      Drain      Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.      Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Changes I made!       My only big complaint with this is that I wasn't...

      I'm not going to lie, when I think of what made me watch Food Network non-stop, Barefoot Contessa was a big reason why.      I love her.      While I do not have access to handmade and home grown foods the way she does, I found this recipe to be delicious, which just proves that store bought is in fact just fine. Ingredients      2 1/2 lbs of gold potatoes      Kosher Salt and black pepper      3 ounces of pancetta, diced      2 tbs of good olive oil      1/2 cup of parsley, for garnish Directions      Preheat oven to 425 degrees.      Cut potatoes into one inch chunks and place them in a large saucepan, preferable with two handles.      Cover potatoes in water and add 1 tbs of salt.      Cover pan and bring the water to a bowl.      Uncover pan, and lower the heat, le...

    I feel like this is a dish you see at most if not all Italian restaurants. Lightly crusted chicken with a great sauce.    But let me note this, I know I botched my version of this, and I still loved it! The spices and flavors are there, and even covered up some of my botched mistakes. This is differently dish I want to master and need to master, because I know once I do, I'll have one bomb dish to show off. Ingredients     1 can tomato sauce     2 tsp Italian seasoning     1/2 tsp garlic powder     1 egg     1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs     3 tbs of grated Parmesan cheese     2 boneless skinless chicken breasts     2 tbs olive oil     2 slices of mozzarella Directions     Sauce:     In a small pan, combine the sauce, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a saucepan.     Bring to a boil, reduce heat and then let it simmer ...

     For me, trying out new things is a must for this challenge, and new sauces is differently something I have found joy in.      Now the last sauce, also bought to you by Audrey at Home, but this one is so much more simpler and doesn't call for a hand mill. Ingredients     1/2 onion     pinch crushed red pepper flakes     5 1/2 tbs of unsalted butter     1 cup tomato puree     1/2 cup of good quality Russian vodka     1/2 cup of heavy cream     Sea Salt     1 lb of penne     1 ounce of parmigiano-reggiano Directions       In a large skillet saute onion and pepper flakes in butter, over medium heat.       Add tomato puree, reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes.       Stir in vodka and cook down for 15 minutes.       Add cream.       Meanwhile, cook pasta. ...

     It seems like every good cook knows how to make a sauce, and that's why I chose this recipe. Every good Italian mama has their signature sauce, and I am neither Italian or a mama, so I gave this recipe a whirl. Audrey Hepburn was at least a mama after all.      The sauce does take awhile so give yourself a few hours to make it. Ingredients      3 lbs vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely diced      1 onion, peeled and left whole      1 stalk of celery, cleaned      1 carrot, cleaned left whole      6 basil leaves, chopped      extra virgin olive oil      pinch of sugar      salt      pepper      1 lb of spaghetti      Parmigiano- Reggiano Directions       In a large pot, with a lid over it, cook tomatos, onion, celery, and carrot for 10 minutes.   ...

    I love reading, so when I was given The Book Lovers Cook Book it was a dream come true.     I have a deep love for The Lost Generation, so this recipe sneaked in between a quote from Gertrude Stein, and a passage from Ernest Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms" was a perfect start for me.     Ingredients     2 cups of uncooked macaroni     1/4 cup of butter     2 tbs of flour     2 cups of milk     8 oz of cream cheese, softened     2 tsp of Dijon mustard     1/2 tsp of salt     1/2 tsp of  pepper     8 oz of mild cheddar, grated     Chives Directions     Cook macaroni until tender, drain and set aside.     Melt butter in a sauce pan until it sizzles.     Stir in flour, and cook for at least 1 minute.     Continue cooking over medium heat and add milk, cream cheese, mustard, salt and peppe...

     For this recipe, I brought friends over because I was very unsure about it, but I knew if I could woo my friends with it, it'd stick.     The base of this is great, but know what herbs you like, because that can get you in some trouble when you show off a new dish, and they don't like one of the 5 herbs you are using.     I did get to learn the fun skill of removing a bone from a chicken breast from this recipe. Ingredients       1 ruby grapefruit      2 tbs golden balsamic vinegar      1 1/2 tsp salt, divided      1/2 tsp black pepper, divided      1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, divided      1 large head of butter lettuce      1/2 cup of chives, divided      1/2 cup of cilantro, divided      1/2 cup of parsley leaves, divided      1/2 cup of fresh mint, divided     ...