First Cookbook on the Cutting Board: The Joy of Cooking

The Joy of Cooking is one of those cookbooks that you see in many households, often given as a gift to young newlyweds beginning their journey to wedded bliss. Well, it used to be. Maybe it isn't anymore. I'm so behind the times.

The copy I possess is the 1997 edition and it was a wedding gift. Not my wedding, though. My college roommate from freshman year, who married five months before I did was the recipient of said cookbook. (I'd show you a picture but then I'd have to find one and scan it and I'm just too lazy for that.) She was cleaning out her own stash of cookbooks and had a box full to get rid of. I know, right. Who actually does that? Gets rid of cookbooks, I mean. To my husband's utter horror (well, not really. He just rolls his eyes at my weird thing for cookbooks) she told me to take whatever I wanted. I'm telling you, I showed great restraint. All I took was The Joy of Cooking. And I really did want the community church cookbook. Don't you just love those old comb-bound fundraiser cookbooks with the names of the recipe donator beside each recipe?

Anyway, back to The Joy of Cooking. My first thought was that I should make at least one recipe from each section but there's about 30 sections in that puppy! So, I am undecided at this point. We shall see how it goes. But I promise to expand my horizons beyond the desserts and sweets sections - my one weakness in any cookbook. Cookies and cakes... and pies - especially custardy pies... and cupcakes... I promise I will try vegetable recipes!

On a side note, sort of related - I'm frugal. Maybe cheap. I don't like to waste money. So, when possible, I will be purchasing things on sale. So, if I decide to try that recipe for braised celery hearts I will do that when celery is on sale.

(Confession: I just googled "what are celery hearts" because I thought they might just be the middle bits of the celery bunch but I wasn't 100% sure.)

So you won't find me trying any recipes for beef tenderloin (unless someone wants to donate one - I will gladly and graciously accept. Or if I win the lottery my first order of business will be to buy a beef tenderloin.)

Where was I? Oh, yes, frugal... and not too many sweets. Any more rules? Hmmm.... not yet. I shall peruse the cookbook and get a few ideas.

And just in case you didn't know - celery hearts are the center bits of the bunch.