GREAT Gift Ideas for Cooks {Including Some Awesome Cookbooks!}

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I have not done my Christmas shopping yet, have you? AND OF COURSE because I don't have any of my Christmas shopping done yet, I thought I would help you out with yours. Heaven knows you have been dying for someone to come up with a gift guide for all of the people in your life who love to cook.

Well, it is your lucky lucky day because I did just that. I will be back to posting recipes on Monday, but in the meantime, browse through this post and get your gift shopping done! 

Too bad I am the only one on my Christmas list who would want any of this stuff. Is it socially acceptable to by gifts for yourself? I guess I will just point out this post to my husband.

1. Microplane Classic Grater/Zester I use this grater all the time. It is perfect for grating hard cheeses, chocolate, garlic, ginger root, and zesting citrus fruits. I don't know what I would do without it. Wait, what was my life like before I had my microplane grater? Can't remember. 2. Norpro Mandoline Slicer  Instead of spending hours trying to make consistent, even cuts, just get one of these. But just for the record, they are very very sharp (it is why they work so well). 3. All-Clad Stainless Steel Measuring Cups LOVE THESE! They are worth the money. 4. All-Clad Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons To go with those awesome measuring cups you just bought, right? 5. Cuisinart 9-Cup Food Processor  6. Vitamix Professional Series Blender 7. OXO Angled Liquid Measuring Cup Set 8. Cookbook/iPad Holder 9. Kitchen Scale for more accurate measuring!

10. OXO Stainless Steel Garlic Press I use my garlic press all the time. I never have to worry about my hands smelling like garlic. 11. Tahitian Vanilla Extract   12. Lemon Juicer 13. OXO Mixing Bowl Set 14. Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer Only the coolest kitchen appliance ever. PLUS it creates even and thin slices of apple which are perfect for a successful apple pie. 15. Cuisinart Immersion Blender I use my immersion blender all the time for dressings, soups, etc. 16. OXO Wooden Spoon Set I have one of these spoons and a million cheap plastic ones. I only ever use the wooden one because I love it so much. 17. The Most Awesome Food Chopper EVER!!! I know how to chop onions correctly, but using this little tool means I don't have to put on my onion goggles; no joke.

If the cook you know is anything like me, then they might appreciate a new cookbook!

18. Chocolate Never Faileth by Annette Lyon 19. Simply Sensational Cookies by Nancy Baggett 20. Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish 21. MasterChef: The Ultimate Cookbook by The Contestants and Judges of MasterChef 22. The Mexican Slow Cooker by Deborah Schneider

23. Desserts in Jars by Shaina Olmanson 24. The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook by Lindsay Landis 25. Tiny Food Party! by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park 26. Perfect One-Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson 27. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

I was going to stop there... but oh shoot, I came up with a few more ideas for you.

28. Silpat Non-Stick Mats Stop buying parchment paper and get a couple of these reusable mats. 29. Aroma 12-Cup Rice Cooker My favorite feature on this rice cooker is that it has a delayed start setting. 30. Bosch Universal Mixer Perfect for big batches of bread and cookies! 31. Cuisinart Griddler 32. Cuisinart Hand Mixer 33. KitchenAid Mixer  34. My Favorite Cookie Sheets

I hope I gave you some good ideas! Happy Holidays, and here's to getting everything done that we need to get done before December 25th :)

If you need more help with finding a gift for that cook in your life, please feel free to visit my amazon store or contact me here, and I will get back to you ASAP (within 24 hours).

Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. All that means is if you click on one of the above links and purchase that product, I will earn a tiny percentage of commission from what you buy (the cost you pay will not be affected). The money I earn from this commission will  help with costs I have to pay to maintain this website.

Shells and Cheese for Everyone

Fact. I collect cookbooks. Lots and lots of cookbooks. I will continue to collect them for the rest of my life until I have a library full of them, and I am not talking just any library. Oh, heck to the no. I want I library reminiscent of the one in Beauty and the Beast. Someday...

In the meantime I am building my collection, book by book. My newest addition was this one right here:

                          
    Perfect One-Dish Dinners By Pam Anderson

I have read this cover to cover several times now (and yes, I read every word, I did not just look at pictures). I am absolutely in love with this book. Let me tell you why:

1. This cookbook is geared toward easy get-togethers. Pam Anderson plans the whole menu for you from the appetizer to the dessert, plus there are several different menus to choose from. 
2. If the recipes she has chosen aren't easy enough for you, she has these snippets called "instant alternatives" at the bottom of her recipes. Basically they are easier substitutions for her recipes. I may have to steal this idea from her... Everyone loves easy and delicious.
3. The pictures in this book (taken by Judd Pilossof) are breathtaking.

I got my copy of this book at Barnes and Noble on clearance. What a steal. So far I have only made two recipes from it but I am already very impressed.

Pulled pork is actually on of my go-to entertaining recipes, so when I saw it in the cookbook I was very excited. It is easy to throw a pork roast and a bottle of bar-b-que sauce in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours and then shred it.

Pam Anderson pairs her pulled pork sliders with this awesome baked shells and cheese recipe. I made two huge casserole dishes of this and it all got eaten.

In other words, buy this cookbook. Make the food. Love the food. You won't be sorry. I will definitely be showcasing more recipes from this one; it's a keeper.

Shells and Cheese for Everyone

Salt

1 lb. medium-size pasta shells

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 (16 oz) container cottage cheese

1 (16 oz) container light or regular sour cream

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper.

1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large soup kettle over high heat. Cook pasta using package directions as a guide. Drain.

Meanwhile, mix cheeses and sour cream in a large bowl. Add hot pasta and toss to coat. Adjust salt and pepper according to taste. Transfer to baking dish.

Mix breadcrumbs, parsley, and butter in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over shells and cheese. Bake until casserole is bubbly and crumbs are golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Serves 8-12.

Recipe Source: Perfect One-Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson

get printable recipe here.