I read cookbooks like they're novels. I take them to bed at night. I rediscover one in my collection, and I pore over it. When I'm on location, as I am now, I always bring Ina Garten—sure enough, the tomatoes for her roasted-tomato basil soup are in the oven downstairs. Now that I have a family, it feels right to make their dinner, but it's daunting. Most cookbooks either try too hard to be easy—"and now you're going to throw in some Cheez Whiz"—or try too hard to be healthy. But her recipes are just good. They taste like a real cook has made you dinner. The swordfish is my husband's favorite thing in the world, and I make extra sauce to put on eggs the next morning. She knows what she's doing, that lady. She doesn't patronize you. She makes a cook out of a noncook. Buy a few ingredients, make one of her recipes, and you'll feel like a stud.

Super Bowl 🚨! If you’re looking to feed a crowd, to make it hearty (AND sneakily keep it healthy 👵🏼) may I humbly recommend ♥️Birthday Girl♥️ @inagarten’s CHICKEN CHILI from #BarefootParties.

How can I own so many cookbooks (pretty pictures 😬) and cook so few things. How. Why?? 😩 Possible solution: Julie/Julia my way through a book to discover hidden gems. First up— @inagarten’s #CookingForJeffrey 😍. Roasted salmon tacos—yum. Veggie soup—yum. Maple carrots, vanilla pound cake—yum yum. Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken: YUM.

10 Grain Bread 🥖 I saw a meme recently that said any friend making homemade bread deserves your TLC because something is WRONG WITH THEM. Well...🙋🏻‍♀️😬👵🏻. If you’re going to bake bread like a 🤓, make it worth your while. @realbakingwithrose’s 10-grain torpedo from #TheBreadBible takes all the steps and it’s 100% worth the effort. ♥️ (truncated recipe below because it’s so involved. Buy the book! You’ll cherish it.

At the top of the comfort food list around here: @huckcafe’s Homemade English Muffins. There is a fresh batch quickly disappearing from my counter and I thought you might like them, too. I am reposting my own #PretendCookingShow (is that even allowed?) I was thinner then, but am happier now. 😊 (Quarantine note: if your pantry looks sketchy— milk with vinegar/lemon juice = buttermilk. And All-Purpose flour works A-OK here.)

Biscotti. I must ask you to pardon my quarantine brain and weird space buns. Otherwise, let’s make @cooksillustrated Orange-Almond Biscotti.From “The Best Recipe” Cookbook