The Best Cookbooks Ever

12 Cooks a-Cooking

We are fast approaching the holiday season, and while we dig through our attics, garages, and closets in search of our holiday decorations, we are also thinking about those big family meals. Maybe you have a tried and true recipe you go to every year, or maybe you are still in search of a knock-down, drag-out, fantastic dish that will go down in family history. Either way, once November and December get into full swing, there is one thing we can be certain of: We are going to need some help in the kitchen.

Thrift Books has some unbeatable bargains from these master chefs, bartenders, wine experts and party-throwers; so many, that we've put together our Top 25 books in Cook Books, Food and Wine, that we think have shaped this category. Check out the full list in the link above or sample these 12 cookbook masterpieces.

Click through to the Top 25, checkout a sample in this blog, or make your own way through this enticing genre.

• Rachael Ray Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats--A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners (A 30-Minute Meal Cookbook) — 30 minutes? We're sold! These recipes are as delicious as they are quick.
• Giada De Laurentiis Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes — Giada is full of tips on how to make great Italian food an everyday staple in your home, without having to track down any off-the-wall ingredients.
• Pam Anderson How to Cook Without a Book: Recipes and Techniques Every Cook Should Know by Heart — Take the stress out of everyday cooking with simple techniques and items already in your pantry and fridge.
• Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust — You will feel like the confident, seasoned chef you aim to be with these dishes that are sure to impress your friends and family.
• Martha Stewart One Pot: 120+ Easy Meals from Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot, and More —If your dishwasher seems to fill up daily like mine, than you will appreciate these recipes from Martha Stewart! Delicious food plus minimal clean-up equals one happy cook.
• Mark Bittman How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food — Everything? Need I say more?
• Phyllis Good Fix it and Forget It — There are many versions of these cookbooks, which are sure to apply to any and all cooking scenarios. Whatever your culinary need, Phyllis Good has you covered!
• Megan and Jill Carle College Cooking: Feed Yourself and Your Friends — Don't let the title fool you! This cookbook offers simple ideas for anyone who may be lacking in cooking inspiration, equipment, or funds. You don't need much to make a great meal.
• Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker The Joy of Cooking — Now on its 75th edition, this book has taught millions of people that cooking is not as overwhelming as it may seem. There are plenty of tips and tricks on how to get big flavors in simple ways.
• Julia Child The Way to Cook — A fantastic reference guide for any kitchen, this cookbook appeals to the ?on the go? chefs of today's day-and-age.
• James Beard's American Cookery — Dubbed the ?dean of American cooking? by the New York Times, James Beard has taken everything he learned and put it into a cookbook for the everyday chef.
• Dale DeGroff The Essential Cocktail — Any one of Dale's 100 cocktail recipes are sure to impress your guests, and have them asking where you acquired your new bartending skills.

Read more by Melina Lynne