FUNNY I SHOULD RUN ACROSS THIS THREAD. I MUST ADMIT MY VERY 1st COOKBOOKS WERE BETTY CROCKER AND BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS. I TO THIS DAY LOVE COOKBOOKS THANKS TO THESE TWO VOLUMES.
HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF THE COOKBOOKS PUT OUT BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL HOME EC. DEPT'S.? WHERE I LIVED IN 10th thru 12th GRADE THERE WERE COOKBOOKS PUBLISHED EVERY YEAR BY HOME EC TEACHERS FROM OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND BY GOLLY THESE WERE GREAT COOKBOOKS! CHOCK FULL OF GOOD RECIPES. IT IS A NEAT KEEPSAKE. MY FIRST PEACH PIE I EVER BAKED FROM SCRATCH WAS IN 12th GRADE AND TO THIS DAY I DO NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING TASTING SO LOVELY! AND I GOT THE RECIPE FROM ONE OF THOSE HIGH SCHOOL HOME EC. COOKBOOKS! KYH YOU HAVE A NEAT JOB, I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY MY HABIT OF TYPING WITH CAP LOCK ON MUST DRIVE YOU NUTS:o
CCCATHY

Not only the home-ec books, Cathy.

Virtually any of the self-published, fund-raising local cookbooks---from garden clubs, and the Junior League, and county historical societies, etc.---are chock-a-block with tried and true family favorites.

These cookbooks lie on the opposite end of the continuum from the upscale, lavishly illustrated, celebrity chef cookbooks. Most of the time they have no illustrations, or very few. And the organization often leaves something to be desired. And they look cheap.

But so what? the recipes are from people who lovingly prepare those dishes for friends and family, and are, more often than not, well worth trying.