A hundred million years ago my cookbook collection consisted of this tiny binder that my mom and I started when I was in high school. It held about 25 recipes total. A few main dishes. Some soups. A LOT of desserts and cookies. It was a mishmash of recipes, most of which I never even made.

I lived on grilled cheese. Pasta with store-bought sauce. Veggie burgers. Frozen pizza. Giant pancakes. That was about it.

I had no desire to cook. Bake, yes. I almost always have a fresh batch of cookies at my finger tip. But cook? No. There wasn’t a need.

At first it was just me, fresh out of college. I spent my evenings after work at the gym, then came home, stuffed myself full of pasta and went to bed.

Then it was me and Hubs. Still, very little need to cook. He more or less conformed to my eating habits, and added in the occasional lasagna. We weren’t fancy. We didn’t put much value on food. We didn’t have money to buy fancy ingredients.

Over the last few years, since becoming a stay-at-home mom, my need for a creative outlet has morphed from graphic design to cooking and baking. I’m constantly flipping through cook books, dreaming of new recipes. Wondering if I added this or changed that, if it would improve the recipe, or totally ruin it {which has totally happened a time or two}. Cooking, especially baking, takes over many of my waking thoughts. Almost to the point of obsession. And when I’m not obsessing about cooking, I’m obsessing about chocolate.

My cookbook collection has gone from one only, virtually empty binder to an overflowing shelf. I have so many cookbooks that I have to stack them on top of each other, each on competing for the place of utmost importance: on top, within easy reach.

My favorites are splattered and stained. Torn. Written in. The covers are missing. They have been used. Abused. And loved. I have yet to completely destroy a cookbook, but many of them are worse for the wear.

By now you may be wondering what my favorites are, and yes, I’m going to tell you. Because Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and you may be looking for a gift idea. Or you may need to suggest a gift idea to someone. Or maybe you just want to add one more book to your collection.

A | Pretty Delicious: Lean and Lovely Recipes for a Healthy, Happy New You. Filled with healthy, unique and totally flavorful meals, I make something out of this just about every week.

B | The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl. Of course. Because she’s amazing. Have I mentioned her cinnamon rolls yet?

C | Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition – 2006. A classic, yet it’s new to me. This book has endless recipes. Endless. That’s not an exaggeration at all.

D | Betty Crocker Cookbook (Bridal Edition) (Betty Crocker Books). A wedding gift from my Grandma. I think she may have been trying to tell me something.

E | Hershey’s Recipe Collection in 5-Ring Binder (5 Ring Binder Cookbook). Do I really need to explain this one?

F | 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens Cooking). This is my go-to book for easy slow cooker meals.

G | The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook: A Master Baker’s 300 Favorite Recipes for Perfect-Every-Time Bread-From Every Kind of Machine. I lived in this book when I had a bread machine. Now? I make the recipes using my KitchenAid Mixer. A little more work, but just as delicious.

H | 4 in 1 Recipe Book for Kids: Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, and Dinner. Because my boys will learn how to cook, and enjoy it!

Of course there are millions of blogs and web sites that I browse through every day in search of the best recipe. Thank goodness I have Ziplist and Pinterest to keep me organized.

There is one more cookbook which often finds its way to my  hands. One that you can’t find on any other bookshelf {except for my sisters’, as we each have a copy}. One that isn’t available in stores, online. It’s a binder that my mom put together for me a few years ago. It’s filled with childhood favorites and memories. And that cookbook, is as priceless as they come.

What is your favorite cookbook?

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