Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (16th edition)

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The fully updated and revised edition of the best-selling, tried-and-true resource for generations of cooks

Since 1930, home cooks have turned to Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book for guidance in the kitchen. This new edition includes more than 1,200 recipes, 1,000 color photos, and more tips and how-to information than ever. The “Secrets to Success” feature in each chapter shows cooks the key ingredients or steps to making each recipe successful. The “8 Ways With” feature enables home cooks to customize recipes by changing up flavors in basic recipes like omelets, shortbread cookies, and more. Along with the best recipes for favorite foods, this indispensable volume offers information on new cooking trends and fresh ideas, a new fruit and vegetable guide with ID photos, and expanded coverage of canning. Because food is at the heart of many family traditions, a new holiday chapter is included, and throughout the book, icons highlight recipes that are fast, low-calorie, and best-loved. From setting up a kitchen to cooking a great meal, this comprehensive book fulfills every cooking need.  (-synopsis)

Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Let me say that as long as I’ve been alive the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook has been in my life.  When I was little I can remember watching my mom pick up the red and white plaid cookbook and make side dishes for all of our holidays.  Once I was older I began cooking from the cookbook as well.   I really liked that there is such a wide variety of recipes and most of the ingredients are commonly found ingredients.  They are also easy to follow recipes.

My husband and I have been together for over ten years now.   When we first started dating I was making a pot of chicken noodle soup and he wanted to make the noodles his mom has made for years.   He got out her old cookbook and it just happened to be the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.   The noodles he made that day were delicious and he now currently makes all of the homemade noodles for our soup.  It’s neat that he has his moms early edition of the cookbook.  I have an edition from when I was in high school that my parents bought for me.   Now I have the 16th and newest edition to try out.

The 16th edition is awesome.  I had so much fun reading through the recipes and figuring out what I wanted to make.  The cookbook starts out with a section on cooking basics which is great for people who don’t often cook or have just started to cook for themselves.  Then the book is divided into sections according to categories like appetizers and drinks, cakes and frosting, cookies and bars, meats, salads and dressings, and more.   Each section is tabbed for easy reference.   On the first page of each section there is a list of the recipes in the section.

At the very back of the book there is an index of all of the recipes in the entire book.  There is also information on baking pan sizes, oven temperatures, and metric equivalents which is really handy to have around. One of the things I really like about this book is all of the color photos.   So many of the recipes have a photo attached to them of either the finished recipe or process photos.  It’s helpful and it helps to decide what I want to make.

I wanted to share a few of the recipes I can’t wait to try.   From the cookies and bars section I want to try the lemon bars, gingerbread people cutouts, cherry pie bites, and toffee almond shortbread.  In the holiday favorites section I can’t wait to make the perfect turkey gravy, autumn potato gratin, and old fashioned stuffing.   I also want to make Chicken Kiev, Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken, and Zesty Skillet Turkey from the poultry section.

I give this cookbook 4.5 out of 5 stars

The two recipes I’ve been able to try so far are the Popcorn Balls and the Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole.  I made the popcorn balls to take to school for Halloween.   The kids adored them.   I used Halloween colored candies and candy corn in the popcorn balls.   They were easy to make and the marshmallow “glue” that held them together was rather tasty.

Fun and Festive Popcorn Balls

Then last week I tried the Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole.   I’ve made other enchilada casseroles in the past but this one really stood out.   I don’t know if it was the delicious sour cream sauce or the beans and beef in the mix, but this casserole is definitely on my must make list.   It is layers of beans and beef with green chilies and chili powder, followed by a sour cream layer, and finished off with enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese.  It is totally delicious comfort food.

So we really liked both of the recipes I ended up making.   This is a great cookbook to have on hand because it has recipes for just about everything you might want to make.  It also makes a great wedding gift for a couple just starting out or for someone moving on their own for the first time.

Delicious beef and bean enchilada casserole

Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole (from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 16th edition)

8 oz. lean ground beef

1/2 c. chopped onion (1 medium)

1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers, undrained

1 t. chili powder

1/2 t. ground cumin

1 (8 oz) carton sour cram

2 T. all purpose flour

1/4 t. garlic powder

8 6-inch corn tortillas

1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Lightly grease a 2-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside.  In a large skillet cook beef and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain fat and discard.  Stir in pinto beans, chiles, chili powder, and cumin into meat mixture; set aside.

2.  In a small bow stir together sour cream, flour, and garlic powder until combined; set aside.

3.  Arrange half of the tortillas to cover bottom of prepared baking dish, overlapping to fit as necessary.  Top with half of the meat mixture, sour cream mixture, and enchilada sauce.   Repeat with remaining tortillas, meat mixture, sour cream mixture, and enchilada sauce.

4.  Cover with foil.  Bake about 30 minutes or until heated through.   Remove foil; sprinkle casserole with cheese and bake 5 minutes more or until cheese melts.

Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole

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