Today I have a Story, of Cook books

When I got married 15yrs ago, my Mother-in-law (H) and my Mom, (Mom), threw me a wedding shower. I've since learned that Wedding showers? Are not nearly this big in the rest of the world. The Hall was to fit 250 guests, if we used the truck bay, and the kitchen. We used it all! the Fire Trucks had to be parked out front. It was fun day, but this must be very much an island thing. There were prizes as nice and pretty as some of the gifts I received. There were guests and they were so generous and complimentary too. (Even with my extreme 90's Perm, thankfully this was pre digital photos)

One of the games at the shower was "bring in a recipe". The recipes were written, typed, pulled out of cook books and even scribbled onto receipts and grocery list, they had in their purses, while waiting to sign the guest book on the way into the hall. They would drop the recipe into the box and that was their entry for door prizes. I almost wrote my own recipe down! myself to get a prize, my sister in law made some pretty awesome wall hangings.  As the oldest of 5 children, I did, though, know how to cook. Mom and Dad worked, I would start supper while waiting for them to come home, or after I got home from work or univeristy myself. It was a busy time,but just the beginning of awesome. I didn't let my husband to be know I cooked or could cook well.  You know what happens when they learn you know how to do these things? You end up with the job.. that plan? yeah it didn't work out so well. I'm the main cook around here,it's dangerous the other way. Hubbie can now though cook a few things, when given directions.

Because my Hubbie-to-be's family thought I couldn't cook their shower gifts were Company's Coming Cookbooks. I received 12 cook books that day as Wedding Shower gifts, and I use every single one of them. The recipes in those books? Are everything a Canadian Girl needs to cook a meal for any occasion.  My mom was jealous of my gifts, she offered to keep them at her house until we got settled. I definitely packed them into the car first!

After the wedding and the bliss and a few boil overs (going from 7 people watching the pot to 2? takes practice) and some larger then necessary batches of food again I turned to those cook books. There were other cook books but really I can count on my thumb the one other book I used as much. It was a book of collected recipes because as you will notice, it's the dishes and recipes that are used the most by everyone that work the best.  Company's Coming does that too, it gives you the recipes to the foods you love with a simple and easy to find set of ingredients. The back covers say it all "Quick & Easy Recipes Everyday Ingredients"

In the last 15yrs, I've added to my collection, I call it a collection now. My kids love love love Pizza Dough from the Breads, Jean Pare I think this one was printed in 1997,(note sold out! of course, no wonder) it's stained, again a sign of a good Cook Book. I've even managed to turn this Pizza dough recipe into a bread machine recipe. Wet first, then go up the list and put the yeast on top away from the wet, and it works, every single time.   If you want to find more Company's Coming recipes and books and buy more books, they have a website, and news letter and Jean's Grand Daughter has a blog too about her cooking experiences.


I received nothing for this post, it came to me as I was reading Amanda Lovig Hagg's blog  cooking at home this past month. I did,though, let her know I wrote about her.  I thought you all might like to enjoy reading her blog too, and enjoy these recipes and cook books as much as I do.