• Details: "Cookbooks and More

Stock your pantry, get kitchen tools, herbs and spices, bulk grains, beans, and nuts, health food supplements, plus: Oils, cheeses; even gift baskets. Not to mention, great books for your kitchen and your life.
  

Herbs, Spices, Flavorings

• Allspice -Not really a blend of spices as the name suggests, but a unique little plant of its own. Traditionally, great in pumpkin pie and other holiday desserts, but also good on occasion in various veggie and meat dishes.

• Almond Extract -Pure and flavorful, for fine baking. 

• Basil -Great with tomatoes, classic in salads as part of an Italian-style dressing.
  

• Bay Leaf -This leaf works well added whole to soups; the long simmering brings out the flavor. We especially like it in our Tomato Basil Soup and Split Pea Soup.
  

• Black Caraway Seeds -Toast these and add to Cole Slaw, Carrot Soup (see my cookbook), and Borscht. Also classic in rye bread, and uniquely delicious in a quick bread with golden raisins.
  

• Cayenne Pepper -Turn up the heat with a little cayenne!
  

• Celery Seed -Seeds generally have an intensity of flavor, making herbs like this one ideal to add to soups. Good in dressings too; classic for slaws and pickled goods.
  

• Chile Powder -A pure blend free of extra additives like MSG.
  

• Chocolate Extract The "top note" flavors are often lost in chocolate processing, as for cocoa powder, but this extract delivers the extra chocolate flavor we crave!
  

• Cinnamon -Of course this is great in baked goods (apple pies, nut breads, rice pudding). A touch in meat dishes can be good too, as with ham, or jerk chicken.
  

• Cloves -Classic for gingerbread, with pear desserts, spiced fruits. Also good with in onion soups, bean soups, and tomato sauces.
  

• Coconut Oil -This is a great flavoring oil, adding tropical flavor to things like a Tropical Cream Cheese Dip, and Hawaiian Rice Medley.
  

• Cumin Seed, whole -The whole seeds are a favorite at the deli for adding to Black Bean Soup. We toast them first, which really brings out the flavor.
  

• Dill Weed -Yes, you can make homemade Ranch Dressing! We make our at the deli; this is one of the important herbs in that dressing, and in a Tomato Bisque Soup (see cookbook), and Carrot Soup.
  

• Dill Seed -Great in herb breads, in Borscht, with cabbage or potato dishes, with lamb.
  

• Fennel Seed, whole -We toast the fennel seed, adding it to our Tomato Bisque Soup (find recipe in cookbook). I also like it to season beef or pork(as in my Stuffed Mushroom recipe).
  

• Gumbo File -You can't find this everywhere, but it is good to have on hand for Seafood Gumbo (see cookbook for that one!). A unique but important seasoning, with thickening qualities as well; from powdered sassafras leaves.
  

• Herbes De Provence -Savory, rosemary, basil, marjoram and wild thyme typically comprise this traditional French herb blend. Great in stews, with meats, in vegetable dishes.
  

• Italian Seasoning -A favorite at our deli. It's part of the formula for Ranch Dressing, and we add it to soup as well.
  

• Nutmeg, Whole -Great on rice pudding, in custards. We use it in our creamy Potato Soup at The New Deli also. Use the whole nutmeg with the Nutmeg Grinder; you'll never want to go back to pre-ground nutmeg again!
  

• Oregano -Crucial for many dishes; we use it in our Italian Dressing (see cookbook), and in various other dishes. Great, of course, with tomatoes, on pizza and the like.
  

• Paprika -This is great to add appetizing color and appeal to many dishes (eggs, vegetables, meats). We use it at The New Deli, in our Red Lentil Soup. The red lentils actually don't have that much color to them; the paprika's what really colors the soup. Paprika also adds the subtle, sweet flavor of red peppers. I love making a Mexican Red Sauce with the paprika as the base instead of tomato.
  

• Peppercorn, Tellicherry -This is an excellent quality peppercorn; generally agreed to be the best for grinding.
  

• Peppercorn, White - For a nice change, try the white peppercorn, with a subtle wine flavor to it, and without the black husk typically found in peppercorns.
  

• Peppercorn, Green - The green peppercorn is picked before maturing, adding another dimension of flavor to dishes. Great with poultry, seafood, cheeses, veggies.

• Peppercorn, Pink -The pink peppercorn is not actually a peppercorn, but a berry. It still adds a bit of heat, and a touch of exciting color to sauces and other dishes.

• Poultry Seasoning -What a great blend of herbs; mix into flour for dredging chicken pieces in before cooking.

• Pumpkin Pie Spice -If you don't want to add a bit of this and that, get the blend!

• Rosemary -Wonderful with tomatoes, in soups, stews. Good with meats also.

• Saffron -An artisanal saffron with intense aroma, flavor, and coloring strength. Produced by a small family in La Mancha, Spain, focused on quality, not quantity. The best!

• Saffron Powder -Most exquisite, highest quality; convenient powder form.

• Saffron Powder -Most economical, easy-to-use powder.

• Sage, Whole Leaf -Classic for poutry; good with cheese dishes too. I love it in the Apple Sage Corn Bread recipe! Best flavor comes out from crushing the leaves up before use.

• Sage, Rubbed -As above, but easier to add to mixes. We add the rubbed sage to our meat loaf and to our vege-burger mix at The New Deli. And those are so popular!
  

• Sea Salt, Coarse -This is a good, all-purpose coarse salt for using in a grinder

• Sea Salt, Hawaiian Red -Coming from the more undeveloped regions off the island coast, containing extra minerals and the reddish color, its perfect for the connoisseur!
  

• Sea Salt, Smoked -Adding a touch of smoke flavor; use on top of prepared dishes, for omelets, meats, potatoes, and in salads.
  

• Tarragon -A crucial ingredient in our Italian dressing at The New Deli (see cookbook). It has a unique but delicate flavor; great in salads. I used in in a yummy Chicken Terrine as well.

• Vege-Sal -A unique blend of herbs, sea salt, and spices that packs plenty of flavor. Perfect in Ranch Dressing. Great on vegetarian dishes; good with poultry too.
  

• Vanilla, Extract -A very good quality Vanilla Extract, at a decent price.

• Vanilla, Extract -Excellent quality, pure Vanilla Extract. Don't be fooled by cheap imitations!

• Vanilla, Bean Paste -The Vanilla Bean Paste gives you the classic, "natural vanilla" look, lending tiny speckles of vanilla flavor to desserts; easier to use than the whole bean form.
  

• Vanilla, Whole Bean -The finest bakers love this whole, natural vanilla bean.

Bulk Beans, Grains, Nuts, Seeds

• Agar Agar -A vegan substitute for gelatin. Use in the Natural-style Jello Salad recipe, or in the Fresh Fruit Tart recipe. The agar (derived from seaweed), needs to be boiled to completely dissolve, but a good feature is: It holds up under heat, and won't melt on those hot, sunny days. (Gelatin can't make the same boast).
  

• Almonds, Slivered, Blanched -Ready to use in rice salads, desserts.
  

• Almonds, Sliced, Natural -Add extra appeal by adding these to the sides of cakes.
  

• Almonds, Whole -A good whole food to process finely, adding to baked goods, or to blanch for almond paste. Great, healthy snack too!

• Apricots, Turkish, Dried -I add these to my Turkish Pilaf recipe (see cookbook). Another personal favorite: Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas). My vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves recipe is also in the cookbook!
  

• Barley, Hulled -A good, whole grain food to "beef" up soups. Barley holds up well to long simmering. Check out my Barley Mushroom Soup recipe.

• Black Beans -A personal favorite of mine: Black Bean Soup. Freeze portions and have a quick meal ready in a flash!

• Black Beluga Lentils -I used these for a Sante Fe Salad. There are many versions of the Sante Fe Salad (a cold corn/bean salad with various herbs and seasonings), but these black lentils are particularly nice in it; quicker to cook up too.

• Bulgar Wheat -Perfect for Tabbouleh. Just soak a few minutes in water, and you're almost there.
  

• Cashews, Raw -Whole foods like cashews are great to have on hand. Soaked overnight in water, they can be blended into a delicious cashew milk. Add the cashew milk to smoothies, cereals, even sauces. Toast the whole cashews and top off an Eastern-style dish with them. So good for you too!

• Corn Flour, Yellow -I love this whole food flour. Not degerminated like most grocery store brands. This makes a healthy Corn Bread (plus variations, like with Pear, or Apple/Sage).

• Corn Flour, Blue -Just for fun, you can make your favorite corn bread recipes with this.  I loved using this blue corn flour as part of the flour in my Blueberry Muffin recipe. Talk about Blue Food!

• Dates, Medjool -Looking for a good date? This is it! A great whole food ingredient to add to nut breads and other desserts.

• Date Sugar -Add healthy sweetness to baked goods. Full of nutrition, fiber. A good quality product.
  

• Figs, Calmyrna -I add these to my Turkish Pilaf recipe. (Find recipe in cookbook.)

• Garbanzo Beans -Great to stock in your pantry. Cook up to add to green salads (just portion extra serving sizes for the freezer), or make a batch of Hummus. Yumm.
  

• Grape Leaves -Perfect for that wonderful Greek appetizer, Dolmas. Get the recipe for vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves in my cookbook!

• Great Northern Beans -We make a simple White Bean Tomato Soup at The New Deli (recipe in that cookbook), but it's basically just the cooked white beans (drained after cooking), some canned tomatoes, some fresh rosemary, sage, pepper, and salt, and that's about it.Easy but good.
  

• Green Split Peas -Make an easy Split Pea Soup recipe with these!

• Kidney Beans -Perfect for Chili.
  

• Macadamia Nuts -A good, whole food; full of essential oils
  

• Macadamias, Roasted, Unsalted -One of my favorite ingredients in Hawaiian Rice Medley!
  

• Mango, Dried -I love adding this to the Hawaiian Rice Medley. Adds texture, sweetness, and flavor
  

• Maple Sugar -Great for baking.

• Millet -A whole grain with plenty of nutrients; a great change of pace with our wheaty Western diet. I love making Oatmeal Millet Cookies with this. Great in nut bread and muffins too.
  

• Navy Beans -Great in soup. We cook 'em up at The New Deli, drain the cooking water off (less digestive upsets that way); we then add some tomatoes, sage, rosemary, black pepper, salt, and a touch of olive oil. Easy and good.

• Oats, Rolled, Old-Fashioned -An economical, healthy whole food for breakfast.
  

• Oats, Rolled, Quick -For a quick breakfast; also good, of course, in Oatmeal Millet Cookies.

• Pears, Dried -These add a different, chewy texture that goes well in green salads; toss in with a few nuts. Also add to muffins, nut breads. Handy when pears aren't in season.

• Pecans -A great nut!

• Pineapple, Dried -I've substituted this for dried mango in the Hawaiian Rice Medley.

• Pine Nuts -Add these to pasta dishes and salads. Good toasted or au natural. 

• Pinto Beans -A good, basic bean. Perfect for your classic "refried" beans.
  

• Pistachios, Shelled, Raw -Add a natural pistachio flavor to Chocolate Cake with Pistachios; add a nice, decorative touch by sprinkling, finely chopped, on sides of cake.
  

• Pumpkin Seeds -A good, whole food; great toasted. Add to salads, cereals, trail mix.
  

• Raisins, Golden -I use these in a Turkish Pilaf (see the cookbook). Also good in various nut bread recipes.
  

• Raisins, Thompson -Good way to get extra, organic nutrition.
  

• Red Lentils -We love our Red Lentil Soup!
  

• Rice, Aborio -Perfect for that Italian dish, Risotto. The high starch content of these rounded grains makes them firm and creamy. Ah, what comfort food.
  

• Rice, Basmati Brown -Basmati means "the fragrant one" in Hindi; indicitive of this delicate, aromatic rice's character.
  

• Rice, Green Bamboo (Jade) -I love this rice; such a beautiful color. We eat a lot of brown rice, so it's nice to have a whole grain rice with a different color. It can get quite pricey at some health food stores; I was glad to find this source.
  

• Rice, Himalayan Red -Good, nutty flavor. Nice for a change of pace!

• Rice, Long-grain Brown -A classic, all-purpose brown rice. Cooks slightly drier than short-grain.

• Rice, Purple Sticky -Also known as Thai Black Sticky Rice. I love adding some sweetener and coconut cream after cooking it up, and eating for dessert. Good for you too!

• Rice, Wehani Brown -A deep, reddish color after cooking; some would say it has a buttery, peanut-like flavor, nutty and good.

• Rice, White Jasmine -Some describe this as having a slightly flowery aroma; I've noticed a wonderful, distinct popcorn scent myself. Good stuff.
  

• Rice, Wild -Perfect for the Wild Rice Salad.

• Sesame Seeds, Brown -A nourishing whole food; toast to bring out flavor.
  

• Sesame Seeds, White -Great for garnishing dishes. Make tahini with these if you have a peanutbutter-type grinder.

• Sunflower Seeds -Add texture and nutrition with these seeds.
  

• Tahini -Handy for making some of those Mideastern/Greek dishes (Hummus, Moussaka, Baba Ghanoush).
  

• Walnuts -Good for baking; we add some to the Wild Rice Salad.

• Wheat, Soft White Berries -Perfect if you have a flour Grain Mill; for breads, even cookies.

Pastas, Oils, Cheese, Etc.

• Balsamic Vinegar -This wonderful, naturally sweet and rich vinegar has been aged 20 years. Deluxe.
  

• Coconut Oil -1 qt. size. Extra Virgin, Organic, Raw
  

• Coconut Oil -Garden of Life, 16 oz., a quality product, voted #1 in Coconut oils on Amazon. Try it in the Hawaiian Rice Medley, or to flavor Cream Cheese Dip.
  

• Olive Oil -This extra-virgin olive oil is of highest quality. Excellent for salads.

• Pasta, Five-Pack Variety -An assortment that's good to have on hand
  

• Parmigiano Reggiano -For those who want the authentic stuff; this cheese is great.
  

• Pasta, Fusilli -Amazon customers rate this as the #1 Fusilli. For good reason. We used this for years at The New Deli (until our supplier couldn't get it anymore). We used it in making our Pasta Parmesan. With the spaghetti-length, tiny corkscrew shape, with a little hole through the middle, it's just... the best "chew". How else can I describe it? It's great...
  

• Pine Nuts -Add these to pasta dishes and salads. Good toasted or au natural.
  

• Sesame Oil -Full of flavor, for adding a bit of Eastern seasoning
  

• Soba Noodles -This is a Japanese Buckwheat Noodle; great for making "Sesame Noodles"! 

• Soba Noodles -As above, but cheaper version in bulk packaging

• Tomatoes, Sun-dried -This ingredient is more economical than prepared Sun-dried Tomatoes in Oil. This bulk item is ready for steeping in olive oil; great for pasta dishes.
  

• Truffle Oil, White -This adds an ethereal taste and aroma to tomato-based salads and sauces, over cheeses, on grilled meats. Add as a finishing oil, not for cooking.

 

Baking Supplies

• Almond Extract -Pure and flavorful, for fine baking. 

• Almonds, Slivered, Blanched -Ready to use in rice salads, desserts.

• Almonds, Sliced, Natural -Add extra appeal by adding these to the sides of cakes.

• Baking Pans, Fluted Tart Pan -With removable bottom; perfect for fruit tarts (and my favorite: Custard Pear Tart).
  

• Baking Pans, Half Sheet Cake Size -Heavy-duty, cake pan, for baking that next big occasion cake. Handy for graduation cakes, shower cakes, big birthdays- you name it!

• Baking Pans, Wilton's Angel Food Pan -10", for making the ultimate, home-made angel food cake.

• Cake Decorating, Wilton Icing Colors -Go beyond those basic primary colors; decorate your next cake with more frosting color options.

• Cake Decorating, Wilton Course 1 Student Kit -For all your frosting equipment needs.

• Chocolate Extract -The "top note" flavors are often lost in chocolate processing, as for cocoa powder, but this extract delivers the extra chocolate flavor we crave!

• Cocoa Powder -Add chocolate flavor; good for non-fat desserts too.
  

• Coconut, Medium-cut -A great topping, toasted, for Hawaiian Rice Medley, ice cream sundaes, other desserts. Healthy, unsweetened, natural, adding flavor and texture. 
  

• Fruit Concentrate, Blood Orange -Lends a rich, deep orange-red color and citrus flavor to various desserts and savory sauces; 300% stronger than fresh juices.
  

• Fruit Concentrate, Key Lime -The Key lime has a "complex acidic flavor and aroma"; great for sorbets, and the classic Key Lime Pie.
  

• Fruit Concentrate, Passion Fruit -A touch of this added to sauce is great on shellfish. Wonderful in sorbets and other desserts too.
  

• Fruit Concentrate, Pomegranate -250% stronger than fresh juice makes this an economical way to purchase pomegranite juice. So good for health; so tasty!

• Fruit Concentrate, Red Raspberry Puree -A great, natural way to add intense, raspberry flavor to desserts. Perfect in syrup for sponge cake recipes.
  

• Pecans -Halves; great for baking, adding to salads, rice dishes
  

• Pecans, Pieces -Handy for baked goods, salads.
  

• Pistachios, Shelled, Raw -Add a natural pistachio flavor to Chocolate Cake with Pistachios; add a nice, decorative touch by sprinkling, finely chopped, on sides of cake.
  

• Macadamias, Roasted, Unsalted -One of my favorite ingredients in Hawaiian Rice Medley!
  

• Macadamia Nuts -8 oz., natural, from Barry Farms
  

• Maple Syrup, Pure -1 quart size, from Barry Farms

• Maple Sugar -Make those baked goods extra healthy and flavorful using a bit of maple sugar in place of that refined sugar.

• Maple Syrup -64 oz., large size but great price for an organic, non-GE, pure maple syrup.

• Rose Water -Rose Water adds a delicate flavor to fancy cakes...

• Rose Extract -The smallest amount of Rose Extract will add an inimitable flavor for icings, florets, and wedding cakes...

• Vanilla, Extract -A very good quality Vanilla Extract, at a decent price.

• Vanilla, Extract -Excellent quality, pure Vanilla Extract. Don't be fooled by cheap imitations!

• Vanilla, Bean Paste -The Vanilla Bean Paste gives you the classic, "natural vanilla" look, lending tiny speckles of vanilla flavor to desserts; easier to use than the whole bean form.

• Vanilla, Whole Bean -The finest bakers love this whole, natural vanilla bean

• Walnuts, Black -These hard-to-find nuts add a unique flavor to baked goods; not your ordinary walnut!
  

• Walnuts, English -A handy staple for many baking projects. A great addition in Wild Rice Salad, and Chicken Stuffed with Wild Rice.
  

Health Foods, Super Foods

• Acai Freeze-Dried Fruit Powder -Touted as quite the super fruit, Acai is indeed loaded with antioxidants, with an extremely high ORAC level. Translation: Superior nutrition in a depleted world. I mix some of this in with my green drink every morning. No, it's not the tastiest, but when I start out like that, my culinary experiences throughout the day can only improve, right? And I've already ingested more than a day's worth of nutrition in my morning drink, so I'm good to go. Even good to splurge once in awhile! The freeze-dried, unsweetened Acai fruit powder makes sense financially too. I'm paying for a concentrated product, not one that's diluted with tap water and additional low-cost juice sweeteners.
  

• Alfalfa Seeds -If you thought you didn't like sprouts, maybe you never had them fresh! Here's a source for the seeds, and a Seed Sprouter can be found in the "Kitchen Tools" section. Home-grown sprouts are the perfect project for the mini-gardener in us all!
  

• Cacao Nibs, Raw -Here's a great news flash: Chocolate can have nearly twice the antioxidant content of red wine and up to three times that of green tea- Yes! But really, if it's hyper-nutrition you're after, you'll do even better munching on these raw cacao nibs. No extra sugar; just all natural. If that's too hard-core for you, you can add 'em to ice cream and still get a little nutritional boost. I made some Coconut Bark that even the scoffers were chowing on, and it was loaded with the raw nibs. Good stuff.
  

• Flax Seeds -If you're hoping to get a few healthy omega-3 oils, check out this source. Perfect for vegetarians that aren't eating Salmon. This is a potent source for the kind of oils we need to keep our cholesterol down. But do get the whole seeds, as the ground flax seed goes rancid so easily. (Not doing yourself any favors ingesting that). All you need for fresh-ground flax seeds is a bag of the seeds, and a little Coffee and Flax Seed Grinder. I use the ground seeds in the family's pancakes, oatmeal, and in my morning drink.
  

• Perfect Food -Maybe this whole food dietary supplement is perfect! It mixes easily into water, for a quick, on-the-go breakfast that seems to supply me with an almost endless supply of energy. Keeps my iron levels up too (I'd always been anemic). Garden of Life is a great company, producing a whole food supplement for high octane energy.
  

• Perfect Food, Berry-Flavored -Perhaps a more palatable version of the above, with extra health from the berries.
  

• Pomegranite Juice Concentrate -An economical way to get this healthy juice in a concentrated form. Full of antioxidants!
  

• Pumpkin Seeds -A good, whole food containing healthy oils; especially nourishing for men.
  

• Radical Fruits -Another product from Garden of Life, organic and loaded with mega-nutrients from high-octane fruits, in an easy-to-take pill form.
  

• Red Beet Powder -This was the solution for me when my anemia was out of control. "Perfect Food" also works to supply assimilable iron (in a form that can actually be absorbed).
  

• Vitamineral Green -No joke; this puts Pop-Eye's spinach to shame! Loaded with mega-nutrients from the most potent natural food sources. That's N-A-T-U-R-A-L, not synthetic, not man-made, but a whole-food supplement for super-health! I call it my "Green Goo Routine": A 16oz. glass of this mixed with water gets me off to a great start. Hard to say which I like better, this or "Perfect Food". So I switch off... 

Gift Packages

• "Soup's On" by Wine Country Gift Baskets -This is a thoughtful, reasonably priced gift basket at $24.95; three popular soup mixes, two ceramic soup bowls, oyster crackers and corn bread make this one of the best sellers in Amazon's Gourmet Gift category.

• Classic Italian Gift Basket by IGourmet -A quality gift at $79.99, including imported Italian cheeses (including Pecorino and Gorgonzola), olive oil, balsamic vinegar, black olives, and more; beautifully packaged in a dark-stained planter.

• Pasta Basket- Classic, by IGourmet -Packaged in a stainless steel colander, with two imported pastas, pasta sauce, pesto, and a pound of a favorite Italian grating cheese. $49.99 

• Five-Pasta Gift Box Assortment -Including Spinach Basil Garlic Fettucini, Wild Mushroom Linguini, and Italian Spice Linguini, from Rossi Pasta; $33.95 

• English Cheese Assortment by IGourmet -England produces some quality cheeses; they're known for their dairy farming. Included in this assortment: Sage Derby, Coombe Farm Cheddar, Crumbly Lancashire and Royal Blue Stilton. 2 lb. for $32.99.
  

• Favorite Cheese Sampler by IGourmet -With Mountain Gorgonzola, Farmer Gouda, Swiss Gruyere, and Shelbourne Farms Cheddar; 2 lb. for $30.99.

• Italian Cheese Sampler by IGourmet -Another country known for producing classic, quality cheeses, this sampler includes has some Italian favorites, like Gorgonzola and Pecorino;2 lb. for $32.99.
  

• Italian Cheese Sampler in Gift Box, by IGourmet -As above, but packed attractively in handsome gift box; a popular item in the Gift Cheeses category at Amazon. $42.99 for 2 lb.

• Organic Fruits and Nuts by GotFruit.com -Another top seller in the Gourmet Gifts/Fruits and Nuts category at Amazon. Includes organic chocolate-covered bing cherries, pistachios, apples, pears. $37.95.

• Organic Nut Harvest Basket by GotFruit.com -An assortment of organic nuts, plus trail mix and butter toffee nuts, for $44.95.

• Smoked Copper River Sockeye Salmon Gift Package - Ideal for corporate gift-giving! 8 oz./$25.95.

 

Kitchen Tools

• Baking Pan, Fluted Tart Pan -With a removeable bottom. I recommend the 11" tart pan; this is just what you need for making an excellent Fresh Fruit Tart (or the Custard Pear Tart). This is an aluminum pan, which means it needs to be thouroughly dried after washing, to prevent rust. But the price is right!
  

• Baking Pan, Wilton Angel Food Cake Pan -Standard 10" pan, perfect for making that Angel Food Cake with Strawberries!
  

• Blender and Food Processor, the "Cuisinart Duet" -Back in the day, you had to invest in a rather expensive food processor, and still get a blender too. I love the duel-feature here, of having two great machines in one. Saves space too. I love it.
  

• Bottle, for Olive Oil -The attractive ceramic bottle is ideal for storing olive oil, as olive oil keeps better out of direct light. Another feature: Oil is much easier to dispense with in this bottle; the bottle pourer allows a drizzling of oil, as opposed to the big chug... 
  

• Bottle Pourer -Eventually, I need extra pourers. I add these special tops to other bottles that I use regularly too. Great for vinegars, soy sauce, and of course, olive oil.
  

• Coffee and Flax Seed Grinder -This little gadget is no huge investment, but is perhaps the "poor man's grinder". I love my mom's KitchenAid Grain Mill Attachment, but meanwhile, I use my Flax Seed Grinder for my morning flax. Also works to grind oatmeal into oat flour, and for poppy seeds. I still remember a poppy seed pastry from my youth... Call me if you make it!

• Electric Tea Pot -Stainless Steel 1.5 liter warms up the water, but with an automatic shut-off. No more over-boiling on the stove!

• Electric Tea Pot -Economy size. One quart, electric tea pot at budget price.
  

• Flax Seed (and Coffee) Grinder -(See Coffee Grinder, above)
  

• Food Processor and Blender, the "Cuisinart Duet" -Back in the day, you had to invest in a rather expensive food processor, and still get a blender too. I love the duel-feature here, of having two great machines in one. Saves space too. I love it.

• Iron Skillet -This 12" pre-seasoned iron pan is indispensible in my kitchen. I love the clean-up: There hardly is any! I've used stainless steel pans for grilling, but they inevitably get cooked-on, golden brown spots on them- so hard to scrub off! Plus, the iron pan is such a good, heavy pan, evenly distributing heat, and holding it in.
  

• KitchenAid Grain Mill Attachment -My mom grinds her own wheat for her homemade breads. She's the real Martha Stewart of our family! I used to grind my own flour in an old grinder; alas the grinder finally broke. Hence, my recommendation of the KitchenAid Grain Mill!
  

• Mixer, Self-Standing Model by KitchenAid -If you plan to bake many desserts, get a KitchenAid Mixer. It's the only way.
  

• Mixer, Self-Standing, Factory-Reconditioned -OK, there's another way to have the best (or almost best). This Factory-Reconditioned model still beats out your average mixer by far.
  

• Mortar and Pestle Set -This porcelin set is attractive and practical. The fragrance of freshly crushed cloves, toasted fennel seeds, and other herbs says it all.
  

• Nutmeg Grinder -There's nothing like fresh-grated nutmeg, and this is the grinder to do it. I love it! I can never go back to the little bottle of old, ground nutmeg again. If you've tried fresh-ground, you know what I mean. I use the nutmeg in custards and cream sauces (like, check out the Creamy Potato Soup recipe). When the family's lucky, I use it on an awesome Rice Pudding also. Yum.
  

• Presto 6-qt. Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker -I love the economy of the pressure cooker: It saves so much time! I even cook some of my soups on low pressure for a few minutes in my pressure cooker; they cook up quickly, and I hardly need to watch over and stir them. Plus, the pressure cooker's great for making chicken stock. It keeps all the flavors in, and cooks in a fraction of the time. I prefer this stainless steel model; it only costs a bit more than aluminum, but it's more durable, cleanable, and won't leach any aluminum into any foods.

• Salt/Pepper Grinders -This company knows how to make grinders. There are plenty of bad designs out there, but that's not the case here. You'll love the life-time performance you'll get out of these.

• Scoop, For Cookie Dough or Ice Cream -We use our cookie scoop at The New Deli all the time. Of course, we sure do make a lot of cookies... But it's still a handy tool, even for the home cook.
  

• Spice Rack/Organizer -Of all the ways to store and organize herbs and spices, this one has most beat.

• Sprouter by Sprout Master -I wouldn't recommend some of the sprouters out there, but I do love this one. We used this kind of sprouter in the old days at The New Deli. We made so many sprouts, we could've sodded a lawn! (Ha...) It wasn't convenient to keep doing them in such quantity, but I still think this sprouter's great for home-grown sprouts.
  

• Stainless Steel Sauce Pan -This 1/5-quart sauce pan by Lifetime Brands has a good, heavy bottom; an aluminum core stainless steel bottom that conducts heat evenly and helps keep things from scorching easily. Comes with a glass lid too. This is the kind of sauce pan to get! The teflon and non-stick coatings on some pans win no points with me. My daughter-in-law's only been married 5 years, and says the coating's already coming off...
  

• Soup Pot, Stainless Steel -This 3-quart pot is handy in the kitchen. The Stainless Steel cleans up well, lasts indefinitely, and doesn't leach aluminum or non-stick coating particles off into the food! I still recommend the heavy-bottomed sauce pan for some of the cooking, but for boiling pasta, heating soup up, and the like, this does the job. 
  

• Soup Pot Stainless Steel -This 4-quart pot is ditto the above. A good size if you make bigger quantities.
  

• Torch, Professional Cook's -I love this tool The broiler works OK, but doesn't quite compare to this for caramelizing sugar, as for Creme Brulee. Even for melting cheese on top of French Onion Soup. Perfect when making the Custard Pear Tart.
  

Cookbooks and More

Cookbooks:

• Betty Crocker Cookbook, Ring-bound Edition -"How to Cook Everything", in this 10th edition, practical version of a classic. The ring-bound edition is especially convenient in the kitchen.

• Betty Crocker Cookbook -Paperback; slightly cheaper version. Good to have on hand as a reference. Much basic cooking info can be found here.

• Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook -Also ring-bound. This is for the "retro-chef" who gets a kick out of the charm of the 1950s kitchen. Food fads come and go, but home-made never goes out of style.

• Entertaining -Martha Stewart shows us entertaining in full style, with 500 full-color, inspiring photographs, 300 recipes, and lots of innovative ideas. The book shows you how to present appetizing foods, with menus for wedding receptions, afternoon teas, Christmas dessert buffets, and more. I've found many great recipes in this book.

• From the Land of Milk and Honey -The cookbook/devotional by Jennifer Cote (me). Yes, buy my book as a gift, and share scripture with a friend who likes to cook! Or, get the book for yourself, and get great recipes, plus the reinforcement of the favorite Bible verses and commentary. 

Weight Loss Books:

• Thin Within -By Judy and Arthur Halliday, combining religion and weight loss. The journey is a spiritual one! Calorie counting and avoiding sweets aren't all that successful, but following the "Keys to Conscious Living" offers tools to combat emotional eating.

• The Hallelujah Diet -By George Malkmus. Big on raw foods, living and organic (plus exercise, good water, and rest), this is a somewhat radical approach that's perfect for vegetarians. It's true: Nourishing the body with nutritious foods reduces cravings for junk foods!
  

• The Maker's Diet -Paperback, by Jordan Rubin. This guy's been through the ringer, to near death at physical and financial expense. He's pretty hard-core, recommending organically grown foods, avoiding chlorinated water. He has a unique, holistic, faith-based approach (a little whacky at times); ultimately a very helpful resource.

Spiritual Books:

• Holy Bible -Contemporary English Version; A great version of the Bible, laying out the Word in easily understood language.

• Purpose Driven Life -By Rick Warren. About purposeful devotion to a Christian God. Excellent resource for devout Christians, for discerning and living five God-ordained purposes: Worship, community, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism.

• My Utmost for His Highest -By Oswald Chambers. A great devotional- I love this guy! Some say he's pretty deep, but this Today's Language 2008 edition makes for easier reading. Oswald Chambers helps us to transcend worldly cares and self-serving desires, transforming the mind with 365 daily devotions.

• The Faith: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters -By Charles W. Colson and Harold Fickett. A challenge for Christians to rediscover traditional faith, to renew the surrounding culture, to rethink how we live our faith. With inspirational stories as well, we might be challenged by this book to embrace our churches, to recharge our spiritual batteries. Chuck Colson's a fine author- I love this book.

• How Now Shall We Live? -Another book by Charles W. Colson, with Harold Fickett and Nancy Pearcey. Noting how culture is often morally indifferent, with Christian values often mocked, seeing how a faith-based world view doesn't prevail, the authors tackle the question of how we regain respect and reinstate a prevailing belief in God and His moral order.

• The Good Life -Again, by Charles W. Colson, and Harold Fickett. This well-researched book builds on Chuck Colson's lifetime of learning and experience. He contrasts the lives of those with careers driven by self-motivation with those of others given to a life of service (even suffering), noting how the first way often leads to disillusionment, while the latter is a satisfying life, regardless of material gain. The authors help us with our perspective, that's often skewed in our society into focusing on the wrong things.

• Mere Christianity -By C.S. Lewis. This is a classic book, read by many. The author eloquently employs logical arguments to challenge our intellect.

• The Chronicles of Narnia -By C.S. Lewis; children's reading for people of all ages. With epic battles between good and evil, this book set speaks truth into our lives in an exciting way. With illustrations by Pauline Baynes. A beautiful collection!