Cookbook Chronicles is an on-going series at The Bookery. Over the course of the next year, we’re exploring The Pioneer Woman’s (Ree Drummond) latest cookbook, The Essential Recipes , cooking one recipe a month and sharing our thoughts.  For a while, I pretty much gave up on making the perfect waffle at home. I like my waffles tender on the inside, but perfectly crisp on the outside — and every time I attempted to make them at home, the waffles turned out limp and lackluster.

A church potluck favorite, featuring broccoli, bacon and creamy dressing I personally love broccoli salad. I know broccoli can be polarizing — you either like it or you don’t and few people are ambivalent about this cruciferous vegetable. But for me, this salad was a favorite side dish at church potlucks when I was growing up.  This version features raisins (another polarizing ingredient!), sunflower seeds, onion and crispy fried and crumbled bacon. It takes a few steps and a

Four cookbooks (or books about cooking) we’re looking forward to in 2026 I love cookbooks, and I come by it honestly. My mom has a big collection of cookbooks, and when we go to antique shops together, we often find ourselves thumbing through cookbooks looking for old community or church cookbooks (where you’re sure to find some great recipes from excellent home cooks).  A lot of amazing cookbooks and books about cooking are coming out in the next few months, but here are a f

Looking for new recipes to liven up your dinner table? We’ve got five you should give a try! Figuring out what to make for dinner can be the hardest decision of the day sometimes. So, to help make the daily shuffle a little easier, we’re exploring a few new dinner ideas to add in to your weekly rotation.  Italian Chicken Gnocchi Soup As we begin the slow transition from winter to spring, there’s nothing better for dinner than a hearty bowl of soup. This recipe from Tieghan Ge

Five new lunch recipes to amp up your lunches this winter Ready to liven up your lunchtime menus? If you’re anything like me, you’re always on the lookout for healthy lunch options that are easy to whip up on a busy work-from-home day or transport well for those days in the office. Let’s explore a few new lunch ideas, starting with these.  Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa Bowl Mealime, a meal-planning app, is an old favorite for me, but this recipe has become a staple in my l

An easy fruit salad that’s a pretty addition to any table In my family, Christmas morning usually involves a brunch/late breakfast — and no matter what time we’re eating, fruit salad is usually on the table.  Honestly, though, even before my little branch of the family started doing Christmas morning brunches, we often gathered at my Aunt Carol’s house on or around Christmas to celebrate with my mom’s side of the family. And no matter when we were eating, fruit salad generall

We’re highlighting a few of our favorite pie recipes  Pies are definitely worth celebrating, so today, we’re highlighting a few of our favorite pie recipes. So, if you’re looking for a new recipe or a tried-and-true favorite, we’ve got a few suggestions for you!  Chocolate Chip Pie This pie is like a warm chocolate chip cookie in a crust. What’s not to like? It’s also super simple to make, especially if you use a store-bought pie shell. You simple mix together the ingredients

Cookbook Chronicles is an on-going series at The Bookery. Over the course of the next year, we’re exploring The Pioneer Woman’s (Ree Drummond) latest cookbook, The Essential Recipes , cooking one recipe a month and sharing our thoughts.  Ree Drummond released her latest cookbook late last year, so it seemed like a no-brainer for our 2026 Cookbook Chronicles pick. In The Essential Recipes, Ree goes back to many of the tried-and-true recipes she’s shared over the years, offerin

Explore a few new recipes to spice up your morning A new year is an invitation to try new things, and that extends to new recipes. Looking for ideas of how to liven up your breakfast routine or simply exploring new recipes? We’ve got a few for you to try.  Berry Cheesecake Overnight Oats With the current emphasis on eating more protein, overnight oat recipes are everywhere — and some of them just taste bad (in our opinion). Overnight oats can be a fantastic option for startin

We’ve had our first glorious taste of fall — a short precursor of highs in the 60s and 70s — even if the warm temperatures of early...

From cinnamon rolls to fried chicken and mac and cheese, we’ve got you covered when it comes to comfort foods! Our current seasonal theme...

This recipe takes a little time and effort but it’s all worth it in the end! Mandy's homemade sourdough cinnamon rolls My mom has made...

Lessons learned while making Ina Garten’s recipe for this hearty salad featuring arugula and farro  A few months ago, I discovered Ina...

Five ideas for easy weeknight dinners School is back in session, which means busyness is back. While summer may have been a little more...

I'm originally from Missouri, and we're very proud of our delicacies. Toasted ravioli? You're welcome. The waffle cone? Yep, that was us...

Telling your family’s story through the food you make, eat and love The beauty of a handwritten recipe isn’t always the dish—it’s the...

Breaking the rules of the Sunday Slow Bake process had mixed results for Bookery founder, Mandy Crow In all transparency, this was a...

Any easy, filling recipe that tastes like it took hours (but it didn’t!)  I’ve become a recent fan of a podcast called “ Food Friends ,”...

This recipe was light on actual baking, but the time away from screens rejuvenated my heart The longer I practice my Sunday Slow Bake...

Allowing your mind to wander gives you the time and space to deal with emotions you’d rather hide from. Sunday Slow Bake is one way I’m...