Ever "outgrow" a cookbook or magazine?

[Katie E]

I've always been an adventuresome cook. Began cooking when I was about 8-years-old.

For the last several years I've been cooking my way through my nearly 1,000 cookbooks. Been having a ball. As a result, we almost always have a new entree every night.

When it comes to cooking magazines, I subscribe to many. I cook from most of them and use all of them as reference materials for my writing.

I love reading recipes and picturing in my mind the end product. Instinctively I can tell if we'll like the dish after reading the recipe. Buck is clueless and feels as though he's reading an unfamiliar language.

Fortunately, we're all growing in our cooking skills and tastes. Isn't that great because there are so many wonderful things yet to enjoy?!

[Rob Babcock]

Geez, some of you have a zillion more bookbooks & mags than me! I've spend most of my adult life cooking professionally and have had jobs ranging from Sous Chef to Executive Chef in a few cities over the last fifteen years. I've got about 50 cookbooks, some of them textbooks. And I've relied on trade magazines & the internet as well. But when I'm not working I rarely get aventurous- it's mostly something simple & fast or something off the grill. Grilling out is the one time I'll go to a lot of work yet still not feel like I'm working, if you know what I mean.

That said I still love Cook's Illustrated.

[AllenOK]

I don't subscribed to any cooking mags at this time. I've read through a couple TOH, and yes, those are a little below my skill level, but, they could be handy for a "quick-fix" meal.

I'm currently going through a French cookbook, with lots of complicated Garde Manger preparations, like pate en croute, chaud-froid, galantine, etc., with some rather odd-ball thinks like the chaud-froid sauce, aspic, etc. I did some of that stuff in college, but never applied it in the business world.

I will get adventurous in my cooking, as I have to be to succeed at work. My Chef likes to throw Asian-themed specials at me, as well as other things, i.e. "We have some lamb we need to use. What can we do with it?"

I tend to get adventurous at home, as well, as I like to try new things, but, I have to be careful not to make it to "wierd", or the kids won't touch it.

[suziquzie]

Same problem. I can only go so far these days, my kids wont eat much as it is with "normal" food. My 4 yr old has just picked up the word disgusting.
I hate that word.

[LadyCook61]

For me , it is not so much outgrowing it is more of being bored with the same old things. I subscribe to Cooks Illustrated and Cooks Country, I like it because it has lots of features and no ads. I hate ads in magazines and those stupid inserts. First thing I do when I get a magazine it tear out all the inserts

[suziquzie]

Cuisine at Home is good too. I'll keep that one.

[crono760]

Since I'm still learning, I spend lots of time in cookbooks. But, I try not to read the recipes too literally. That way, even boring recipes become a challenge.

Still, I prefer Kraft Dinner (Macaroni and Cheese) over the homemade stuff.

If you're really looking for a challenge, try to have some fun making gourmet out of common meals. My favorites are Lobster Macaroni and Cheese (all homemade, of course), and Grilled Foccaccia with Roasted Red Peppers and Piave Cheese (instead of, of course, Grilled cheese :-P )