My inlaws started the tradition of giving me the Southern Living Cookbook every year for Christmas since 1984. I can honestly say that that's how I learned how to cook.
Well, they gave me the 2009 edition this year. It's really not at all like it used to be. So many of the recipes now start with a mix of some sort . . . to me it's a sin that a southern cookbook's Red Velvet Cake recipe would start with a DH mix!!
The one that really made me laugh, though, was that there's actually a recipe for Root Beer Floats. "Take a 12-oz can of root beer and pour it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a glass." I'm not kidding!!!
In an age where teenagers can't figure out the popcorn in the microwave is done when you can't hear it popping anymore, so they have to know EXACTLY how minutes AND SECONDS to set the microwave on, I'm not surprised.
When my son was little (like 6 or 7) he was SHOCKED to learn the pioneer mothers made pie crust (gasp!) by HAND because the crust-in-the-red-box hadn't been invented yet! 
That is really sad. I would have never thought a cookbook like Southern Living Cooking would dumb itself down so much. Hmmm, I think I'll compare my '60's Fanny Farmer to todays addition. I wonder how much The Joy of Cooking has changed. 
The saddest part about it is unless we pass down our family recipes future generations won't know what it is to make anything without a mix of some sort.
I guess that's why my daughers MADE me sorta kinda start measuring some stuff out and write "the family cookbook". 
It was hard! Like when I make my chili, I put chili powder in until it covers the entire surface of the liquid in the pan (and it has to be a certain pan or the chili powder ratio is off! ) So I had to measure 1/4 cup of chili powder ..... put that in. Nope, not enough. Measure anothe 1/4 cup ... nope, need more. Big sigh!
It was hard! Like when I make my chili, I put chili powder in until it covers the entire surface of the liquid in the pan (and it has to be a certain pan or the chili powder ratio is off!
) So I had to measure 1/4 cup of chili powder ..... put that in. Nope, not enough. Measure anothe 1/4 cup ... nope, need more. Big sigh!
I bet anything that even though they'll measure it all out, it still won't taste like you made it 
I bet anything that even though they'll measure it all out, it still won't taste like you made it
Daughter says her husband is the only one who can "make meatloaf like mom." Son in law says, "That's probably because I'm the only one who knows what "add a sh*tload of ketchup" means!"
I noticed that about cookbooks too lately. I love cooking from scratch so a lot of the cookbooks now just don't suit me. However, I guess for those with limited time or ability a lot of the newer books suite them better. I'm wanting to advance more in my scratch cooking and baking so I'm going to older cookbooks now.
My favorite cookbooks in my collection are the ones I've bought from churches and organizations who put a book together as a fundraiser. Some of the recipes aren't written "properly", but I've gotten a lot of my favorites from these kinds of books!
I'll put my faith in a recipe from a little old gray haired church lady anyday!!
mkolmar, I'm with you in that when I go to a cookbook it's because I want to do something new and different. If I wanted to make everything starting from a mix, I don't need a recipe to do that .... I grew up doing that.
I haven't bought a cookbook in a while. I'm going to see what I find. My DH got me Mastering the Art of French Cooking and it is definetly not filled with "instant" shortcuts. I'm defeintly not a hamburger helper type pf cook. A lot of, but not all, of the instant foods taste a little on the salty side for me.
Daughter says her husband is the only one who can "make meatloaf like mom." Son in law says, "That's probably because I'm the only one who knows what "add a sh*tload of ketchup" means!"
LOLOLOL! Yep 
I am with you Indy - I have a HUGE collection of those cookbooks. You can definately tell there are favorites in there too by the worn covers. I have a standing rule with my friends, whenever they travel, if they see one - BUY it for me. (I have one from Hawaii too!) My most prized one was from the church I attended as a youngster - it is about 30 years old now.
Love the church cookbooks. Have 2 of them I use and love. I donated over 30 cookbooks a few months ago. I still have a lot of them I need to go through. I won't get rid of a few of them though. People will have to wait till I kick the bucket to get them. I have one that only a few people have that was given to me. It's a compile of recipes from the workers of Nasa (down in TX). My DH's cousin works for them so he brought me a copy.
LaBellaFlor - That was the cookbook my mom was going to get for me (at least she acted like she was - and I do want it). I knew I didn't get it when the weight of the gift bag was too light . Hope you enjoy it.
LOL! I was totally surprised. I've been wanting this book since I was a little girl!
One the luckiest finds ever. Sam's club for cookbooks. LOLOL. They have these books for like 6 bucks. I just got another one the other day 400 sauces. They give both weights, and cups for a recipe. I also have a couple more of these.
Don't ever buy a book that has a food network personality on it. Now the FN chefs books are a lil different.
LB Flora, A few months back I got a copy of my Great, Great, Grandmothers Fannie Farmer book
Mike
The saddest part about it is unless we pass down our family recipes future generations won't know what it is to make anything without a mix of some sort.
We wonder why there's an obesity problem in this country
My husband volunteers at our local food pantry where the clients are allowed to, more or less, "shop" for what they want. It always amazes him that people pass up the really good, expensive stuff like fresh produce, bottles of real vanilla, etc. and just take all boxed mixes and canned stuff. They always tell him that they wouldn't know what to do with the other items.
The saddest part about it is unless we pass down our family recipes future generations won't know what it is to make anything without a mix of some sort.
We wonder why there's an obesity problem in this country
My husband volunteers at our local food pantry where the clients are allowed to, more or less, "shop" for what they want. It always amazes him that people pass up the really good, expensive stuff like fresh produce, bottles of real vanilla, etc. and just take all boxed mixes and canned stuff. They always tell him that they wouldn't know what to do with the other items.
Wow....that doesn't surprise me though!
Christmas Eve I made a large casserole of Scalloped Potatoes (with real potatoes and cream sauce)...one of my adult nieces asked me "which instant mix I used because it didn't taste anything like the one she uses" When I told her it wasn't a mix she said "you peeled ALL of those potatoes?"
In an age where teenagers can't figure out the popcorn in the microwave is done when you can't hear it popping anymore, so they have to know EXACTLY how minutes AND SECONDS to set the microwave on, I'm not surprised.
OMG.... this is my teenagers exactly!!! I can't tell you how many times per week we have a conversation where they ask me how long to microwave something. Every. Single. Time. I tell them what to start with, and then to check it and if it's not warm enough to go another 30-60 seconds.
A. Million. Freakin. Times. We have had the same conversation. I explain it almost daily. They cannot grasp the concept of there not being an exact time for every dish possible.
I used to buy them Hot Pockets or other frozen stuff to eat during the summer. They would constantly complain telling me that they "don't work" and "won't get hot" in the microwave.
I got so tired of explaining that it is not possible for something to stay frozen in the microwave. Yes, you might need to cook it for a minute or so longer than the package says.... but it WILL get warm eventually.
They just cannot comprehend (and I swear they really are not stupid kids...). To them, if you cook it the time stated on the box and it isn't the perfect temperature, you just throw it out, along with every other box like it in the freezer, because it "doesn't work".
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My husband is always one extreme or the other. He either takes the time on the package or in the recipe as gospel and sets the timer and never checks on it, OR he's opening the oven checking it every minute and wondering why it never gets done (and yes, our oven does have a window and a light, LOL).
I will admit he is much better at microwaving popcorn than I am; I almost always burn it, at least a little. But any real cooking, he's totally helpless!
[quote="jodibug0975
They just cannot comprehend (and I swear they really are not stupid kids...). To them, if you cook it the time stated on the box and it isn't the perfect temperature, you just throw it out, along with every other box like it in the freezer, because it "doesn't work".
[/rant][/quote]
Hell, it's society as a whole. How many times have you seen right here on CC. My cake burnt/raw I baked it the time it called for.
Mike
Hell, it's society as a whole. How many times have you seen right here on CC. My cake burnt/raw I baked it the time it called for.
Mike
I swear I want to sue Dr. Phil for stealing my phrase of "How THAT'S workin' for ya?" 
When my kids ask me how long to cook something I always say "until it's done". It really makes them mad.
omg, me too! drives my 17 yr old INSANE!!!! when she persists, I add "anywhere from 1 to 17 minutes. Stop when it's done."
My oldest tells me that alll the time, too! The saddest part about it is unless we pass down our family recipes future generations won't know what it is to make anything without a mix of some sort.
We wonder why there's an obesity problem in this country
My husband volunteers at our local food pantry where the clients are allowed to, more or less, "shop" for what they want. It always amazes him that people pass up the really good, expensive stuff like fresh produce, bottles of real vanilla, etc. and just take all boxed mixes and canned stuff. They always tell him that they wouldn't know what to do with the other items.
I wish I had access to free fresh produce and real vanilla extract. That would be great!
My grandma would have been 100 years old this August, if she were still alive. I got hold of her two recipe files (my brother got them after she dies). I spend 3 weeks, typing up her recipes and collecting recipes from descendants (2 kids, 7 grandkids, 17 greatgrandkids, plus the spouses and put together a cookbook for our reunion in August. Also included notes and stories with the recipes. My dad had typed up g'ma's stories and obituary etc that I included at the end of the book ( lik 20 pages worth). A picture of G'ma on the front cover. It was a hit.
I had my mom over and had her make her shrimp salad- dump this, etc....measured her ingredients as she went then put a note to mix to taste.
Now we ( my cousins and I) have copies of all our favorites that Gma used to make when we would stay with her and for all the family meals. Think about doing it. It's a great family heirloom for later.
I wish I had access to free fresh produce and real vanilla extract. That would be great!
No kidding! Those numbskulls! So I watched 'Julie & Julia' last night. All I can think of is making boeuf bourguignon. Where oh where is that drooling emoticon??
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