We all have cookbooks that we just love and adore, right? They’re often the cookbooks we use the most, because the recipes inside just taste great every time. The cookbook is so trustworthy that you can try something new on your friends and know that it’s going to taste just like you imagine it. Those cookbooks are rare, but when you find them, you never want to let them go…

For me, that cookbook is the Southern Living 30 Years of Our Best Recipes cookbook (get a copy for yourself on Amazon.com or Amazon.de). I got this cookbook a few years ago as a gift from my mom. I have to admit that I do have a decent sized collection of cookbooks (probably 30 or 40 books) but the majority of them were bought at closeout and they have maybe 5 good recipes out of several hundred. I keep threatening that one day I will just start tearing the books apart (highly unlikely so no hate mail book lovers). But maybe once we get a new scanner (ours bit the dust a few months ago) and I find a few weeks of free time (ha!), I will scan what I like and get rid of the books. Of course, I’d actually have to start trying the recipes that seem interesting the cookbooks first. But I’m digressing rapidly…

The Southern Living 30 Years of Our Best Recipes was published in 2000 so it’s a few years old now (in fact there is a 40 years version out now which I’m sure also rocks) — but the recipes are absolute classics and I have thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them we’ve tried. In fact, if you’ve read NOH for a while, you’re certain to have seen a few of my favorite recipes from the book from time to time.

You’ll find a myriad of different sorts of recipes inside, from drinks to breakfasts to main dishes to cookies. The types of recipes are predominately southern (like chicken fried steak and pecan clusters) but you’ll also find curry as well as other diverse recipes. I tend to stay away from the more exotic recipes (although the curry recipe is great) just because I attempted a red cabbage recipe from here at one point and it just didn’t go so well.

The collections of recipes are put together logically and I’ve been known to just flip through the cookbook with a list of possible meats that I know are in my freezer, looking for just the right match. Not only are the recipes broken down into the broad categories above, but I’ve also noticed that if you’re looking for a whole chicken recipe versus breasts, you’ll usually find them all grouped together. This makes it so much easier to try out something new.

One thing that annoys me a little about the recipes is that they often state in the instructions to mix the first 5 ingredients and you then have to go count them out. It can be a little distracting and sometimes even confusing.

I’m really respectful of books and I usually avoid dog-earing pages or writing in them. With a cookbook I give myself a little more leeway. But usually when I first get a cookbook I make a point of going through and marking all the recipes that sound really fantastic…and sometimes I even get around to trying them. I take Post-It Notes and tear them into strips so they’re clearly noticeable…and usually put them on the tops of the pages so they don’t get crushed when I slide the book into the shelf. Yeah, I have some serious issues. 🙂

Overall, I think Southern Living 30 Years of Our Best Recipes cookbook (available on Amazon.com or Amazon.de) is a fantastic cookbook to have on your shelf if you are a fan of southern cooking. But anyone who has ever flipped through a Southern Living magazine knows you don’t get any more southern than that. The cookbook is absolutely one of my favorites and I will cherish it for many years to come.

Note: The links to Amazon in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission should you choose to buy the book through these links. I greatly appreciate your support!