Cookbook, Shmookbook.

There are notes like these all over my kitchen. The scratches of a woman who doesn't want to print the recipe she found on the internet. I write just what I need to remember - the ingredients and measurements. The directions are instinct I guess.

I'll find the slips of paper weeks later and sometimes I'm perplexed as to what it could've created. With the internet, I don't have a lot of use for cookbooks. I like to check them out of the library, but I rarely purchase them anymore.

Recipe Sources:

1) Blogs - I read blogs through Bloglines. (If you haven't tried this reader, you should. It lets you gather all of your favorite blogs in one place. It lets you know when new entries have been added. It's the best). With Bloglines, I'm able to email recipes that I might want to try someday to myself. I can search my in box for words like, "kale" (I'm always looking for a good kale recipe) or "bread" and can find things pretty quick.

2) All Recipes - This is my go to site when I'm looking for a recipe. The general search is pretty good. But really great is their ingredient search that lets you put in items you have on hand and it'll find a recipe for you that includes them. It's great for cleaning out the fridge or using the things in your pantry. Most of the recipes are rated and reviewed. It's very helpful to find out what works and what doesn't work with a recipe. Some of the reviews are a crack up... "I changed this and I added that and I did this different too and this recipe really stinks"... umm... maybe it stunk because you didn't follow the recipe?

3) Epicurious - I head to Epicurious when I have a little more time to cook or am looking for something a touch more gourmet. It has ratings and reviews also; the cooks are snootier. The advanced search is helpful, but not as good as All Recipes.

4) Google - When all else fails, Google will find it.

5) Cookbooks - I do have a couple of favorites.

• The Joy Of Cooking - I love the edition from the early 60s. I think it's 1963. Subsequent editions aren't quite as good. It's a great book to learn cooking basics. I was stoked to find one at Gigi's during the clean out. Now I can get rid of the one that is duct taped together.
• The Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon - I think of it as the vegetarian version of The Joy of Cooking. Great book.
• Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. I waited just under a year to get this from my public library. It is so packed full of info, I'm going to have to buy it. Maybe it'll be my Valentine's Day present.

What are your favorite cooking websites? cook books? Anyone have a great vegetarian / vegan resource?