It’s been several months since my last In My Kitchen post. So long in fact that I have to show a picture of the 2022 Christmas tree. No way it should be left out, even though it’s February. I could admire it from my spot in the kitchen.

Christmas tree 2022
New mugs from Christmas…
And Christmas brought me some wonderful new cookbooks.
Since then several others have found their way into my bookshelf. You could say that cookbooks are a bit of an obsession.
I read cookbooks like some others might read a novel.
The Flavor Bible by Karen Page is a frequently used reference book, the The Vegetarian Flavor Bible is her newest. As we are trying to eat less meat these day, it’s a valuable reference.
Rick Stein’s book is a nostalgic look at French cooking.
The SOBO COOKBOOK comes from a restaurant in Tofino, B.C. where we spent time in early January. Unfortunatey the restaurant was closed when we were there but I can vicariously enjoy it through the book.
Ella Risbridger’s book reads like a memoir with recipes. It relates her experience of dealing with the death of a loved one and the changes in her life. As it’s 2020 and the book goes from January to December, it’s also the story of the beginning of the pandemic. She lives in London but I could relate to many of the uncertainty and worry of 2020.
You may have seen her first cookbook Midnight Chicken which has a wonderful recipe for roasted chicken as well as many others.
In keeping with our resolution to eat less meat, there are several new meals in rotation.

Eggplant pizza with cheese, artichokes and mushrooms
The risotto was made in the electric pressure cooker. I am repeating it this weekend with mushrooms.

Sheet pan gnocchi with sweet peppers and onions, there were a few slices of sausage in there but I am not sure they are necessary and won’t add them again.
As Quinn watches in disbelief and shock, Shanna sits for a leaf of arugula. Subsequently she devoured it and barked for more.

I will sit for arugula
In My Kitchen is part of an international group of bloggers who relate what is new in their kitchens over the last month, or longer. Sherry of the blog Sherry’s Pickings hosts the group. Come on over to read about kitchen events from around the world.