Fuzzy Monkey's Kitchen

Fuzzy Monkey’s Bookcase

Q. Where do you get your recipes?

A. This is one question I get a lot. Here are a few books and resources We use on a regular basis.

Besides the books and index cards, we also have a collection of recipes. These include newspaper clippings, articles from magazines, and random packages from the ingredients we use.  We started this website to unify some of our favorite recipes. We also want to share them with you.

Some of the next links are affiliate links. If you click on a link and buy the item, I get paid. It’s like receiving a referral for telling someone about a product or service. You as the reader do not pay for these. I have these links to help support the cost of running this site. They also support my baking and cooking habits. After all, it takes time and effort to create all the material you see posted here. Additionally, FTC rules demand I inform you of this. Nice huh?

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Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1930-2000 Limited Edition) – My mother gave this book to me 16 years ago. I know she loves me because she wrote a nice little note inside. This was my first cookbook and the book I used to learn all the basics. Like how to hard boil an egg. How to make sour milk, and of course how to make banana bread.

My mother has several versions of this book as you can see in the image below. Several of these have been passed down from my grandmother. Three generations of our family using the same book is enough proof for me to recommend it.

Thank you mom, for giving me my first cookbook and inspiring me to cook. It took me 15 or 20 years to really start using it. Now, I can officially thank you here for helping me appreciate it.

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This is what my mother’s collection of cook books and recipes looks like. This image only shows a small sample of what is in her collection.

My mother has accumulated these over several decades. I’ve only written about a few of these so far on Fuzzy Monkey’s Kitchen. This will be a life-time project for me and I’m looking ahead to going through and finding my favorite recipes.

Here are two examples of recipes my mother has written down on index cards and what I’m working with. Sometimes my mother’s hand writing is hard to read. How to Make Lemon Bars and How to make Monkey Cake. (Monkey Bread)

There are recipes that were never written down, besides all my mother’s books and index cards. I have needed to master these recipes. One of my first priorities was to learn how to make my mother’s marinara sauce. I’ll get to this soon enough. Another recipe to learn is my father’s chicken noodle soup.

Budget Bytes: Over 100 Easy, Delicious Recipes to Slash Your Grocery Bill in Half is another book we use. We received it as a Christmas gift. It has become one of our favorites. Often times when I read a book it has maybe one or two recipes I’m willing to try. But, this one has more than several recipes we’ve used and enjoy! We think you will also.

My favorite from this book is Sesame Noodles and the only one I’ve been capable to write about so far. Stay tuned as I get to writing about my other favorites.

My mother always makes sure we have our favorite cookies during the holiday’s. My older sister’s favorite is fudge balls.

When I asked my mother where this recipe came from she reported The Pillsbury Family Cook Book.

There are many other sources I need to research, but hopefully these few resources will inspire you. What are your favorite cookbooks? How has inspired your cooking and adventures in the kitchen? Please comment and share below. ooo aaa!

This is the book, we using to tackle all the old-fashioned oatmeal recipes.

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Mom's Recipes
A 14-count variety pack of RXBARs from Costco featuring Chocolate Sea Salt and Blueberry flavors, with two unwrapped bars displayed on white plates.
A high-detail, close-up shot of a golden-brown British oatmeal flapjack showing the glossy texture of Lyle’s Golden Syrup and old-fashioned rolled oats.
A top-down view of a single serving of cooked, creamy old-fashioned oatmeal in a white bowl with a blue rim, positioned next to a container of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats.
A fully baked milk tart in a glass dish with a golden-brown cinnamon-dusted crust, resting on a striped tablecloth.
Two cups of Chobani Strawberry on the Bottom Greek Yogurt on a white background, with one cup overflowing with large, fresh strawberries.
Close-up of the open K-Cup brewing chamber and chrome handle on a Keurig Model K70-5.
A spoon lifting a fresh, plump blackberry from a cup of Chobani Greek Yogurt Blackberry on the Bottom with a bowl of fresh berries nearby.
A close-up of a Chobani Hero Vanilla Mixed Berry Greek yogurt cup topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, with a spoon resting inside.
An assortment of Voortman Fall Favorites cookies—a red leaf, a golden turkey, and a yellow pumpkin—on a white plate in front of the product packaging.
A 14-count variety pack box of RXBAR Nut Butter & Oat bars from Costco, featuring Honey Cinnamon and Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter flavors.
A symmetrical stack of Voortman Pumpkin Spice Wafers on a blue-rimmed white plate, with the product packaging and a decorative pumpkin in the background.