I'm sorry to post so late. I have been working 12 hour days this week and not able to get on in the evening. Trish - you outdid yourself!!! I am so happy to report that on Tuesday UPS left the big heavy box that included: A full set of Bath and Body works lotions Magnolia note assortment BH&G book of grilling a wonderful recipe binder Black Angus BBQ Grilling Sauce A box of fire starters (my hubby was impressed!) Purple Sage and Honey Candle (most unusual scent -Just devine!) Instant coffee (a staple around here!!) Jiffy mini greenhouse (it's seed starting here in October believe it or not!) Sunshades Aloe Gel (the kids use this stuff constantly!!) Pretty Pastel Votive Candles A great box of herbal teas (so relaxing!!) a Package of Wooden spoons (some recipes require wooden spoons - thanks!) A large Pyrex measuring cup (I almost bought one - it is soooo appreciated - thank you!) Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread (my daughter is making it for the football team - Go Vikings!!!) A bottle of hone (*again -- this was on my shopping list this week - How did you know???!!!) A package of Bamboo Skewers (all my other ones disappeared!) An Angel pot stake (she is out there now protecting a plant) and Taste of Home and Grilling mags All in all --- the greatest box and really made my day - HUGS!!! Sue G.

I have 13 of them, but this one..The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking: Techniques and Recipes by Barbara Tropp...was one that got sent to the great book sale collection because it made me realize I really didn't want to cook Chinese food. Eat it yes, cook it no. One I've really liked is the MS Hors d. book. I ended up buying a used copy of the original one just cause I liked the looks of it, as opposed to the paperback version.

As usual, I find Rachelellen's post full of wisdom. It gives me some of the guidance I want. Cooking the same cuisine (not the same dishes) for one week straight would be no hardship at all for me. When I returned from a one week trip to Italy I cooked nothing but northern Italian food for at least three weeks. There was nothing monotonous about it. That experience has faded. I need another trip to Italy for a refresher course. I don't see the need to limit the experiment to a single cookbook, although that could be an effective way to do it, given the right book. Books I would recommend are: Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji The Key to Chinese Cooking by Irene Kuo Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni The Cuisines of Mexico by Diana Kennedy These books are similar in approach and format although about different cuisines and by different authors. They provide a solid foundation for cooking each cuisine. Again, I say that switching to another ethnic cuisine for an extended period of time is a fine idea. Those for whom that is their native cuisine eat it daily year after year don't they? Jim

Thank you all for the varied responses. I'd rather not single anyone out for their responses. I can't write my whole life story here, however taking all the comments in context, I want to clarify a few things. My son has been a blessing having moved in when I'm facing a very difficult life situation regarding my husband. Due to Covid, visitation is so difficult at hospitals and rehab places. I'm frankly depressed over what has happened with my husband of 50 yrs, and very lonely and scared he won't come home again. My husband is a physician and always worked long hours and was rarely home until very late when our kids were growing up. I basically raised my daughter and son alone. Their father would come home, many nights after they were in bed. Medicine was his life and his patients were very important to him. I accepted that from the very beginning. My husband never cooked or had any interest in it. He was happy opening a can of tuna and having that. He could scramble eggs, that's it. Our son is very much like him. A very hard worker and very kind. He is very much like his father. He has a very concrete type of thinking, unlike my daughter who is creative (a writer), MSW, great cook, gardens, etc. My son is so opposite. However, he is very kind and loves working with people and helping them get on their feet again (just like he's facing. He helps me in so many ways since moving in and I realize he's facing his own problems. I thought learning the basics of cooking might be something he should learn to help him not depend on always getting take-out or frozen dinners. Yes, he knows how to microwave, make sandwiches, frozen pizza's, etc. He doesn't know how to cook at all. I thought recipes which were easy to understand without having prior knowledge of various techniques would be a good way to start him cooking. I'm sorry if I made it sound like he's a burden to me, not at all. I just see it as a way to make him more comfortable about tackling cooking a simple meal. He seems to enjoy the time we work together on simple things. But, I also realize (didn't before this) that he's uncomfortable about chopping, breading, mixing eggs, simple things. I don't cook 3 meals a day at all. I don't for myself, certainly not for him. He buys his own cereal or whatever he wants, he does his own shopping. He likes to buy ham or turkey and makes his own sandwiches. My question was not about a son who was taking advantage of me. Just a simple question about a cookbook. Not sure how people thought somehow, my son was taking advantage of me. He's not in any way. He's been so helpful in other ways and company for me during a very difficult time. Now you all know more about my life than I really wanted to explain. I was asking for a simple cookbook for a adult who I thought could benefit from making a few simple dishes for himself when he moves out. That's it. Thanks for the names of cookbooks. I will look them up and order a few. Jane