This holiday season, we give thanks that cookbooks are still being published, as they are a staple on our gift lists. We’re always looking for something new for our personal libraries, too, books that feature inviting recipes and useful tips, family stories and inspiring photography. Here are some of our favorites, all recently published and available from your favorite local bookstore or online.
Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love
Author Samin Nosrat
Samin Nosrat’s 2017 bestselling Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat was more than just a collection of recipes; it taught us how to cook. Nosrat approaches cooking as an intimate and important way to share something she loves. The Persian- American chef’s follow-up focuses on people as well as food: family, friends, everyone who motivates and inspires her. Along with tips on shopping and technique, her 125 recipes include comforting soups, dinner-party essentials and time-worthy condiments. Her joojeh kebabs (marinated and grilled chicken thighs) are already in regular rotation in our kitchen.
Goldee’s Bar-B-Q: A Cookbook
Author Lisa Fain
Jalen Heard, Lane Milne, Jonny White—friends and co-workers—have put their unassuming restaurant on the barbecue map with tender brisket, homemade bread and banana pudding. Goldee’s is in Kennedale, just south of Fort Worth on the Arlington border, and has earned numerous kudos including a Michelin “Bib Gourmand” award in 2024 and 2025. While continuing to serve countless trays to loyal fans who queue up early and often, the Goldee’s crew somehow found time to work on a cookbook. A worthy investment for anyone who aspires to home smoking, the book features 256 pages of practical tips, cooking secrets and recipes for meats, sides and desserts. In this tome written by a Texan, you’ll also learn more about the Goldee’s backstory and friendship—the true secret ingredients to their success. The book is available at www.utpress.utexas.edu.
What Can I Bring?: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life
Author Casey Elsass
Elsass is a New York-based food writer, author and recipe developer who writes with a sense of humor. “I think every kitchen needs three things: a kitchen timer, an oven thermometer and a comically large mixing bowl,” he quips. We turn to this book repeatedly when we want to bring something different to a dinner party or our personal repertoire. (His Whipped Blue Cheese with crudités has been a big hit.) He also includes helpful shortcuts, plus tips on presentation, packaging, transport and serving on-site. This unassuming book is perfect for anyone who loves to eat but maybe isn’t super confident in the kitchen.
Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor
Author Hetty Lei McKinnon
McKinnon, a James Beard Foundation winner, has a motto: “Anything can be a salad.” In her home country of Australia, she got her start making salads—some reflecting her Chinese heritage—in her kitchen and delivering them via bicycle to customers. To this home cook, salads are comfort food, meant to be shared and lingered over. Her Falafel-in-Spirit Salad and Greek Salad with Roasted Carrots are examples of her flavorful combinations. Desserts include a Matcha and Ginger Custard Tart, perfect with tea and conversation after dinner. She also includes menus, essays and playlists; the snapshot style photographs add a personal touch. Want a preview? You’ll also find many recipes at www.hettymckinnon.com.
Meda Kessler is edible Dallas Forth Worth's art director, layout designer, and more.