Cravings: Hungry For More by Chrissy Teigen

If there’s one thing I love as much as books, it’s food. And so it’s natural that I’d have a bit of an obsession with cookbooks, right?

Glossy pictures of mouthwatering food are just part of it. In order for a cookbook to appeal to me, the recipes have to be enticing and approachable. I’m not a Top Chef, after all. I’m simply a girl with a little more than a working knowledge of my way around a kitchen. By which I mean I have no professional training but I’m beyond “cooking for dummies” level.

I’m also not a food snob. Recipes in any book I add to my collection have to be somewhat budget friendly. Honestly, though, in terms of recipes that are going to appeal to me, they are generally going to be somewhat budget friendly in that I don’t exactly gravitate to caviar and foie gras or wagyu beef (a good filet is fine for me).

Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings: Hungry for More definitely fit these first two requirements. The recipes included run the gamut of junk food (her Mushroom & Crispy Shallot Nachos are amazing!) to fancy dinners (Steak Diane with Crispy Onions, the most complicated dish I’ve made so far and only because frying the onions was a bit time consuming), Asian classics (Beef Randang) and American twists on Asian classics (Lazy Shrimp & Pork “Wonton” Soup) and hearty comfort food (Crispy Bacon & Sweet Pickle Patty Melts are not to be missed). The recipes are about as un-pretentious as you can get - and Teigen comes across the same.

In addition to being a collection of dishes any home cook can make in their kitchen, it’s also a glimpse inside Teigen’s world as well. And dare I say it’s a world you might not expect if you only know of her as a supermodel! Let’s just say she’s not afraid to eat or speak her mind, which I find abundantly appealing. And amusing. Because if you can have fun with your food, all the better!

I’ve done quite a bit of cooking out of this book since getting my hands on a copy last fall. And I’m late in reviewing only because I have a new baby to keep me occupied. And yet, I’ve still been able to cook. Lots of our friends have been amazed by this but nothing I’ve made since bringing the baby home has been overly complicated. And plenty of it has come from Cravings!

King’s Hawaiian Pull-Apart Bacon Grilled Cheese sandwiches were part of our Christmas Eve festivities. Bacony Clam Chowder made for a surprisingly easy and fabulously cozy dinner one snowy evening. Avocado with Toasty Crumbs made for an easy breakfast and a great alternative to avocado toast. Oh, and the Parmesan Minestrone with Chili Mayo Toasts was simple and fabulous, just one of the make ahead freezer meals that I made before the baby arrived for hectic nights after he was here. I've made many more dishes from the book so far and none of them has been anything less than excellent.

Anyone who loves tasty and uncomplicated food should definitely add this book to their collection. It's a go to in my kitchen now for sure!