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Are wedding bells ringing? I’ve already covered what to write in a cookbook gift, so you’re good there. Now, all you need to do is figure out what book you want to tote along to the bridal shower or gift the newly married couple.
Whether it’s because I finally saw “27 Dresses” with Kath Heigl for the first time or “Plus One” before that (I’m on an easy, breezy comedy kick, and those checked the right boxes), it seemed like the time is right to share the kind of cookbooks suitable for gifting newlyweds.
Table of Contents
- Why Gift Newlyweds a Cookbook?
- How To Choose a Cookbook for Newlyweds
- Cookbooks That Make a Great Wedding Gift
- Digital Gift Subscriptions for Digital (Newlywed) Nomads
- Add-On Gifts for the Just Married
- Memorable Wedding Gifts Start Here
- Related Resources
Why Gift Newlyweds a Cookbook?
Cookbooks, especially a good cookbook, never go out of style (it also probably belongs in my cookbook collection).
“It’s always a strong category,” said Kristen McLean, book industry analyst for market research company The NPD Group. “They are the fourth largest category of nonfiction that we sell here in the United States.”
Sales fluctuate a little year to year, but they’re generally stable — around 20 million or so. In the first year of the pandemic, cookbook sales spiked about 16%. Though they have dropped off a bit since then, sales remain strong.
What changes more is the kinds of cookbooks people are buying at any given time.
Samantha Fields, What Is it About Cookbooks?, Marketplace, January 31, 2023, Accessed April 1, 2024.
What makes a cookbook a good cookbook? My answer? One you can use and love so much, you can’t wait to share it with someone else. I like to think I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of high-quality cookbooks with the newly married in mind.
New classic cookbooks, such as “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” (2017) by Samin Nosrat, and highly regarded traditional cookbook classics, hello, “The Joy of Cooking” by Irma S. Rombauer or The Fanny Farmer Cookbook are solid choices.
You could also opt for something more specific, such as cookie cookbooks or cake cookbooks, but if you want a cookbook for newlyweds (which typically means it includes heaps of info and advice for beginning cooks), then stick around; why don’t’cha?
These themed cookbooks focus on the “just married” couple. From traditional brands you trust to modern recipes for today’s busy couples and vegetarian-friendly cookbooks, you can shop all of them right here.
How To Choose a Cookbook for Newlyweds
You have a ton of options.
Whether you are purchasing an add-on from a couple’s wedding registry to go with a cookbook for a wedding gift, or you’re more into gift cards or gift certificates tucked into a thoughtful greeting card and paired with a wedding cookbook below, I have a few tips to help you narrow things down.
- Does anyone have a special diet or food allergy?
- Do the newlyweds know how to cook?
- Have the newlyweds lived outside of their parental home before now?
- Does the couple already enjoy being in the kitchen?
- Do they include any books in their gift registry?
Hopefully these questions can help get you thinking and started in the right direction.
Cookbooks that Make a Great Wedding Gift
Classic + Image Heavy
Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook: Bridal Edition
Author: BH&G
Published: 2008
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook: Bridal Edition (2008) by Better Homes and Gardens (Amazon) (eBay)
Unlike the cookbooks with “newlyweds” in the title, this 7 x 1.5 x 9.5-inch, 656-page book speaks specifically to the bride in the special bridal-themed addition and leaves the groom out of it.
This version also sticks to homemade items (and not canned soup kind of stuff). It is the same book as a classic edition but with extras to help the new “lady of the house” achieve domestic bliss.
This is such an exciting time in your life: a spouse, new relatives, and a bare kitchen filled with waiting-to-be-unpacked appliances and I’m-not-quite-sure-what-this-does gadgets.
But there’s no reason to stress! This Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book Bridal Edition is here to help.
Think of our talented cookbook staff as wedding planners for your kitchen.
We’ll help you tackle everything from stocking your first pantry to hosting your first holiday dinner.
Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook Bridal Edition, Page A-2.
Chapters in the BH&G bridal cookbook include:
- Your First Kitchen
- 10 Can’t Miss Recipes
- Dinners for Two
- Shopping for Two
- Recipes
- Short-Order Meats
- Mashed Potatoes and More
- Pasta Toss
- Salad Combos
- Wine and Cheese
- Wine Glossary
- Cocktail Cool
- The Ultimate Setup
- Recipes
- Tabletop Decor
- Candles that Shine
- Festive Flowers
- Napkin Art
- Family Celebrations
- Thanksgiving
- Happy Holidays
- Spring Fling
- Recipe Index
- Cooking Basics
- Appetizers and Snacks
- Beans, Rice, and Grains
- Beverages
- Breads
- Cakes and Frostings
- Candies
- Canning and Freezing
- Cheese and Eggs
- Cookies and Bars
- Desserts
- Fish and Shellfish
- Grilling
- Meat
- Pasta
- Pies and Tarts
- Poultry
- Salads and Dressings
- Sauces and Relishes
- Slow Cooker Recipes
- Soup and Stews
- Vegetables and Fruits
- 20-Minute Meals
- Recipe Index
- Cooking at High Altitude
- Metric Information
Images often accompany specific techniques, such as how to make a pocket for stuffing, as in the Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts (page 464).
The receiver could learn how to make Baked Chicken Chiles Rellenos, New Orleans Style Muffuletta, Broiled Lobster Tails with Garlic-Chili Butter, or Sausage Stuffing.
With so many recipes and the occasional image or call-out to break up the text, this is a bridal cookbook meant to last long after the first anniversary.
Beautiful + Classy
Bride and Groom: First and Forever Cookbook
Author: Mary Corpening Barber and Rebecca Chastenet de Gery
Published: 2003
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Bride and Groom: First and Forever Cookbook (2003) by Mary Corpening Barber and Rebecca Chastenet de Gery (Amazon) (eBay)
Get the newly married couple cooking with 125 recipes in the 272-page, 8.88 x 1.5 x 10.25-inch book written by twin sisters. Each chapter lists the recipes inside the section with the page number for easy flipping. Great images abound.
When it comes to cooking side-by-side and nurturing with food, we had great role models. Our parents cooked for and with each other all the time — they truly spoiled each other.
We kid you not, Mom brought Dad breakfast in bed every day of his life, on a silver tray, no less.
Part of this was her Southern heritage (and we certainly don’t live up to this standard) but it nonetheless set an example for us about keeping romance alive through food.
While we wouldn’t dare expect you to undertake daily breakfast delivery, we do know how rewarding it can be to nourish your relationship by feeding each other.
The best part of every day is sharing a meal together. Well, almost the best part of every day . . .
Page 11.
Chapters inside the “Bride and Groom” cookbook include the following:
- Kitchen Basics
- Essential Cutlery
- Essential Pots and Pans
- Basic Baking Equipment
- Basic Cooking Utensils
- Basic Appliances
- Kitchen Extras (Not Essential but Great Add-Ons)
- Basic Glassware and Bar Accessories
- The Global Pantry
- Pantry Essentials
- A Guide to Herbs and Spices
- Stocking the Home Bar
- Basics and Beyond
- Appetizers, Finger Foods, and Snacks
- Soups and Salads
- Classics and All-Time Favorites
- Entrees
- Side Dishes
- Breakfast and Brunch
- Sweets
- The Global Bar
- Cooking Side by Side
- Inspirational Menus for Holidays and Special Occasions
- Dinners and Desserts in a Dash
- Definitions of Commonly Used Cooking Terms
- Guide to Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
- Recipe Index
- Table of Equivalents
Entree recipes feature classics such as Wild Mushroom Risotto, Linguine with Scallops, Spinach, and Bacon in Champagne Cream Sauce, and Grilled London Broil Fajitas.
Global flavors keep those cocktails interesting and unique, while the seasonal ingredients guide can help new cooks make good choices. If you want a pretty cookbook to gift at the bridal shower or wedding, give this one a good look.
Hefty + Comprehensive
The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook, 10th Anniversary Gift Edition: 700 Recipes for Everything You’ll Ever Want to Make
Author: America’s Test Kitchen
Published: 2024
Publisher: America’s Test Kitchen
The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook, 10th Anniversary Gift Edition: 700 Recipes for Everything You’ll Ever Want to Make (2024) by America’s Test Kitchen (Amazon) (eBay)
Snag the 2024 “The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook” — 10th Edition — with over 200 new recipes, new images, new sections, and an updated section regarding kitchen equipment purchases for the modern couple.
Look at the mini chart below to see how the editions compare:
2017 Edition
- 8.88 x 1.2 x 10.31 Inches
- 448 Pages
- Over 3 Pounds
- 650 Recipes
2024 Edition
- 9 x 1.44 x 10.31 Inches
- 496 Pages
- Over 4 Pounds
- 700+ Recipes
At over four pounds, the 2024 ATK edition is a hefty bridal shower or wedding gift — and a definite leap beyond the old gravy boat or toaster present your grandparents would have gifted.
The test kitchen has spent more than 20 years developing bulletproof recipes for dishes like meatloaf, lasagna, mashed potatoes, and chocolate cake.
Like most recipes, our typically serve four, six, and sometimes more. But we’ve realized that households change over time or through circumstance.
Our readers started to echo this sentiment — whether they were single parents, empty nesters, or newlyweds, they wanted recipes for the dishes we’d been developing for years, but they wanted them scaled to serve just two.
The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook, Gift Edition (2017), Page 3.
The 2024 chapter titles have minor changes from the 2017 edition. Chapters inside “The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook” 2024 edition include:
- Welcome to America’s Test Kitchen
- The Basics of Cooking for Two
- Soups and Chowders
- Stews, Curries, and Chilis
- Side Salads and Dinner Salads
- Burgers, Sandwiches, Pizza, and More
- Chicken
- Beef, Pork, and Lamb
- Fish and Shellfish
- Vegetarian
- Pasta and Noodles
- Grilling
- Slow-Cooker and Air Fryer Favorites
- Vegetable Side Dishes
- Rice, Grains, and Beans
- Eggs and Breakfast
- Quick Breads
- Fruit Desserts, Pies, and Tarts
- Cookies, Cakes, and Custards
- Nutritional Information for Light Recipes
- Conversions and Equivalents
- Recipe Index
America’s Test Kitchen snapped more than 500 photos for the 2017 version and say there are even more in this version (but they don’t say how many). While that doesn’t cover every recipe in this large cookbook, it’ll get those lovebirds started.
The newlyweds can try the Baked Cod with Cherry Tomatoes and Artichokes, Five-Alarm Chili, Cajun Chicken Chowder with Corn, or Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. With hundreds of recipes in this large cookbook meant for two, the options feel endless.
Sophisticated + Modern
The Couple’s Cookbook: Recipes for Newlyweds (2019)
Author: Cole and Kiera Stipovich
Published: 2019
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
The Couple’s Cookbook: Recipes for Newlyweds (2019) by Cole and Kiera Stipovich (Amazon) (eBay)
Most of the modern classic recipes in this attractive cookbook include images. That’s no surprise, considering the authors own a wedding and lifestyle photography business.
At 240 pages, the 8.25 x 1.1 x 10.25-inch cookbook offers a fresh take on familiar favorites with a few surprises thrown in. Gifting newlyweds a cookbook suddenly feels a whole lot easier.
The ritual of the wedding day points to this secret: All of the couples we work with pause on their wedding day to eat together.
Every wedding day goes by like a blur, but we often hear couples say that their wedding meal was a moment of their special day when they remember feeling truly present.
If you’re reading this cookbook, it’s very likely you will want to make cooking or eating together a part of your new married life.
We hope the tools and recipes in this book will provide a foundation for the two of you to spend a little quality time with each other over a homemade meal.
“The Couple’s Cookbook”, Page viii.
Chapters in “The Couple’s Cookbook” include the following:
- Welcome
- The Pantry
- Essential Kitchen Equipment
- Breakfast and Brunch
- Lunch (Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches)
- Starters and Sides
- Mains
- Desserts
- Cocktails for Couples (by Kara Newman)
- Acknowledgments and About the Authors
- Recipe Index
Recipes range from Brown Butter Bourbon Crepes with Lemon Sauce to Black Cherry Crumb Cake to Indoor Filet Mignon Steaks with Bacon and Blue Cheese Compound Butter.
Traditional + Beginner-Friendly
The Good Housekeeping Cookbook: 1,275 Recipes from America’s Favorite Test Kitchen: All Recipes Triple Tested (2013)
Author: Good Housekeeping
Published: 2013
Publisher: Hearst
The Good Housekeeping Cookbook: 1,275 Recipes from America’s Favorite Test Kitchen: All Recipes Triple Tested (2013) by Good Housekeeping (Editor Susan Westmoreland, Food Director, Good Housekeeping) (Amazon) (eBay)
This book, except for “The Newlywed’s Kitchen” chapter, was published under the title, “The Good Housekeeping Cookbook: 125th Anniversary” edition.
Look for the call-out boxes to offer up a tip or trick any new cook needs to know. At 784 pages, this weighty 9 x 2.25 x 10-inch book ticks a lot of boxes. It does tip the scales at over 5 pounds.
When you get married, you began building a lifetime of memories that will make your marriage unique.
At Good Housekeeping, we believe that many of these unforgettable occasions happen around the table.
From the simple weeknight meals you create and enjoy as a couple to a favorite birthday cake that becomes an annual tradition to the first time you host a holiday dinner in your home, you’re creating a wealth of experiences that will draw the two of you closer.
The Good Housekeeping Cookbook: Bridal Edition, “Congrats”.
Chapters inside this Good Housekeeping bridal cookbook include:
- Introduction: The Newlywed’s Kitchen
- Basics
- Appetizers
- Soups, Stews, and One-Pot Meals
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish and Shellfish
- Eggs and Cheese
- Pasta and Pasta Sauces
- Beans, Rice, and Other Grains
- Quick and Easy Weeknight Meals
- Grilling
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Salads and Salad Dressings
- Sauces, Salsas, and Condiments
- Canning and Freezing
- Holiday Celebrations
- Quick Breads
- Yeast Breads and Sandwiches
- Desserts
- Cakes and Frostings
- Pies and Tarts
- Cookies and Confections
- Recipe Index
- Acknowledgments
From the basic to a bit more advanced, this cookbook offers a range of recipes to fit all manner of tastes, such as the Spanish Potato Omelet, Clam Chowder, Herbed Skillet Chicken, or Wiener Schnitzel.
Easy Shrimp and Grits or Penne with Vodka Sauce, this cookbook has the couple covered. Special sections explaining kitchen organization and how to keep a kitchen tidy could help complete kitchen noobs find their way.
Pretty + Plant-Centered
Healthier Together: Recipes for Two — Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships
Author: Liz Moody
Published: 2019
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Healthier Together: Recipes for Two — Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships (2019) by Liz Moody (Amazon) (eBay)
Gluten-free, dairy-free, and planet-centered, “Healthier Together” is a 100+ recipe cookbook for the vegetarian couple or those with food allergies.
It’s 240 pages in a pretty 7.77 x 0.86 x 9.74-inch package. Yes, you can make these recipes solo, but author Liz Moody had a goal here: to help you stick to your goals by sticking to the recommended two-person serving sizes.
This is not a book about sacrifice.
This is a book about strengthening your relationships through your healthy choices, and strengthening your healthy choices through your relationships.
This is a book about saying yes to your best life.
Healthier Together, Page 11.
Chapters in “Healthier Together” include the following:
- Welcome to a Healthier, Happier Life
- Fast, Cheap, and Easy
- Foods You Crave
- Better Than Takeout
- Feeling Virtuous
- Cocktails and Bar Bites
- Brunch Vibes
- Fancy Food
- Sweet Treats
- Healthier Together 21-Day Cleanup
- Acknowledgments
- Recipe Index
Short on time? The new couple can get recipes such as Mint and Cilantro Pesto Pasta with Lemon-Pistachio Crumbs or Fresh Tomato and Strawberry Bruschetta on the table in under 20 minutes.
No, it’s not specifically for the “just married” crowd, but it is crafted with two people in mind. That, paired with the eye-catching, colorful images, make it a good pick in my book.
Gorgeous + Modern
Just Married: A Cookbook for Newlyweds (2018)
Author: Caroline Chambers
Published: 2018
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Just Married: A Cookbook for Newlyweds (2018) by Caroline Chambers (Amazon) (eBay)
If beautiful food is your thing, “Just Married” will get you right here. The 8.75 x 0.88 x 10.25-inch, 272-page cookbook contains more than 130 recipes to get couples cooking in the kitchen.
Young couples undergo many changes in their first few years of marriage: buying their first house, changing jobs, moving to new cities, making new “couple friends,” even growing their new family with children.
But one thing that has remained constant, no matter (or where) the dinner table is — be it outdoors where we ate year-round in Coronado, California, because a table didn’t fit inside our 400-square-foot (37-sq-m) house, the beautiful oak table in the Peaks Resort lobby where we ate microwave-prepared meals during our summer in Telluride, Colorado, the furnished student-housing table in our Stanford, apartment, or the rickety old table with an old church pew for half its seating in our rundown Tribeca loft — that is the place where our young marriage flourished.
Table or no, hodgepodge or gourmet meal, families truly come together here.
Caroline Chambers, Just Married, Introduction.
Chapters in “Just Married” include:
- Introduction
- Wedding Registry
- Stocked
- How To Use This Book
- Breakfast on the Fly
- Brunch at Home
- Salads and Bowls
- Soups and Sandwiches
- Party Drinks and Bites
- Dinner in a Hurry
- Date Night In
- Feasts with Friends
- Sides and Vegetables
- Desserts
The Table of Contents shares the name and page number of every recipe in the chapter. With over 130 recipes, that’s a handy feature. The gorgeous images will keep the couple turning pages to see more — and offer up plenty of inspiration.
Flip to the “Date Night In” chapter for recipes including Creamy Corn Pasts, Pan-Seared Scallops with Strawberry Avocado Salsa, Red Snapper with Leeks and Cherry Tomatoes, and Crispy Chicken Thighs with Shallots and Nectarines. This cookbook could prove irresistible.
Elegant + Detailed
Martha Stewart’s Newlywed Kitchen: Recipes for Weeknight Dinners and Easy, Casual Gatherings
Author: The Editors of Martha Stewart Living
Published: 2017
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Martha Stewart’s Newlywed Kitchen: Recipes for Weeknight Dinners and Easy, Casual Gatherings (2017) by the Editors of Martha Stewart Living (Amazon) (eBay)
The editors of Martha Stewart Living assembled over 100 recipes to fit any need. The 304-page, 9.35 x 1.16 x 10.27-inch cookbook may prove especially relevant to couples new to entertaining.
The dinner party chapter will help those Saturday dinner parties kick off smoothly with a timetable of when to begin food prep with step-by-step instructions.
And lest you think that this book is meant to be consulted and relied upon only in the first few years of marriage, rest assured, it is not.
In the course of compiling, testing, tasting, and photographing the many wonderful dishes within, we found it to be a book for all of us, regardless of stage of life or marital status.
We rediscovered a few old favorites, fell hard for some new ones, and grew excited at the many possibilities for memorable breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners, and desserts.
Like any good marriage, this collection is built to last.
Martha Stewart’s Newlywed kitchen, Foreword, Page 8.
Chapters in “Martha Stewart’s Newlywed Kitchen” include:
- Foreword
- Part One: Stock Up
- Part Two: Get Cooking
- Part Three: Gather Round
- Thanks
- Recipe Index
Expect Martha Stewart-style recipes: pretty and elegant. These recipes don’t use unusual ingredients. Ricotta Pizza with Fresh and Roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Chestnuts and Brussels Sprouts, and Roasted Quartered Chicken with Herb Sauce offer a range of nice flavors.
Detailed instructions and the usual amazing images create a book that looks good and works hard. Your gift recipients will relish the fresh ideas and make many a memorable meal.
Fresh + Modern
The Newlywed Cookbook: Fresh Ideas and Modern Recipes for Cooking With and for Each Other
Author: Sarah Copeland
Published: 2011
Publisher: Chronicle Books
The Newlywed Cookbook: Fresh Ideas and Modern Recipes for Cooking With and for Each Other (2011) by Sarah Copeland (Amazon) (eBay)
Discover 130 recipes over 304 pages in the 9 x 1.25 x 10.25-inch book described as “classic and contemporary.” Author Sarah Copeland is big on the lovey-dovey stuff, personal story, and gorgeous images.
It’s a good choice for beginners seeking “fresh ideas” and wondering how to use seasonal ingredients (such as in Golden Zucchini Bread).
This book is all about how sweet life can be when the kitchen is your playground. It’s a book as much about good living as it is about good eating.
It’s a book about the story of your life together.
Sarah Copeland, The Newlywed Cookbook: Fresh Ideas and Modern Recipes for Cooking With and for Each Other, Introduction.
Chapters in “The Newlywed Cookbook” include:
- Introduction
- Stocked: The Flavorful Pantry
- To Market: The Seasonal Kitchen
- Brunch: Worth Waking Up For
- Little Meals: Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, and Lots of Elegant Eggs
- Supper: Simple Meals For Well-Fed Couples
- Comfort Food: Classic Recipes For Cozy Meals
- Date Night: Romantic Meals For Each Other
- Vegetables: To Pass and Please
- Embellishments: Snacks, Sauces, and Sips to Enlighten the Table
- Indulgences: Sweets to Love, Honor, and Cherish
- Gatherings: Feasts For Friends and Family
- Escapes: Campfire Cooking, Pretty Picnics, and Portable Parties
- Sources
- Recipe Index
- Acknowledgments
Comfort food? You’ll find it in the Brown Sugar Pudding or the Skillet Corn Bread. Sandwiches feature an Arugula, Grapefruit, and Fennel Salad; Lobster Rolls; Baguette BLTs with Spicy Moroccan Mayo; and Champs-Elysees Pate and Watercress Sandwiches.
Will the newlyweds end their meal with the Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding, Warm Cherries with Pistachio Ice Cream, or the Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Smoked Sea Salt? Are these mouthwatering recipes or what?
It’s a sweet way to enjoy a romantic date night while mastering a few new kitchen skills along the way. Let author Sarah Copeland show the happy couple how it’s done.
Simple + Contemporary
The Newlywed Cookbook: More than 200 Simple Recipes and Original Meals for the Happy Couple
Author: Robin Miller
Published: 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
The Newlywed Cookbook: More than 200 Simple Recipes and Original Meals for the Happy Couple (2013) by Robin Miller (Amazon) (eBay)
You may recognize Robin from her Food Network show, “Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller,” that aired for five years. This 8 x 0.6 x 8-inch, 240-page cookbook puts the focus on dishes made for two.
There’s nothing more romantic than dinner for two, prepared at home and served over candlelight. But how realistic is that these days?
The fact is, many couples consist of two working people and dinner isn’t exactly a priority. That’s a shame because some of life’s funniest moments and fondest memories happen over a pot of simmering sauce.
Before the big day, I’m sure you enjoyed registering for lots of new toys at your favorite stores.
There you were, drooling over the multi-functional blenders, heavy-duty mixers, coffee makers with the espresso/cappuccino options, and shimmering pots and pans.
Now that your kitchen is stocked, what are you supposed to do with it?
The Newlywed Cookbook, Introduction.
This book from a Food Network veteran aims to show the happy couple how to use all those new gadgets and gizmos, with over 200 recipes for simple to prepare recipes.
Recipes include a sentence or two with a suggestion or helpful tip. I like the sidebar that includes not just the ingredients, but the “needed items” to make a recipe, such as an electric stand mixer or a 9″ round cake pan.
Chapters inside “The Newlywed Cookbook” include the following:
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Pizza and Bread
- Pasta and Risotto
- Chicken, Turkey, Duck, and Game Birds
- Beef, Pork, Veal, Venison, and Lamb
- Seafood and Shellfish
- Side Dishes, Salads, and Salsas
- Desserts and Other Sweet Treats
- Special Occasions
- New Year’s Eve
- Valentine’s Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas Dinner
- One-Year Anniversary
- Sunday Brunch
- Super Bowl Sunday
- Picnic for Two
- Breakfast in Bed
- When In-Laws Come for Dinner
- Herbs and Spices
- Cooking Terms
- Equipment
- Recipe Index
- About the Author
Mouthwatering recipes include Crispy Broiled Scallops with Spicy Black Beans, Chinese Dumplings with Soy-Ginger Dipping Sauce, Grilled Lamb Chops with Yogurt-Mint Sauce, and Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies with White Chocolate Chips.
Foodies + Two Cooks
The Newlywed Kitchen: Delicious Meals for Couples Cooking Together
Author: Lorna Yee and Ali Basye
Published: 2010
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
The Newlywed Kitchen: Delicious Meals for Couples Cooking Together (2010) by Lorna Yee and Ali Basye (Amazon) (eBay)
With a combination of stories, recipes, and images, this 240-page, 7.25 x 0.75 x 9-inch cookbook might be the inspiration a just married couple needs to cook together.
Finding the time is another big argument against cooking from scratch, but I am a firm believer that the benefits of slowing down to prepare a plate of food override the convenience — and cost of mindlessly consuming packaged, processed, and fast foods.
Cooking, whether putting together a simple snack or a multicourse meal, is a terrific way to shake off the stress of a day and connect with the person you love.
And if that doesn’t convince you, I gathered what I call “food-love stories” from some of the busiest couples there are: these couples — from food writers, executive chefs, and sommeliers to ranchers — share memories of discovering food with their spouses.
Their stories run the gamut from funny to romantic, but all are linked by the common thread that sharing a meal and cooking with (or for) your spouse is an integral and exciting part of the relationship.
Page vii.
Chapters in “The Newlywed Kitchen” include the following:
- Preface
- Introduction
- Carry Me Over the Threshold: Starters and Snacks
- A Moveable Feast
- Romaine Holiday
- An Unlikely Pairing
- For Better or For Worse: Budget-Friendly Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches
- Soup a la Stowell
- Wheat Not, Kale Not
- A Roadside, Pork, and Bliss
- The Morning After: Scones, Biscuits, and Other Brunch Goodies
- A Peasant Tradition
- For the Love of Cooking
- The Family That Eats Together, Stays Together
- Who Gets the Remote?: Comforting Meals for Lazy Nights
- A Saveur Sequel
- A Family Affair
- Seasonal Feasts
- Losing the Newlywed 15: Healthful Vegetable Side Dishes
- The Good Life
- Chariots of Fillet
- Garden of Plenty
- Something Bold, Something New: Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Dishes
- Humble Beginnings
- Adventurous Palates
- Wild at Heart
- Happily Ever After: Desserts and Sweets
- Tiers of Joy
- Make Your Cake and Eat it Too
- Love Is Apple Pie
- Acknowledgments
- Recipe Index
Cozy breakfast? The lovebirds could try the Bacon, Onion, and Pecorino Mini Quiches. Weeknight suppers may include Pancetta-Wrapped Pork with Gorgonzola Cheese or Backyard Barbecue Mile-High Burgers and Buttermilk Onion Rings on a beautiful evening.
The new couple could tackle Supergooey Philly Cheesesteak Sliders or Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup or one of the other 80+ recipes in this book. Reviewers rave over Bourbon-Glazed Baby Back Ribs with Sweet-and-Smoky Barbecue Sauce and Henry’s Famous Spicy Wings.
Cook Together + Informative
The New Newlywed Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Every Couple to Cook Together
Author: Kenzie Swanhart and Julien Levesque
Published: 2019
Publisher: Rockridge Press
The New Newlywed Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Every Couple to Cook Together (2019) by Kenzie Swanhart and Julien Levesque (Amazon) (eBay)
Read over 212 pages of more than 100 recipes covering the range from breakfast in bed to a Friendsgiving. The 7.5 x 0.58 x 9.25-inch cookbook has a fun twist with the addition of optional instructions for the “sous-chef,” or the kitchen helper.
The sous chef receives instructions on when to begin and what to do. It’s a nice touch to help take the pressure off the cook, while giving the helper a better idea of how and where to jump in.
We are so excited to share with you a fresh approach to cooking for two that can work for any modern couple.
From cozy date nights in to a weekend brunch for two, and even doable dinner parties, the recipes filling these pages are meant to ensure you and your partner grow your relationship through quality time in the kitchen, eat well, and, most importantly, have fun!
This is not your grandmother’s newlywed cookbook, and we don’t want it left on the bookshelf collecting dust. We hope the spine breaks and the pages get splattered as you cook your way through these recipes.
We want you to find your go-to weeknight dinners, favorites snacks and sides, and the dinner party menu you break out when you have loved ones over and want to really impress.
The New Newlywed Cookbook, Page viii.
Chapters inside “The New Newlywed Cookbook” include:
- Introduction
- A Kitchen for Two
- Recipes for Two: Let’s Stay In
- Breakfast and Brunch
- Quick Bites
- Dinner Dates
- Desserts for Two
- Recipes for More: Easy, Practical Parties
- No-Fuss Cocktail Party
- Birthday Brunch
- Weekend BBQ
- Doable Dinner Party
- Friendsgiving Feast
- Sauces and Extras
- Measurement Coversions
- The Dirty Dozen and The Clean Fifteen(TM)
- Recipe Index
Easy Bacon and Broccoli Strata, Caramelized Shallot and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Caprese Salad Skewers, and Blue Cheese-Stuffed Olives jumped out at me.
From the Shrimp Pad Thai to Baked Lobster Macaroni and Cheese to Chocolate Hazelnut Crepes with Fresh Strawberries, this cookbook presents a host of beautiful food.
This book is skimpy on the images, but don’t let that hold you back. For a couple who just tied the knot, and new to cooking, the “sous chef” instructions could prove particularly handy.
Contemporary + Fresh
The Newlywed Table: A Cookbook to Start Your Life Together with 100 Essential Recipes
Author: Maria Zizka
Published: 2019
Publisher: Artisan
The Newlywed Table: A Cookbook to Start Your Life Together with 100 Essential Recipes (2019) by Maria Zizka (Amazon) (eBay)
Dishes in this 7.5 x 1 x 10.25-inch, 304-page cookbook lean to the fancier side, with recipes for items such as Leek and Goat Cheese Tart, French Toast with Grapefruit-Cranberry Compote, Shrimp and Pork Dumplings, and Green Rice with Preserved Lemon.
Think California vibe with a Midwestern approach (feels a little fancy, yet the instructions and tone are friendly and encouraging).
It’s not all elevated and the instructions are clear — so even beginners can dig in. Diner Burger and fries plus Grilled Cheese and Homemade Tomato Soup have a home here, too.
“As you begin your life as a newly married couple, you’ll figure out your own way to divide household tasks.
For too long, the duties of cooking fell to the wife. This is a ridiculous default, because a person’s gender has nothing to do with that person’s aptitude for cooking, and a marriage in which both partners work full-time is not at all unusual — plus, spending time in the kitchen and creating meals with another person is more enjoyable.
Let’s do away with any notions of who should be responsible for cooking and start with a clean slate.You’re in this together. You’re a team.
Maria Zizik, The Newlywed Table, Page 10.
Chapter intros list the full selection of dishes with the page number. Chapters in “The Newlywed Table” include:
- Introduction
- Kitchen Equipment and Tools
- Stocking the Pantry
- Dinners for Two
- Vegetarian Mains
- Sides
- When Company Comes Over
- Sweets
- Breakfast Anytime
- Snacks
- Kitchen Projects
- Little Extras
- Common Cooking Issues and How To Fix Them
- Wedding Registry Checklist
- Resources
- Acknowledgments
- Recipe Index
Browse through this cookbook and you’ll see why Maria Zizka was named one of the 2018 most influential people under 30 in the world of food and drink by Forbes.
Recipes include full-color, beautiful images and a meaty paragraph of text to read. This book would be wonderful for cooking couples who have basic cooking skills and are looking to up their skills with modern classics.
Maria Zizka is the author or contributing author of other cookbooks you may know). Pair this book with Maria’s “Boards, Platters, and Plates“ (2021) for a visual feast.
Simple + Lovely
The Newlywed Cookbook: Cooking Happily Ever After
Author: Roxanne Wyss and Kathy Moore
Published: 2014
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
The Newlywed Cookbook: Cooking Happily Ever After (2014) by Roxanne Wyss and Kathy Moore (Amazon) (eBay)
This collection of more than 70 recipes will show them how. At 240 page, the 8.25 x 1 x 9.25-inch includes full-color images and a nice range of recipes for daily life and then some.
No time in life is as exciting and new, and yes, sometimes as challenging as your first year of marriage.
While the wedding bells may have stopped ringing, your hearts are beating loudly with love and romance as you start this journey together.
It is a time of sharing new experiences, building memories that will last a lifetime, and establishing sacred traditions. It is a year of leisurely weekends built around busy evenings that are so much sweeter since you share them with the love of your life.
It is a year of many firsts — first holidays, first dinner parties, first visits from your in-laws, and even your first anniversary.
“The Newlywed cookbook”, Introduction.
Chapters inside “The Newlywed Cookbook” include:
- Introduction
- Appliance Pro
- Weeknight Dinners
- Weekends
- Grazing and Small Plates
- A Blast From the Past
- Desserts and Indulgences
- Entertaining
- Kitchen and Pantry Basics
- Acknowledgments
- Recipe Index
Will the happy duo cook up a Winter Chicken, Artichoke, and Fennel Cassoulet or an Oven-Toasted Ham and Egg Tartine Sandwich? Maybe they’ll head off on a romantic picnic with BLT Deviled Eggs and Chicken and Swiss Pop Tarts.
Cook Together + Special Diets
No-Fuss Cookbook for Newlyweds: Practical Tips and Perfectly Portioned Recipes to Cook Together
Author: Ryan Ross
Published: 2020
Publisher: Rockridge Press
No-Fuss Cookbook for Newlyweds: Practical Tips and Perfectly Portioned Recipes to Cook Together by Ryan Ross (Amazon) (eBay)
Want to cook together? Check out the “Divide and Conquer” tip in every recipe to help new cooks easily divvy up the kitchen tasks. Let private chef and culinary producer Ryan Ross show you how.
No-Fuss is a 7.5 x 0.59 x 9.25-inch, 216-page cookbook providing over 75 recipes for two. Follow Chef Ryan Ross on Instagram for a peek into her delightful cooking world.
Chapters in the “No Fuss Cookbook” include the following:
- Introduction
- Your Kitchen is a Disaster
- No-Cook
- 30 Minutes
- 5 Ingredients
- One-Pot
- Sauces and Staples
- What’s for Dinner?
- Measurement Conversions
- Recipe Index
We now have a house in Virginia (a whole house!) and though we may not need to store our small appliances in our car anymore, there is always a way to streamline.
Whether it’s cleaning out the spice rack or reorganizing the drawer full of storage containers, the goal is to make the kitchen an easy place to be, so that cooking is always something to look forward to, rather than an item on the chore wheel.
No matter where you are living in the world, cooking together is what makes a place feel like home. Sure, sometimes you’ll just have a “you open the box and I’ll stir in the cheese” sort of night, but it’s still a meal shared, and it’s valuable.
A marriage and partnership centered around food is a happy one.
Here’s to you and the love of your life creating your own traditions in the kitchen, no matter the kitchen at hand.
Page iX.
Can’t you just see the marrieds making Cranberry-Coconut Granola before taking off on a hike or whipping up Puff Pastry Eggs with Prosciutto and Cheese on a lazy Sunday?
From Spaghetti Carbonara to Chicken Paprikash, help entice anyone new to the kitchen with this attractive cookbook.
Concise + Reliable
Williams-Sonoma Bride and Groom Cookbook: Recipes for Cooking Together
Author: Gayle Pirie and John Clark
Published: 2006
Publisher: Free Press
Williams-Sonoma Bride and Groom Cookbook: Recipes for Cooking Together (2006) by Gayle Pirie and John Clark (Amazon) (eBay)
Restaurant chefs Gayle Pirie and John Clark share a variety of recipes in this 8.38 x 1.1 x 10-inch, 256-page cookbook devoted to setting up a kitchen and how to use it.
This cookbook aims to help you navigate an important part of your new married life: the business of cooking, and eating, together.
A fine set of cookware is often bestowed on a new couple by their family and friends, but it won’t be much help if you’re not sure what to do with it.
This is a cookbook you’ll be able to use for years to come. If you’re new to cooking, you’ll learn how to arrange your kitchen, what equipment you’ll need, and how to stock a pantry.
You’ll gain a basic understanding of the different ways of coking and which foods they apply to. And you’ll gain a wonderful collection of recipes.
The dishes in this cookbook are classics that every family should be able to prepare and enjoy, but they’re not stuffy or old-fashioned.
Most of the recipes are quite simple, but you’ll soon be able to work your way up to the more challenging ones.
Some recipes are intended as weeknight meals and serve two, but most serve more with an eye to entertaining and a growing family.
Chuck Williams, Williams-Sonoma Bride and Groom Cookbook, Page 8.
Chapters in the “Williams-Sonoma Bride and Groom Cookbook” include:
- About This Book
- Creating a Meal
- Organizing the Kitchen
- Outfitting the Kitchen
- The Well-Stocked Pantry
- Following a Recipe
- About Wine
- About Cheese
- Breakfast and Brunch
- Starters
- Soups and Salads
- Meat, Poultry, and Seafood
- Pasta, Pizza, and Risotto
- Vegetables
- Sides
- Desserts
- Basic Recipes
- Legumes and Grains
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Meat and Poultry
- Eggs and Dairy
- Fish and Shellfish
- The Skilled Cook
- Entertaining Basics
- Menu
- Glossary
- Recipe Index
Whether the happy couple are new to the kitchen or have been cooking for years, this cookbook offers recipes to appeal to both. Each recipe is marked with 1-3 spoons to share the difficulty level and ease of preparation.
Will they flip to the Puff Pastry Chicken Potpie or the Black Bean Soup? Grilled Eggplant Pizza, Penne with Sausage and Greens, or Pasta Puttanesca? Whatever they decide, they can end their meal with a nice Raspberry Lemon Tart or a plate of Almond Cookies.
Fresh + Contemporary
Williams-Sonoma Newlywed Cookbook: Favorite Recipes for Cooking Together
Author: Williams-Sonoma
Published: 2018
Publisher: Weldon Owen
Williams-Sonoma Newlywed Cookbook: Favorite Recipes for Cooking Together (2018) by Williams-Sonoma (Amazon) (eBay)
I’m a fan of Williams-Sonoma cookbooks for their clear directions and well-tested recipes. This is a 8.5 x 1.1 x 10-inch, 256-page cookbook a couple can grow with.
From basics, such as Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes or The Ultimate Mac and Cheese, to dishes a step above (Roasted Carrots with Fennel, Pistachios, and Honey Vinaigrette or Sea Bass in Parchment with Salsa Verde) — there’s a little of everything.
What makes the newlywed kitchen unique is the way you experience it together and what it says about you as a couple.
In this room that smells of fresh-baked scones and bacon or soy sauce and kimchi, you will work side by side.
Even if one of you is the cook and the other the bottle washer, here you will stir, whisk, laugh, wrap, rinse, toast, roast, cork-pop, argue, pour, cheer, scrub, buff, boil, and baste — together cooking up memories you’ll savor for a lifetime.
Williams-Sonoma The Newlywed Cookbook, Page 9.
Chapters in the Williams-Sonoma cookbooks for newlyweds include:
- Introduction
- Love and Food: Cooking Together
- A Fresh Philosophy
- Setting Up a Kitchen for Two
- Cooking for Two: Making It Special
- Cooking for a Crowd
- Setting the Table
- Cooking and Eating Outdoors
- All About Wine
- All About Beer
- Breakfast and Brunch
- Starters and Snacks
- Soups and Salads
- Pasta, Pizza, and Risotto
- Main Courses
- Side Dishes
- Desserts
- Kitchen Essentials
- Essential Tools
- Basic Recipes
- Recipe Index
Williams-Sonoma cookbooks are always lovely. This cookbook is no exception. The menus share not only the recipe and page number, but offer guidance on when and how to begin putting the dinner together.
Salmon with French Lentils, Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts, and Bolognese Sauce with Tagliatelle are a small sampling of the dishes inside.
Inspired + Practical
Williams-Sonoma Newlywed Entertaining: Recipes for Celebrating with Friends & Family
Author: Williams-Sonoma
Published: 2018
Publisher: Weldon Owen
Williams-Sonoma Newlywed Entertaining: Recipes for Celebrating with Friends & Family (2018) by Williams Sonoma (Amazon) (eBay)
Bundle the Williams-Sonoma Newlyweds Cookbook above with this one for the total package. The format is a perfect match.
Over 180 recipes aid the newly married couple in entertaining a variety of gatherings, from cocktail parties to holiday dinners. It’s a lovely 256-page, 8.5 x 1 x 10 inch-cookbook any couple new to entertaining will turn to often.
Throwing a party together as newlyweds gives you a chance to welcome people into your home as a couple, to share the love with them that they have given to you throughout the wedding process, and to start new traditions, including hosting holidays.
It’s a great way to put some of your favorite tableware and serving pieces to work, too.
Over time, you’ll establish a look and feel for your parties that set them apart from everyone else’s.
Willams-Sonoma Newlywed Entertaining, Introduction.
Expect the usual mouth-watering images, careful instruction, and attention to detail you find in the rest of the Williams-Sonoma family of cookbooks.
Chapters in Williams-Sonoma Newlywed Entertaining include:
- Introduction
- Daytime Dishes
- Alfresco
- Dinner Parties
- Holiday Celebrations
- Cocktail Parties
- Menus
- Basic Recipes
- Recipe Index
Each of the chapters offers the appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts for specific social situations.
In the chapter “Dinner Parties,’ choose between main course including Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots, Filets Mignons with Watercress and Parmesan Butter, Brined Pork Loin with Apricot-Onion Mostarda, and Pork Chops with Caramelized Meyer Lemons (to name a few).
Cook Together + Gorgeous
Williams-Sonoma Two in the Kitchen: A Cookbook for Newlyweds
Author: Jordan Mackay and Christie Dufault
Published: 2012
Publisher: Weldon Owen
Williams-Sonoma Two in the Kitchen: A Cookbook for Newlyweds (2012) by Jordan Mackay and Christie Dufault (Amazon) (eBay)
When you see the Williams-Sonoma name, you know to expect quality. This 256-page, 8.5 x 1 x 10-inch cookbook maintains the standard with 150 recipes, excellent images, and fun illustrations.
This is not a cooking for two cookbook, but a cookbook for two to cook from. Some recipes require extra effort (but it’s Williams-Sonoma, so you already knew that).
In a fun twist, this cookbook offers more than someone sharing their family favorite recipes. It includes the favorite recipe (or two or three) from contributing couples.
The contributing writers include:
- Julie and Matt Walker
- Saukok and Jamie Tiampo
- Mindy Segal and Dan Thompkins
- Aki Kamozawa and Alex Talbot
- Andrew Reusing and Mac McCaughan
- Molly Wizenberg and Brandon Pettit
- Lisa and Emmett Fox
We both grew up in households in which family mealtime was sacred, and the rituals surrounding eating and drinking have continued to define and unite us.
Today, we always start by setting a beautiful table — cloth napkins, proper wine glasses — and carry that same attentiveness throughout the execution of the menu.
Whether it’s a simple dinner for two in the kitchen, an alfresco bunch for friends, or a holiday feast in the dining room, we honor the meal by creating a welcoming setting and cooking food from the heart.
It’s our way of reveling in each other and in our union. We hope that you will find the same bliss in the kitchen that we do.
Two in the Kitchen, A Note.
Chapters inside “Two in the Kitchen” include:
- Two Cooks in the Kitchen
- Entertaining as a Couple
- Breakfast and Brunch
- In the Kitchen With
- Julie and Matt Walker
- Saukok and Jamie Tiampo
- In the Kitchen With
- Drinks and Nibbles
- In the Kitchen With
- Mindy Segal and Dan Thompkins
- Aki Kamozawa and Alex Talbot
- In the Kitchen With
- Supper for Two
- Real Couple Stories
- What Was Your First Home-Cooked Meal as a Couple?
- In the Kitchen With
- Andrea Reusing and Mac McCaughan
- Dinner for Company
- Real Couple Stories
- What Is Your Approach to Entertaining?
- In the Kitchen With
- Molly Wizenberg and Brandon Pettit
- Holiday Fare
- Real Couple Stories
- What’s a Favorite Holiday Dish You Like to Make
- In the Kitchen With
- Lisa and Emmett Fox
- Wine and Beer Guide
- Elements of the Table
- Kitchen Essentials
- Basic Recipes
- Recipe Index
The new couple could make Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan, Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Pecan Crust, or Three-Cheese Lasagna if you gift this fancy cookbook.
Digital Gift Subscriptions for Digital (Newlywed) Nomads
Not everyone is into owning a collection of cookbooks. For modern couples who lean minimalist or don’t have much room, you could go the digital gift subscription route.
These publications offer instant access to huge online catalogs of recipes. This might be a great wedding gift fit for newlyweds who prefer an iPad or eReader to a physical book.
Add-On Gifts for the Just Married
A colorful set of silicone spatulas are not only handy, but a great tie-in with a cookbook gift.
Let the newlyweds record special events and celebrations with space to jot down the menu, a memorable recipe, and for guests to sign. A 2018 Oprah Favorite Things pick.
Gift newlyweds a set of pot holders along with a cookbook made for two.
Small appliances, kitchen gadgets, or high-quality cookware are a common wedding day gift. A cookbook is a fun and unexpected little extra. Or not so little extra, if you check out the page numbers and size on a few of the titles I listed above (they are massive tomes).
Pair a cookbook with an item related to the book. Think: a colorful silicone spatula and a festive kitchen dish towel. Or how about his and hers aprons or an assortment of wooden spoons?
Make a cookbook for a wedding gift extra special by adding a handwritten recipe card and a sweet recipe box or DIY recipe book to help them write down their family favorite recipes as the years pass.
Whatever you choose, I suggest writing INSIDE the cookbook. Yes, I write in my cookbooks. Each time the couple opens that book, they’ll see your note. Don’t forget to include your first and last name, the date, and any other relevant details.
Memorable Wedding Gifts Start Here
Domestic bliss begins now. From how to cook guides to recipes that will level up with the lovebirds, these are gift-worthy books. Whether you choose to gift a wedding cookbook or you combine it with other kitchen essentials, it’s always a perfect gift.
But then again, you know I always consider a cookbook the perfect gift — whether it’s for Mother’s Day (hint, hint), a Christmas gift, or for any old time.
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