Meals for the Week: Post Office A-Go-Go

I've been going to the post office every day for the past week or two due to the pull of a small, steady trickle of book sales via Half.com. My cookbook collection has been pared, and I've finally let go of some old textbooks from college that I had to admit I'll never read again. When we move again, maybe we'll have a box or two less than we might otherwise have to carry.

As far as cookbooks go, I've found there are only a few I use with regularity. For baking, I rely on King Arthur Flour's series of books and the America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book. For meals, I turn to other books from the editors of Cook's Illustrated, as well as The Joy of Cooking. Sometimes I refer to How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, too.

But my celebrity chef books? My random, often bargain, cookbooks? They mostly gather dust.

Incidentally, Giada De Laurentiis's cookbook Everyday Italian has retained its value very well on the secondary market. Rachael Ray and Emeril Lagasse books are lucky to sell for 75 cents. Interpret that as you will.

Monday
Hot dogs
Baked beans
Coleslaw

Tuesday
Special anniversary dinner

Wednesday
Risotto with chicken and thyme
Salad

Thursday
Burritos
Tortilla chips and salsa
Slaw

Friday
Loaded baked potatoes
Biscuits
Salad

Saturday
Shells and spinach in cheese sauce
Salad

Sunday
Barbecue pulled chicken sandwiches
Corn
Baked beans
Salad