It’s that time of year where cooking, hosting, and eating are in full swing! Whether, you’re responsible for bringing the family together during the holidays or your New Year resolution is to improve your skills in the kitchen, this list from Natasha Feldman, author of The Dinner Party Project: A No-Stress Guide to Food with Friends, will get you off to a great start. They also make excellent last-minute gifts for your foodie (or wannabe foodie) friends and family.

About the Author

Natasha Feldman is a culinary school dropout, chef, and author of The Dinner Party Project—A No Stress Guide to Food with Friends. Natasha hosts cooking shows for outlets like Food Network, MGM, and Huffington Post, contributes to national news programs and magazines, and teaches private classes for aspiring cooks and corporate clients. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and fluffy dog, Malone.

Aloha Kitchen: Recipes from Hawai’i by Alana Kysar

This book is FULL of show-stopping, family-style dishes perfect for slowing down and sharing with your family around the holidays. I recommend following Kysar’s “Anatomy of a Plate Lunch” to create a robust an exciting meal!

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Bread and Roses: 100+ Grain Forward Recipes featuring Global Ingredients and Botanicals by Rose Wilde

Wilde’s brand-new book is laden with super interesting baked goods that highlight ingredients from all around the world and will make you stop and think about ingredients in a whole new way. Not to mention they’re all insanely beautiful which makes them perfect for bringing to a holiday gathering!

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Cook This Book: Techniques That Teach and Recipes to Repeat by Molly Baz

Baz is no stranger to big flavor and big fun, so adding a recipe or two of hers (I love her veggie sides and salads) to your usual holiday meals will really amp up the occasion.

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Shuk: From Market to Table, The Heart of Israeli Home Cooking by Einat Admony and Janna Gur

This one is a bit unconventional for a holiday guide, but if you’re planning on having an appetizer spread, this book, has got you covered. All the dips, snacks, and small bites are delicious and just a little bit off the beaten path.

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Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home by Erik Kim

This book has a full chapter on feasts! And everything I have tried from this book has hit the mark every time!

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Cool Beans: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking with the World’s Most Versatile Plant-based Protein by Joe Yonan

“What the fork do I cook for my veggie friends?” That’s the question this book answers. It’s full of hearty bean dishes that can easily be a main for an omnivore and a perfect side for others.

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The Dinner Party Project: A No-Stress Guide to Food with Friends by Natasha Feldman

Ok, so I wrote this one and am a BIT biased, but I think more than the food the best thing you can do as a host to make your gathering memorable is to actually be able to be present and enjoy the time with your people without running around like an insane person with a sink exploding with dishes. That’s what my book will teach you. How to prep, what short cuts are worth taking and how to find your rhythm as a host.

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Italian American: Red Sauce Classics and New Essentials by Angi Rito and Scott Tacinelli

Nothing says big family gathering like Italian food. This book is full of American Italian dishes that feel like a big hug and are easy to make in large format.

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Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico by Rick Martínez

I just really love this book. It’s so fun to read, the food makes me smile and I think nothing says celebration like a big meal inspired by the culture that knows how to party like no one else. You could use almost any of these recipes for a holiday celebration, but if you want something really fun, go for a large format dish to put in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in!

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