Molly's Cooking Studio [With 10 Reusable Place Cards and Cookie Cutter, 20 Table Talkers]

I gave this book as a Christmas gift to my daughter. She was eager for others to know how nice it is. I have enjoyed this book with her. I have included her "review" in her own words: "I got this book on Christmas and really enjoy it! My mom and I have read through it and the recipes look so good! I have not made the recipes yet, but we did do the table talkers! The table talkers are pleasant conversation that you can ask questions to each other! It also comes with a cute cookie cutter in the shape of the star, reusable name cards, and cool party ideas! I would highly recommend this book for 8-20 years old. I am 10 years old and I hope to use recipes soon!"

This, and all the American Girl Cooking Studio Collection Books, are fantastic. Years ago, when there were only 3 American Girls, Molly being one of them, they published a cookbook with recipes from all three girls times which I purchased for my then young daughter. This collection is an expansion of that. All the recipes from before are there, and more. Molly was during the days my mom was growing up, so it was special. My grandmother was Samantha's time, and Julie was my time. After purchasing this, I went and ordered the other four in the series. I taught my daughter cooking techniques, manners, table settings, etc. She was so excited when I showed her "Molly's dishes" last weekend when she visited - Fiestaware! Neither of us had ever noticed it. Last summer my daughter got married, and her everyday dishes are Fiestaware. We relived all the happy memories we'd shared when she was 8 all over again. We shared the most recent girl, Julie 1974, and all the little pictures and stories of the times, and saying "I remember that" and "we had that crockpot" - I can't wait til she has a little girl and I can share these with her. They recipes follow the theme of the times, they have templates for invitations, and games of the day, just full of all kinds of fun things. They teach history in a fun and exciting way. Yesterday was the 4th of July, and my daughter baked the "Celebration Cake" for our picnic. As I was preparing to make the deviled eggs, she said "Hang on. I'll do it! Let me get Molly's cookbook". She's almost 27, she knows how to make deviled eggs without a cookbook, but for that one moment she was my little girl again. She ran to her room, grabbed the cookbook and sat on the kitchen stool and read the recipe and made deviled eggs just like Molly did as a girl, and as she had done as a girl herself. They say you can't go back in time, but for that moment I did. The whole series is a set of books I'd recommend to anyone.