Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I decided to take advantage of the time off and spend some time shopping. Yes, I even went shopping on Black Friday. But it was in the afternoon, and the stores weren’t any busier than a normal weekend. I was so exhausted from the food that I couldn’t bring myself to bake anything over the weekend. The Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart was a hit for Thanksgiving, though this time around, the mousse texture wasn’t exactly there.

I had been feeling in a bit of “funk” for the last couple of weeks. I’m not sure what was causing it. But I did know something that would help me snap out of it, so to speak.

Retail therapy.

I know, I know. It isn’t always a good thing to buy something to help make you feel better, but for me it works.

I’ve also kind of been in a bit of baking and blogging lull. I think it has to do with the change of season and the fact that it gets dark before I leave work every day. Even though we’re nearing the 30-day point since the time-change, this one really messes with me. In an effort to combat some of this funk, I decided to invest in a new baking book. But that lead to another problem all its own.

Which one should I choose? There are tons out there and so many more have published since the last time I bought a baking-centric book. Since I am making the slow switch to plant-based foods, I considered buying a vegan baking book. But for some reason, it didn’t spark any joy when I was looking through it.

Eventually, I decided on a book that I had been wanting an excuse to buy for some time. It’s by a baker who I respect and find extremely creative. She makes exceptional bakes and I cannot wait to start making some of her recipes. She entered the cookbook world back in the 80s with the publication of her book The Cake Bible and since then has published many other baking books covering a variety of desserts and savory bakes, too.

Rose’s Baking Basics by Rose Levy Beranbaum is a wonderful introduction to her cookbooks. With easy, step-by-step instructions and many pictures to accompany each recipe, these recipes are fool proof. Plus, you get wonderful tips along the way. I can’t wait to bake some of these recipes before I move onto the more serious recipes she designed in books such as The Baking Bible and Rose’s Heavenly Cakes.

You can see a listing of all of Rose’s books here. I highly recommend you invest in at least one or two. They will take your baking to the next level.

One of the first recipes I hope to bake? That lovely pie on the cover!