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"Tyler Florence Fresh" by Tyler Florence, $35
The photographs in this book are stunning, almost worth the price without the recipes. They are vibrant and reflect the theme Florence has carried throughout the book, which is showcasing everyday foods in innovative ways.
One recipe that appealed to me was Pumpkin Pie, Whipped Eggnog, Sage and Honey. It is served, like many of the dishes in this book, de-constructed. You break the crust apart, smear the pumpkin on, add a dollop of the whipped cream, and top with the sage, honey and fried pumpkin seeds.
Many of the recipes are advanced, but you could seriously buy this book just for the photos.
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"The Dead Celebrity Cookbook Presents: Christmas in Tinseltown" by Frank De Caro, $14.95
Get into the spirit by celebrating the spirits of your favorite Tinseltown stars.
In his follow-up cookbook to "The Dead Celebrity Cookbook," De Caro offers such chapters as "Miracle Whip on 34th Street" and "Eat Meat in St. Louis."
Some celebrity recipes include Peggy Lee's Holiday Halibut Casserole, Bing Crosby's Sugar Cookies and Robert Mitchum's Eggnog.
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"Cooking With Love, Comfort Food that Hugs You" by Carla Hall with Genevieve Ko, $30
Carla Hall cooked her way into the season-five finals of Bravo's "Top Chef" and was later voted Fan Favorite of the 2011 Top Chef All-Stars Series.
Hall grew up in Nashville, Tenn., and credits her grandmother's love of cooking and her Southern traditions as her main inspirations in the kitchen.
Her cookbook includes dishes from her roots, and some of the recipes include Creamy Potato and Garlic Soup with Pumpernickel Croutons, Mustard Marinated Grilled Veggies, and Granny's Slow-Cooked Sunday Smothered Pork Chops.
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"Gran Cocina Latina, The Food of Latin America" by Marciel E. Presilla, $45
From Mexico to Argentina and all the Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean, chef Presilla provides more than 500 authentic dishes.
The cookbook is a comprehensive collection and would be a great gift for anyone who loves the food of these cultures. Learn to make adobos, sofritos, empanadas, tamales, moles and desserts such as flan and tres leches cake.
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"The Food 52 Cookbook, Seasonal Recipes from Our Kitchens to Yours" by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, $30
The founders of the collaborative online cooking community, Food52, offer a collection of 104 seasonal recipes compiled from the country's home cooks.
Hesser and Stubbs created the book by encouraging skilled home cooks to compete in seasonal, themed contests. They photographed the process of making each recipe, and the winners were determined by the votes of online readers.
Recipes include Ginger Apple Torte, Fig and Blue Cheese Savories, Flamin' Cajun Shrimp, and Raspberry Custard Cups.
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"The Foolproof Freezer Cookbook" by Ghillie James, $19.95
Here's a time-saving cookbook that helps you get ahead.
Ghillie James has created more than 100 recipes for prepare-ahead canapes, mid-week meals and homemade baking that help you deal with leftovers and gluts of fruit and vegetables from the garden.
Other recipes include soups, appetizers and casseroles. You'll also find Beef and Spinach Lasagna, Choco-Mocha Loaf with Mascarpone Icing, and Zucchini and Sweet Corn Cakes with Smoked Salmon.
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"Canal House Cooks Every Day" by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer, $45
With nearly 250 recipes and 384 pages, Hamilton and Hirsheimer created this cookbook with home cooks in mind.
Their recipes use seasonal ingredients and celebrate the everyday practice of everyday cooking. In addition to daily recipes, the cookbook included menus for holidays throughout the year. Recipes include buttery Lobster Capellini, Chorizo and Potato Frittata, and Fennel and Ginger-Rubbed Chicken with Cauliflower.
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"The Daily Cookie: 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest Year of Your Life" by Anna Ginsberg, $24.99
The author highlights an event or holiday each day and provides a recipe that compliments the special occasion.
This book is instantly appealing for its basic concept: a cookie for every day. And it makes you want to immediately look up your birthday and other days of the year.
Try Spicy Chocolate Ginger Guys for Nov. 5 - Guy Fawkes Day - or Peanut Browned Butter Banana Bacon Cookies on Jan. 8, Elvis Presley's birthday.
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"Southern Comfort" by Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing, $35
In 2005, Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing left high-profile Manhattan restaurants to return home to Louisiana and open a restaurant - three months before Hurricane Katrina.
The book features their story and 100 recipes that showcase their classically inspired takes on the traditional Southern food they grew up with.
Recipes include Hush Puppies and Caviar, Seared Scallops with Andoullie Thyme Butter and Black-Eyed Peas Empanadas.
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"The Foothills Cuisine of Blackberry Farm" by Sam Beall, $60
Blackberry Farm has been lauded as one of the country's best resorts and sought out for its perfect mix of rusticity and refinement.
Owner Sam Beall takes food lovers into the secrets that make Blackberry Farm cuisine so magical. The stunning photography makes the package perfect for the coffee table or kitchen.
Some of the recipes include Mountain Multigrain Bread, Fried Catfish and Cucumber Slaw, Green Tomato Pie, and Banana Peanut Butter Pudding.
Interspersed throughout the book are artisan craft lessons, such as cheese-making, canning and preserving, and curing meats.
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