At the Table :: 2026 Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club | May - August

Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club has been embracing the Year of the Deep Dive, with our featured cookbook during this four-month sojourn cooking through Mediterranea: Life-perfected Recipes from Grandmothers of the Mediterranean by @anastasia_miari. Each month, we focused on a new chapter. Here's what I managed to make from this engaging book, every recipe inspired by a singular grandmother:

May challenge - SHARING

Margarita's Coca de Verduras (Mallorcan Vegetable Tart)

 Matilda's Krumpir Salata (Dalmatian Potato Salad)

June challenge - COMFORTING

Maryse's Courgette Gratin from Camargue

Chiara's Spaghetti all'Amatriciana

Italia's Patate Arragante (Napolese Oregano Baked Potatoes)

Maryse's Vinaigrette (Traditional French Salad Dressing)

July challenge - FEASTING

Franca's Lasagne

August challenge - TREATING

Turkish Walnut Biscuits

We'll continue baking from Baking & The Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes by Helen Goh @helen_goh_bakes through this entire year. Here are the recipes I tried during the last four months:

Potato, Garlic, & Rosemary Focaccia

Puttanesca Galette with Lemon Ricotta

Unfortunately, I didn't fit in a baking recipe for July and August, but I definitely enjoyed the two recipes I tried earlier in the spring and summer. Hopefully I'll get to try more in the months ahead.

At the Table :: 2026 Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club | February, March, and April

Since 2026 began, the Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club has been embracing the Year of the Deep Dive, with our main cookbook being Something from Nothing by Alison Roan @alisoneroman. January got its 
own post, I know, but here's what I've cooked up the rest of the months using this book.

February challenge - Soups On: Make any recipe from the Soups & Stews chapter

Spicy Pork Soup with Pasta & Parmesan

Ginger & Greens Noodle Soup

March challenge - Pasta is Life: Make any recipe from the Pasta & Noodles chapter

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta with Pecorino Breadcrumbs

April challenge - From Land to Sea: Make any recipe from the Meats & Fishes chapter

Goodbye Meatballs

Meanwhile, we'll be baking from Baking & The Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes by Helen Goh @helen_goh_bakes through this entire year. Below are what I've made for our February - April last day of the month baking challenges:

Chocolate Ginger Beer Cake

Dutch Baby with Mortadella & Arugula

King’s Coronation Scones with Morello Cherry Jam

Looking back over the last few months, I think it's a toss-up between the soups and the meatballs, which new recipes we enjoyed the most. Whatever, I really enjoyed trying recipes from both of these books. It'll be great to keep baking from The Meaning of Life, and I'm anxious to hear what our new savory book will be for the next four months. Hopefully we'll find out tomorrow!

At the Table :: 2026 Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club | January

Considering I've already made seven new recipes for the Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club just in January, I thought I might should post a little oftener than quarterly. We'll see how it goes going forward.

Anyway, 2026 is Year of the Deep Dive for the club and we kicked off our four-month savory cookbook club selection with Something from Nothing by Alison Roman @alisoneroman. For January, our challenge was to Eat Your Veg: Make any recipe from either the Vegetable or Beans & Grains chapters. And boy, did I. Sorry I'm not a better food photography, but you'll get the idea.

Forever-Roasted Squash with Browned Butter Dates

Toasted Rice Pilaf with Crushed Walnuts and Dates

Browned Butter Potato Salad

Perfect Oil-Roasted Tomatoes

Spiced, Butter-Roasted Carrots with Walnuts

A Chili, because you asked

Then Baking & The Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes by Helen Goh @helen_goh_bakes is the yearlong cookbook for our last day of the month baking party.

For January, we had the choice of making one of two madeleine recipes, and I chose the Lunchbox Madeleines,

You'll find longer descriptions of each recipe if you click to my IG posts about them. But overall, it's been a really yummy month, and I'm happy to just keep cooking and baking from these two books into February and beyond.

At the Table :: 2025 Rainy Day Bites September to December

This September through December, our Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club continued with a #budgetbakesandbites theme. Part of leaning into budget cooking was using resources we already had on hand. Our focus has also been on using cookbooks already in our library that we had never made a recipe from. I often choose a cookbook and made more than one recipe from it before moving on to another. Below are the tasty results.

September

Featured book: Colu Cooks Easy Fancy Food by Colu Henry @coluhenry

A Pot of Beans

Weekday Cassoulet

My Cec

Soupy Beans with 'Nduja and Torn Radicchio

Roasted Carrots & Fennel with Toasted Almonds, Olives, and Feta

Cauliflower with Anchovy Oil and Crispy Capers

October

Broccoli Rabe Toast with Melted Provolone from Colu Cooks Easy Fancy Food by Colu Henry @coluhenry

Sopa Campesina from The Bean Book by Steve Sando of @ranchogordo

Curried Butternut Squash and Pear Bisque from The Paley's Place Cookbook by Vitaly Paley @vit0bike and Kimberly Paley

Black Bean Soup with Lots of Fritos from I Dream of Dinner (so you don't have to) by Ali Slagle @itsalislagle

November

Squash with Herby Salsa Verde from To the Last Bite by Alexis deBoschnek @alexisdeboschnek

December

Herby Swiss Dutch Baby from Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy, Savory Recipes for 24/7 Deliciousness by Jessie Sheehan

Straight-Up Gruyère Gougères also from Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy, Savory Recipes for 24/7 Deliciousness by Jessie Sheehan

White Bean Soup with Fresh Sage from Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest by Kurt Beecher Dammeier @beecherscheese and Laura Holmes Haddad

End-of-the-Month Baking Challenges:

September 9/30: Apple

Apple, Walnut, and Honey Upside-Down Cake by Lidey Heuck @lideylikes in Colu Cooks Easy Fancy Food by Colu Henry @coluhenry

October 10/31: Pumpkin

Pumpkin Muffins from Muffin Mania by Cathy Prange and Joan Pauli

November 11/30: Caramel

Caramel Slices from Scandinavian from Scratch by Nichole Accettola @nicholeate

December 12/31: Winter Spices

Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies from Sweet Tooth @bromabakery

Whew! It was great to crack open some of my never-used cookbooks and try some new recipes. Heading into the new year, our theme will be Deep Dive, with just one savory and one baking book for the first third of the year. Gotta say, I'm anxious to see what our first challenges are.

At the Table :: 2025 Rainy Day Bites May to August

Whew! Another third of the year with Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club @rainydaybites is over, so I'm again documenting my participation by sharing all the new-to-me recipes I've tried since May 1. Throughout this last season, the overall theme has continuously been #budgetbakesandbites, and the two featured cookbooks reflect that. Though we did indeed have featured books, it was also allowed to cook from other books we had, so that gave us a lot of freedom. Unless noted, the recipes shared are from the featured books. Note that I linked to each IG post, in case you wanted to read what I wrote about each recipe. And if this post isn't of interest, thank you for indulging me, and I'll be back with more creative content soon!

May & June

Featured book: You Got This by Diane Morrisey @dianemorrisey

Tuscan Beans with Vegetables

Spicy Carrot Rigatoni from by Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear by @haileecatalano with Ultra-Creamy Fresh Homemade Ricotta recipe coincidentally by @theclevercarrot

Sloppy Joe Hand Pies

Thai-Style Chicken and Vegetable Salad

cilantro lime grilled chicken bowl from Easy Everyday by Jessica Merchan @howsweeteats

smashburger salad also from Easy Everyday by Jessica Merchan @howsweeteats

Hummus Crunch Bowl from Easy Everyday by Jessica Merchant @howsweeteats 

Turkey Taco Salad from What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by @carochambers

Chicken BLT with Golden Shallots 

Roasted Delicata Squash with Pomegranate Glaze 

Greek Turkey Meatball Bowls 

Sheet Pan Lasagna

Farro, Apple, Pomegranate, and Pistachio Salad

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Salsa Verde from Cooking in Real Life by @lideylikes 

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Herby Goat Cheese from Easy Everyday by @howsweeteats

One-Skillet Chicken Burrito Bowls from What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking by @carochambers

Angel Hair with Chunky Roasted Tomato Sauce and Burrata 

Firecracker Salmon Rice Bowls

July & August:

Featured book: Cook What You Have by Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street @177milkstreet

Bulgur and Chicken Salad with Pomegranate Molasses

Fettuccine with Corn, Tomatoes, and Bacon

Cheesy Tex-Mex Migas

Stir-Fried Broccoli and Noodles

Fish Baked with Tomatoes, Capers and White Wine 

Risotto with Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Chicken and Tortilla Soup

Garlic Fried Rice with Chicken

Eight-Ingredient Beef and Bean Chili

Braised Sausages and Lentils with Parsley-Caper Relish

May–August 

Baking Book: 100 Afternoon Treats by Sarah Kieffer @sarah_kieffer

Freezer Friendly Bakes
May: any recipe from the brownies, blondies, and bakes chapter

Chocolate Chip Bars

Blueberry Muffin Cake - from the One-Bowl Bakes chapter, oops!

Pecan Espresso Bars

S'mores Bars

Pantry Recipes

July: any recipe from the One Bowl Bakes

My Perfect Afternoon Snacking Cake

Individual Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sweet Tooth @bromabakery

August: our choice of any recipe from the Pie, For a Crowd, or Weekend Projects chapters

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

End of Month Baking Challenges:

May 5/30: Citrus - Rhubarb Spoon Cake from The Lost Kitchen: Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine by Erin French @thelostkitchen

June 6/30: Herbs or Floral - Lemon, Rosemary & Olive Oil Cake from Cooking in Real Life by Lidey Heuck @lideylikes

July 7/31: Tropical Flavors - Cinnamon Swirl-Banana Bread Mug Cake from Sweet Tooth by Sarah Fennel @bromabakery

August 8/31: Stone Fruits - Almond Cake with Figs from Sweet Enough by Alison Roman @alisoneroman

With the added flexibilities of cooking from more books and posting on more dates, I seemed to cook more recipes for the club then usual, especially for meal times. The theme and featured books really leant themselves to fairly easy meals, and I really enjoyed that. I'd say we ate pretty good!