With Thanksgiving fast approaching, it’s time to focus on cooking. Deb Perelman, blogger-turned-author, recently released her new cookbook, “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.” As a college student looking for variety in my diet and an aspiring cook, I found this cookbook to be the perfect source of inspiration.

I discovered Perelman this summer when I was charged with cooking for my family for a month. I was desperate for new, exciting recipes that would expand my repertoire but not break the bank. I stumbled upon Perelman’s blog, “Smitten Kitchen,” and have been reading it religiously ever since.

Perelman insists on no-frills cooking and believes that you don’t need a big, gourmet kitchen to make delicious food. In an NPR interview, Arts Correspondent Lynn Neary described Perelman’s story, saying, “Since 2006, she’s blogged about cooking on her website, Smitten Kitchen, where she tracks down and tests the best recipes for food she thinks pretty much anyone can make, then snaps a picture of the final product and posts it. Her recipes, photos and funny posts attract some 8 million views a month, and now they can also be found in ‘The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.’”

When I saw the long, poetic names of dishes and brilliant photographs, I was shocked to discover that Perelman was a self-taught home cook, not some sort of professional chef. Her fearless attitude about the kitchen and belief that there are no bad cooks — just bad recipes — gave me courage to experiment with my cooking.

The results have been fantastic; I truthfully have not found a bad recipe yet on her blog. And my friends and family always seem quite happy to try my dishes. I was even shocked to find that my younger brother was willing to try dishes with vegetables. (He’s on a strict diet of hamburgers, doughnuts or anything else fried).

In her cookbook, Perelman shares recipes for those who have little time and money to spare, which makes her recipes quite approachable and easy for any beginner to try. For example, her rustic white bread recipe (see link below) can make you feel like an artisan baker with its perfectly crisp, floured crust and melt-in-your mouth middle. And this recipe is way cheaper than buying a $5 dollar artisan loaf; I’m guessing her recipe costs less than $1. (The only ingredients are salt, yeast, water and flour.) In addition to this, she is a wonderful photographer, so her recipes are even easier to follow with beautiful step-by-step instructions and finished dishes that look like works of art.

In defense of simplicity, Perelman claimed that “… I don’t do truffle oil, Himalayan pink salt at $10 per quarter-ounce or single-origin chocolate … I think food should be accessible and am certain that you don’t need any of these things to cook fantastically.” Her blog is a great resource for finding stepped-up everyday recipes, simple foods from scratch, decadent desserts and quick side dishes. When it comes to fruit and vegetables, she focuses on what is in season and gives lots of additional options for ingredients in her recipes. If you’re looking for a fresh perspective on home cooking, I highly recommend reading “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.”

Some of my personal favorites from past cooking ventures include her “Perfect Blueberry Muffins,” “Peanut Butter Cookies,” “Apple Mosaic Tart with Salted Caramel” and “Rustic White Bread” recipes. And as I’ve pored over her new cookbook, I’ve found plenty of recipes (several of which are also on her blog) that I am eager to try out. Who could resist “Apple Cider Caramels,” “Coffee Toffee,” recipes for the perfect pizza dough, cinnamon french toast or homemade gnocchi recipes?

So if you’re looking for some new spice in your diet or a quick, yet elegant dish to serve at a dinner party, try out “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.” The results will be rewarding and impossible to resist.