I 've bought and enjoyed several of the books posted on this thread and now I want to repay the favor with 2 of my favorite cookbooks --both alas unindexed.
I acquired both of these books nearly 40 years ago, in the early years of my marriage when I was ready to move beyond Joy of Cooking.
Perla Meyers' From Market to Kitchen Cookbook (1979)
I'm baking a simple walnut torte from this cookbook right now. Who knows how many times I have made it and in how many variations? In our house, it's called simply "the cake."
I ate her "soupe fermiere" for lunch today. It's one of the first things I make when the weather turns cold enough for hearty soups, and I aslo vary this one freely according to what's on hand.
While many of the recipes are no longer to my taste, especially the cream laden French-style main dishes, I learned so much from cooking my way through this book and I have never stopped relying on Perla's seasonal and from scratch approach to cooking. No photos, but the lack of photos never bothered me.
Elizabeth Schneider Colchie's Ready When You Are (1982).
I still cook from this book which is organized around events and gatherings over the course of a year. I love Schneider's cozy writing style and the range of recipes from fancy to thrifty, all of them creative and original. I make her cranberry relish with gin every Thanksgiving.