Do you have a Buy Nothing group in your neighborhood? If you don’t know the answer to this question, head over to Facebook and search for it! Warning: participation in the Buy Nothing world can be quite addicting!

About The Buy Nothing Project: The Buy Nothing Project, the world’s largest free-goods platform, is transforming how people consume. A Public Benefit Corporation with more than 14 million members across 50+ countries, Buy Nothing connects neighbors to gift each other goods and services freely—saving money, reducing waste, and strengthening communities. Each year, more than 162,000 metric tons of items—worth $360M—are shared through the platform, advancing a more resilient, sustainable future for people, communities, and the planet. The Buy Nothing Project platform includes Buy Nothing Facebook groups and the Buy Nothing app, available on iOS, Android, and the web. (Source: https://buynothingproject.org/about)

Over the years that I have been involved in my own BN Group, I’ve received some really great gifts: an Italian-made Marcato Atlas pasta machine, a waffle iron in the shape of the fleur -de-lis (symbol of my home state), a large framed print of a beach landscape, an African basket with lid from a Louisiana plantation, a wrought-iron plant stand, a solid pine table for my foyer, and so much more. I’ve also given away a lot of quality items: lots of yarn and craft materials, teaching materials, a china cabinet, an IKEA loft bed with desk and chest of drawers, lots of books, and so much more.

Probably my favorite thing to receive from my Buy Nothing group is a book, and even more specifically, a cookbook! I have a “bit” of a problem with collecting cookbooks…

This is my “wall” of cookbooks, occupying an entire wall of my living room. I’ve received many of them for Christmas, birthday, anniversary, and Mother’s Day presents, some are books I’ve picked up on my travels as a souvenir of that particular place. I particularly cherish my books that showcase the Cajun cuisine of Louisiana and my dad’s heritage, as well as the cookbooks that feature the Scottish foods of my mother’s family in Glasgow. I have some from the celebrity chefs I watch on Food Network and PBS like Alex Guarnaschelli, Bobby Flay, Martha Stewart, Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, and Ina Garten. And, now, I have my first one from Nadiya Hussain. A lovely gift from someone in my Buy Nothing group, who just happens to be in my neighborhood book club as well! Book people are the best friends!

Now, on to a review of this cookbook, Nadiya’s Everyday Baking!

Nadiya Hussain is a British born television chef and baker of Bangladeshi heritage. She won The Great British Bake Off in 2015 during its sixth series. Her warmth and big smile was a big hit with viewers and through her participation in the competition she earned a large following on social media. She subsequently filmed two television series of cooking shows for BBC and has written for many food publications.

On a long flight overseas I watched the entire BBC series Nadiya’s Time to Eat, and later googled one of the recipes so I could make it at home. It was delicious!

Basically Irish soda bread with candied orange peels and raisins made into a sweeter loaf and cut into wedges, this was absolutely delicious! Served warm dripping with butter, it was gone in the blink of an eye!

I am really looking forward to making recipes from my new BN gift, especially Cornbread Dog on pages 124-125 and Paprika Egg Filo (US spelling phyllo) Bake on pages 126-127.

The recipes are well-written and ingredients have both imperial and metric measurements. The photographs are glorious and make your mouth water! The head notes are written in Nadiya’s distinctive voice and are delightful to read. She really inspires you to get in the kitchen and bake something, and this weekend, I’ll be mixing up one of the sweet lovelies for my family!