Words are inadequate

It's a standard workhorse book of mine as well. I do find that they almost never add salt to anything, so I always make that adjustment. I'm a fan of "The Best Recipe" series of cook-books since they go into the food science and tell you _why_ they've made the decisions they have in their recipes. "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittmann is another one I use a lot.

Food processors and blenders are not exactly interchangeable, but if you haven't felt the need for either, there's no reason to get them. An immersion or "stick" blender is nice for pureeing soups or pasta sauces, if you're into those kinds of things.