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I disagree about a lot of the candy items mentioned here.
I, for one, LOVE the fun-sized (or mini, if you prefer) candies. It's a tiny bit of something insanely tasty, enough to give pleasure without causing tummy pains. When I was a young'un and I went trick-or-treating, one house gave out mini Clark bars. Yum-o-delish! I polished those off first.
I think the chewy peanut butter kisses taste absolutely divine.
Candy corn, I think is plenty of tasty, as are the candy pumpkins made of candy-corn base. Think little dollops of hardened cake-frosting.
As for apples and raisins, those I didn't mind in the least.

However, some items, I do agree about.
Toothbrushes -- a boring reminder
Religious pamphlets -- disappointing and WEIRD to boot.
Packages of "normal" food -- oh, for crying in Manhattan, what kid wants to receive a can of baked beans or a box of oat bran in his little plastic jack-o-lantern.
One time I received cough drops -- and not the Ludens or Pine Bros or Smith Bros or F&Fs, which are tasty and could pass as hard candy (as can the Ricolas). These were nasty little green pellets that were -- and tasted like -- MEDICATION. Like I said, for crying in Manhattan! For crying in Manhattan, Chicago, and San Francisco

Oh well. At least I didn't get a ROCK

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my first cookbook was one i got from school...it was with all the students favorite recipes...

it's actually kind of sad. My freshman year of college I worked at the corporate HQ of Fanny Farmer candy shops and for our Xmas bonus we all got a copy of the new Fanny Farmer cookbook ..... so my first cookbook was the Fanny Farmer cookbook.

My first cookbook was Betty Crocker's. It had all the basics and I still own it today.

My first cookbook was one from our church. I know, not top quality. I rarely turn to cookbooks as a new cook because of the vast information on the internet. I would enjoy having a few cookbooks in my collection, though.

mom's ratty old Joy of Cooking!

My now-husband bought me the New York Cookbook when I started college, which turned me on to so many of my favorites today!

When I was small, I used my mother's Betty Crocker cookbook. When I married, she gave me one of my own and I use it still, although a host of other cookbooks have joined it on the bookshelves.

My first cookbook was the Company's Coming Kids Cooking cookbook - Company's Coming is really big where I'm from (Alberta, Canada), but even when I venture to another province, no one's heard of it! I don't think I made too much from it... there was a pretty good fudgesicle recipe though :)

We had the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book growing. Plus a binder with tons of 3x5 cards neatly written by my mother and grandmother. My favorite was cooking from recipes on my mom's index cards.

There was pretty much only one cookbook in the house growing up in my Chinese household (which my mother never cracked open) and it was the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. The first recipe I ever made was probably tuna casserole one Thanksgiving when my sisters and I decided to do as the Americans do and add to our standard hot pot feast. How things have changed!

Unfortunately, I can not remember the name of the Cook Book Given. But I do know who gave it to me. My Aunt Sandra gave me the cook book for my Baby shower 24 years ago. She wished me a long and happy life. Aunt Sandra died 4 years ago..and although I cannot find the cookbook through many moves I do treasure the sentiment

rhondastruthers at yahoo dot ca