Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again: A Cookbook

I didn't appreciate that it didn't state that the book cover would be missing.

So...........where do I start? The sharp, beautiful, glossy photography that entices you to make each delicious recipe? The welcoming and carefree pictures of Ina and Jeffrey's beautiful home that are the background for this book? The helpful hints and encouragement from Ina? The use of fresh veggies and fruit to make each meal so good to eat? It's hard to figure out which to place first, but regardless of where you want to begin, you'll find yourself at ease. Ina just seems to get better and better with each volume of gastronomic delights, even when you think she has already given us the best. Her fifth venture into the publishing world is no less wonderful than her first four. She has broken down her book into six main categories of cooking (soup and sandwich, salads, dinner, veggies, dessert, breakfast) then ties it all up with an interesting addendum of "if you're visiting the Hamptons" which is a tribute, of sorts, to all the lovely places she goes to in the Hamptons, to see and smell and taste and enjoy; much appreciated, good friend! The book flows as such: INTRODUCTION This is a really friendly introduction that helps you get caught up with her casual approach to planning, her path to this career change, and all the little hints and idea's that you can incorporate to make any get-together with family and friends all that more fun and memorable. She also gives you 2 quick recipes for getting guests to unwind and snack until all is ready for the main event, and they are Fresh Whiskey Sours, and Green Herb Dip. She then gives you a little help in how to plan your grocery list and the actual shopping. SOUP AND SANDWICHES California BLT's Summer Borscht Caesar Club Sandwich Mexican Chicken Soup Chicken Salad Sandwiches Ribollita Smoked Salmon and Egg Salad Tartines Garlic Croutons, Chicken Stock Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwiches Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup (superb!!) Tomato, Mozzarella, and Pesto Panini Shrimp Bisque Seafood Stock Honey White Bread SALADS Planning Outdoor Parties Heirloom Tomatoes with Blue Cheese Dressing Chicken Salad Veronique Grilled Tuna Salad Bibb Salad with Basil Green Goddess Dressing Jon Snow's Fish Salad Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Pesto Pea Salad Warm Duck Salad Tomato Feta Salad Blue Cheese Coleslaw (a must if you're a cheesehead!) Guacamole Salad Old-Fashioned Potato Salad DINNER Making An "Important" Dinner Blue Cheese Burgers Cornish Hens with Cornbread Stuffing Chicken Piccata Lamb Kebobs with Couscous Couscous with Pine Nuts Roast Capon Loin of Pork with Fennel Stuffed Cabbage (sooo easy and such a standard!!) Rib-eye Steaks with Cornmeal-Fried Onion Rings Portobello Mushroom Lasagna Chicken with Goat Cheese and Basil Seafood Gratin Eli's Asian Salmon Lemon Fusilli with Arugula Summer Garden Pasta Seared Tuna with Mango Chutney Easy Lobster Paella VEGETABLES Garlic and Herb Tomatoes Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots Broccolini and Balsamic Vinaigrette Zucchini Pancakes Herbed Basmati Rice Green, Green

I have to admit that I have only recently begun watching Ina Garten on the Food Network, and I love her cooking show "The Barefoot Contessa". So, when I got this cookbook, I already knew that Ina's brand of cooking doesn't really fall into the healthy category as she uses a liberal amount of butter and salt, but as my grandma used to say, "That's what makes food taste so good!"...I do however tweak some of the recipes to make it healthier, and they are fine. I love the gorgeous pictures for the recipes, and the easy to prepare instructions...plus she has many interesting ideas for those of us who need to prepare a meal in a hurry, wish to entertain without the toil and sweat [dishes that can be prepared ahead of time], and the mouth-watering desserts are something else altogether! All in all, an excellent cookbook, with reliable recipes by a master chef!

As the owner of a whole 'lotta cookbooks, I sometimes have to explain my theory of cookbooks to my husband. In the case of "Barefoot Contessa at Home", the recipe for Easy Cheese Danish is a perfect example. This recipe uses 6 ingredients plus seasonings. It can be made the night before you need it. Both of which translate into making my life easier. And it can be enjoyed by our family and our holiday guests for years to come. If you break down the cost of the book as to how many times we'll use just that one recipe, you'll see what a great value it really is. And, of course, there are many more recipes included that make it even better. Most of the recipes are a creative version of standard fare, like a coleslaw that uses blue cheese or the jalapeno cheddar cornbread or the Chicken Salad Veronique. The book includes chapters entitled soup and sandwiches; salads; dinner; vegetables; dessert; breakfast; and others. And I like it that Ms. Garten includes a recipe for "Chicken with Goat Cheese and Basil" that can be prepared in 10 minutes when, as she puts it "I'm too tired to cook." I LOVE recipes like that. And, what about the "frozen berries with hot white chocolate"? Looking forward to trying that. Plus, Barefoot Contessa at Home includes menu suggestions, which are helpful if you're in a hurry or need inspiration. Each recipe is partnered by a beautiful photograph so you can see what you're making and how it should look. I like her style, I like her recipes and I like her cookbook.