I just read this book from cover to cover, and I'm itching to get into the kitchen and make a lot of these recipes. This book delivered more than I had hoped for. The first thing that makes me fall in-love with a cookbook are pictures. This book has them, as in a gorgeous photo of each and every recipe. The reason I'm such a fan of Ina Garten is that she makes fancy looking food, that is actually quite simple. Of course, it's not processed meals, that you microwave. She's cooking from scratch, but I find her recipes to be user-friendly, and always successful. I say that her recipes work, with confidence, because I own all of her cookbooks and have made (and blogged) over a dozen of them. Not one recipe of hers, that I've made, has flopped.
Sure, some of her ingredients might be on the pricey side (like a 4-5 pound beef tenderloin), but not all of her recipes are super expensive. What appeals to me about Ina's recipes is that many of them look healthy, colorful and I want to dive right into a dish of whatever the recipe photo looks like. This book gives great tips on how to prepare recipes ahead of time. We're not talking spending two days of making freezer meals. Ina's approach is how to prepare dishes just enough so that when company arrives, it's a matter of heating, baking or serving some dishes at room temperature. Some recipes taste even better, when left for a few hours (or a day) for all the flavors to marry. We enjoy entertaining, but sometimes I wear myself out (yes, I am can be a perfectionist), and I know this book will become my new best cooking/baking friend.
In the cocktail section, my eyes locked onto a beautiful Greeke mezze Thyme Roasted Red Pepper plate. It's totally doable and a whole lot more impressive than chip and dip.
The Summer Rose' Sangria looks like something I'd be proud to serve guests.
For starters, I zeroed in on making the Caesar Salad with Blue Cheese & Bacon (a deconstructed version, if you will)
The Cauliflower and Celery Root soup looks awesome.
I want to make practically all of the starters, such as Spanish Tapas & Peppers, Tomatoes and Burrata, Zucchini Basil Soup.
For lunch, I'll take two servings of the Ham & Leek Empenadas. They look simple to prepare and undoubtedly they are very flavorful.
The dinner recipes made me so hungry and I've bookmarked many of them. The first one I'm making for a small dinner party will be the Easy Coquilles Saint Jacques, because I adore scallops. The French Chicken Pot Pies will be a perfect way to use my garden tarragon herbs.
There's so much! Grilled New York Strip steaks, Herbed Pork Tenderloins with Apple Chutney, Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and Gravy, Moroccan Lamb Tagine, Pastitsio and that mouth-watering photo of the Summer Filet of Beef with Bearnaise Sauce... be still my heart. (Well, not literally, from high cholesterol.)
The sides dishes are awesome, and I already see a couple that will be part of my Thanksgiving feast:
Carrot & Cauliflower Puree, Leek & Artichoke Bread Pudding (instead of stuffing, which I don't like), Peas & Pancetta, Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes. The Spinach & Ricotta Noodle Pudding looks fabulous.
The desserts look decadent and mouth-watering, included a gluten free chocolate cake. I'll take two slices of the chocolate cake with Mocha frosting, please. For Fall, I must make the fresh Apple Spice Cake. There's Fresh Blueberry Pie, Lemon Poppy Seed cake, and whoa, a Make-Ahead Zabaglione with Amaretti. I'm so there! There's so much more, like Skillet brownies and Tri-Berry crumbles.
The breakfast section didn't disappoint, either. The Mini Italian Frittatas look fabulous, and I'd love to try the Overnight Belgian Waffles. Raspberry Baked French toast... and more.
Yes, I did read the whole book, and now I need to prioritize where to start. Ina Garten, you did it again. I have no doubt I'll cook and bake my way through here, and I look forward to sitting down with my dinner guests feeling as relaxed as she says her tips will help me to be.
Great cookbook!
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