Final Part: A tour of my favorite recipes from The Barefoot Contessa’s collection of cookbooks

Josie
Jan 17, 2023
3 min read

Updated: Mar 28, 2024

I remember the first time I saw Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, on the Food Network. She was setting her table with white hydrangeas in her picturesque backyard in The Hamptons. She seemed so unlike me, as I hiked away on my treadmill in my basement, my son slumbering away in his baby swing. I knew in those first 30 minutes I wanted to know more about her. She quickly became my inspiration for cooking and entertaining. I am a self-professed cookbook collector, and her collection is my most coveted. In the evening, you can often find me with a cup of tea and a stack of cookbooks. It’s my happy place. I find it the perfect way to introduce myself, and my blog, with this three-part journey through The Barefoot Contessa’s 13 cookbooks.

Please enjoy the final part of my three-part series reviewing Ina Garten’s beloved collection.

Ina Garten: Make It Ahead

2014

Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, released this cookbook with the idea that things in the kitchen can be easy and things in the kitchen can be prepared ahead. Entertaining with ease is a goal many of us are striving to do and this book is full of tips and recipes to help us get there. She even includes a great dog biscuit recipe! Please enjoy my review and favorites from Ina Garten: Make It Ahead.

My Favorites From This Collection

Cocktails

The essential make ahead cocktail is the Jalapeño Margaritas (pg 26). The first thing you need to do is infuse the tequila with the jalapeño. These are amazing and you’ll crave them all summer. When autumn arrives, I find everywhere I turn are recipes that call for cranberries. This is a great, festive cocktail for Thanksgiving. Cheers to all things cranberry with Ina’s Cranberry Martinis (pg 27). If you love feta, like our home does, you owe it to yourself to try Marinated Herbed Feta (pg 36). This awesome snack can be made ahead and enjoyed for a week in the refrigerator.

To Start

For a great twist on a classic salad, try Ina’s Caesar Salad with Blue Cheese & Bacon (pg 43). The Bacon adds an interesting smokiness and the soft egg and blue cheese bring a unique creaminess. Make sure to dress the salad with the Caesar Salad Dressing (pg 44) and you can make this ahead of time and store in the refrigerator, too. Spanish Tapas Peppers (pg 49) are unique and full of Spanish flavor. You’ll love the addition of sherry-soaked raisins in the filling. At summer’s end you can find the best ripe figs for this salad. Ina’s Warm Fig & Arugula Salad is a lovely marriage of peppery arugula, sweet-roasted figs, and the creamy distinct flavor of blue cheese.

Lunch

Crunchy Iceberg Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese (pg 68) is packed with simple ingredients and can be prepared in advanced and assembled when you’re ready to serve lunch. I have served this salad alongside the Tomato Mozzarella Pan Bagnat (pg 82). The best part of these is the Mediterranean flavors from the olives, capers and tomatoes! I’m always looking for new ways to prepare quinoa and this dish is packed with flavor. If you’re a fan of quinoa, a “superfood” grain, try Ina’s Quinoa Tabbouleh with Feta (pg 74). This salad can be prepared up to 4 days in advance if you add feta prior to serving.

Dinner

In my opinion, there is nothing more comforting than chicken pot pie. This one has a bit of "French" fancy thrown in with tarragon and leeks. I also like this version because it calls for frozen puff pastry for ease. Give Ina’s French Chicken Pot Pies (pg 98) a try. I know you’ll enjoy the French twist on the American classic. Roasted Vegetable Lasagna (pg 127) is a fantastic, non-meat option to keep the family happy. Ina roasts the vegetables first and uses uncooked noodles to ensure the lasagna doesn’t get watery. This can be made ahead and even frozen for up to three months. If you’re looking for a light and easy dinner, try Ina’s Herb-Roasted Fish (pg 131). It calls for snapper or cod, but I’ve only tried this with cod, and it is fantastic. The flavor combination of lemon, olive oil, and olives is delicious.

Vegetables

A classic and easy old-world Italian side dish is Peas & Pancetta (pg 158). The best part of this vegetable dish is that it calls for frozen peas and tastes fresh, even in the depths of winter in Iowa. A fun way to prepare cauliflower is Roasted Cauliflower Snowflakes (pg 170). This recipe is very easy and looks awesome on the plate. I’m just now realizing so many of my favorites from this cookbook call for blue cheese and this one does too! This Baked Polenta with Mushrooms & Blue Cheese (pg 174) side dish could be a main course, too. The trio of roasted portobellos, creamy polenta and sharp blue cheese is incredible.

Dessert

Skillet Brownies (pg 188) are the perfect excuse to go buy some cute 5-inch cast iron skillets. You won’t be sorry. This dessert is amazing and great for a special occasion treat. If you’re looking to make something in advance try Ina’s Tres Leches Cake with Berries (pg 215). It can be prepared up to 5 days in advance. Just serve with the berries and whipped cream. This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake (pg 219) is a blast from the past. So many Sunday mornings we shared a version of this cake at my grandma’s house while the adults enjoyed their coffee. It’s full of lemon sweetness

Breakfast

A classic breakfast choice from this collection is Overnight Belgian Waffles (pg 248). Top them with your favorite fruit of yummy maple syrup. My family loves a good blueberry muffin. These Blueberry Bran Muffins (pg 256) are a healthier version of a classic. They are a really great start to your morning or an afternoon snack. I make these Mini Italian Frittatas (pg. 252) often. You can freeze them, thaw and pop in the microwave. They're great for your way out the door to school or work.

Go ahead and grab your copy of Make It Ahead!

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Cooking For Jeffrey

2016

Ina Garten offers a look into her life and cooking for her friends and her husband, Jeffrey. This cookbook includes the most requested recipes over the years. She also shares stories from their life together. It’s a love letter with food and you’re sure to find a few new favorites, too. Enjoy as I list a few of my favorites from Cooking For Jeffrey.

My Favorites From This Collection

Cocktail Hour

A perfect glass of kicked up lemonade with a sweet and salty rim is what you’ll enjoy with this Limoncello Vodka Collins (pg 27). You can make this for a crowd in advance, too. This Wolfgang Puck inspired dish is an incredible use of smoked salmon. Try Ina’s Smoked Salmon Pizzas (pg 28). Don’t be intimidated by the dough, it’s easy! Before this cookbook I had never once heard of this drink. It is so good and refreshing! I suggest you try Dark Rum Southsides (pg 35) on summer evenings with friends. The fresh mint and lime juice are always a great cocktail combination.

Soup, Salad & Lunch

Ina’s Arugula with Prosciutto & Burrata (pg 54) is a perfect first course or lunch treat. The salty prosciutto blends nicely with the vinaigrette and creamy cheese. A great use for your garden’s bumper crop of zucchini is Ina’s Zucchini & Leek Frittata (pg 75). If you’re serving for a special occasion, you can even use the zucchini flowers for a fun presentation. This Fiesta Corn & Avocado Salad (pg 76) just screams summertime. I like the kick the chipotle powder adds to the vinaigrette. Try serving this with grilled chicken, pork, or steak.

Dinner

This could be the perfect roast chicken recipe of Ina’s. You need to try her Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken (pg 90). The lemon slices roast to perfection with the chicken and become part of the meal. It is divine. A very French way to prepare filet of beef is in a rich mustard sauce. Try Filet Mignon with Mustard & Mushrooms (pg 104) and you’ll agree these filets are packed full of flavor and so easily prepared with a cast-iron skillet. For a simple, homemade sauce try Ina’s Orecchiette with Farm Stand Pasta Sauce (pg 112). If I am lucky enough to have a large harvest of summer tomatoes, I make this sauce and freeze it for the long winter months as Ina suggests in the recipe.

Vegetables & Sides

Ina’s Couscous with Pine Nuts & Mint (pg 144) is easy, and I make it often. The mint and pine nuts are a great addition. Another Thanksgiving stuffing alternative gifted to us by The Barefoot Contessa is her Herb & Apple Bread Pudding (pg 152). I especially like this dish because it gets crispy on the outside while still staying moist like traditional stuffing. I am sure you’ve heard of shredded brussels sprouts in a salad, but Ina’s Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts (pg 160) side dish serves them hot and sautéed with good balsamic vinegar. They are easy and so delicious.

Bread & Cheese

Spiced Pecans (pg 168) are a great snack to keep on hand for unexpected guests. They are easy, pack a sweet heat with the combination of the seven sugars/spices, and can be kept for up to two weeks at room temperature. You’ll love them. A great finger food appetizer is Ina’s Fig & Goat Cheese Bruschettas (pg 171). These little delights are best prepared on a piece of sourdough bread. The tang of the goat cheese and sweet tasting fig preserve make this appetizer unforgettable. We go from sweet to savory with Ina’s Herbed Goat Cheese (pg 178). The presentation of this appetizer is almost as amazing as the taste. Layers of goat cheese, fresh herbs and olive oil are all dancing together in this beauty.

Dessert

My husband’s favorite dessert is apple pie. As confessed in an earlier review, I am not a baker. My apple pie experiments have been many and the results are just “okay”. He has resigned to my apple crisp being my best offering. Ina’s Apple Pie Bars (pg 214) have been a great apple pie substitute. The crust is like a big shortbread cookie and seems ultimately less intimidating to me than a perfect pie crust. Find yourself some perfectly ripe peaches and make Fresh Peach Cobbler (pg 235). This can be made ahead and reheated during dinner for an easy dessert. Make sure to add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. For a fun and sweet treat, try Ina’s version of Serendipity 3’s famous Frozen Hot Chocolate (pg 240). I was fortunate enough to be in NYC this year and tried one of their iconic drinks. I now can confirm the hype. They’re something special.

Snag your copy of Cooking for Jeffrey. You won’t be disappointed.

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Cook Like a Pro

2018

Cook Like a Pro is a cooking class embedded in a fantastic collection of Ina Garten’s next batch of recipes. The margins of this cookbook are full of tips and tricks as if she is standing beside you guiding you in your kitchen. Whether you’re just getting started or you are closer to the “pro”, I know you’ll learn something from Ina Garten’s Cook Like a Pro. Please enjoy a list of my favorites from this collection.