Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Ina never disappoints. As always, the book is beautifully written and photographed, and the "Tips" are, for the most part, instructive. I've made many Ina recipes, and their hallmarks are always well-tested, intelligently simplified recipes. These are dishes that you'll want to cook and eat. I love that the editors permitted this celebrated author leeway in using more than six ingredients and more than one page to which many editors restrict recipes. This is a pet peeve of mine: I WANT to know how it should look and feel and smell, even if it takes more than one page and if a recipe is best with more herbs and spices than salt and pepper, I want to know what they are. So, thank you, Clarkson Potter! Every ingredient is accessible to the vast majority of home cooks, and the recipes are simple and straightforward. Moreover, Ina makes intelligent use of store-bought ingredients. She'll sometimes tell us where she buys them. Finally, I'm ancient, and I did have fun making a quiz for another senior friend from Ina's tips. We passed with flying colors! In other words, if you're already a pretty darn good home cook, you won't learn much from the tips (I think my only takeaway was to calibrate my instant-read thermometer--something that had never occurred to me). However, I think this is a superb gift for less-experienced home cooks, especially because of the recipe testing. I'm addicted to cookbooks, and, thanks to Amazon, own zillions and, thanks to my public library, have read hundreds. I count in the dozens the number of serious errors I've found in "celebrity chef" and even "celebrity cookbook author" cookbooks. In fact, after photocopying quite a few recipes from my copy of "Pro," I gave the book to a thirty-something who was thrilled. Giving a delightful cookbook such as this one, with recipes that will not fail (thereby wasting precious ingredients and possibly an entire party), to a young home cook is truly a gift that will bring many blessings to the lucky recipient and his or her friends and family.

I dont know how many people reviewing this cookbook have actually COOKED from it, but I have made 30 recipes (and counting) and they are all fabulous! Breakfast: LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES - out of this world - lemony, my favorite pancakes. I even saved 1/2 the batter for the next day, and they were good then, too! ITALIAN ICED COFFEE - the first thing I made, its so easy, and delicious! MORNING GLORY MUFFINS - yummy!!! SHAKSHUKA WITH FETA- healthy and amazing! I make the tomato mixture, and portion it out for my husband and myself - 3 meals. I warm each portion up, and put a fried egg on top. Very quick and easy that way. Also froze some of the mixture. CHOCOLATE PECAN SCONES - a morsel of heaven! Soups and Salads - CHICKEN AND SPINACH AND WALDORF SALAD - one of the best salads I've ever made!!!! HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WITH HERBED RICOTTA - fresh and easy CHARLIE BIRD FARRO SALAD - incredible!!!! Substituted toasted walnuts for pistachios. Truly off the chart good. I added rotisserie chicken breast, to make a very satisfying and complete meal. CAULIFLOWER TOASTS - surprisingly fabulous! TUSCAN TOMATO & BREAD SALAD - super quick to make and I think I could eat it every single day - that good! TOMATO AND EGGPLANT SOUP - delicious! TRICOLOR SALAD WITH ORANGES - yum Dinner: CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CREAMY MUSTARD SAUCE - made with chicken breasts, skin on - super delicious FLOUNDER MILANESE - loved it! easy and quick! FRIED CHICKEN - (without the sandwich). Left out the garlic and jalapeño, but delicious, juicy and tender! RED WINE BRAISED SHORT RIBS - divine!!!!!! But my short ribs were mostly bone and fat. Next time, I would use a chuck roast. BAKED PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND EGGPLANT - just use some leftover soup and you have a main dish! FILET OF BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS AND BLUE CHEESE - maybe the best Christmas Dinner I’ve ever made!!!!!! SHRIMP AND GRITS - foolproof, and fabulous!!!! VEGETABLES AND SIDES: BAKED SPINACH AND ZUCCHINI - my husband isn’t a huge spinach fan; he says this is great and his fav! BUTTERNUT SQUASH GRATIN - delicious, can make ahead and I’ve even frozen it! Great holiday dish, too. MAPLE ROASTED ACORN - couldn’t be easier and delicious PARMESAN PESTO ZUCCHINI STICKS - :) POTATO GALETTE - kind of like a giant hash brown, but better, and reheating the other half the next day was as good! DESERT: TRIPLE CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKES - delicious - dont over bake. Made one with nuts for the adults, just chocolate chips for the grandkids. VANILLA ROASTED RHUBARB WITH SWEET YOGURT - I love this for breakfast! CHOCOLATE CHEVRON CAKE - deep and delicious and easy. If almost 30 5 star recipes dont qualify as a stupendous cookbook, I dont know what will! I will be making these recipes many, many times.

In defense of Ina, I have absolutely no idea why this book isn't getting the rave reviews it deserves on Amazon. It seems there's a contagion going around, and some seem to be enjoying the takedown. For all you fellow devotes of Ina, trust me that she's put out another great cookbook. Ask yourself, why wouldn't she?.. That's who she is! She's a focused kitchen scientist seeking ease and perfection in all she does. If you're familiar with her, then you know that her recipes are foolproof, if you follow them exactly. I've cooked through every one of her books and this is no exception. The Chicken Marbella and Braised Short Ribs are delectable and I've had my fiancé "earmark" 20 more recipes to try. Humbly, I have to admit that she has made me an all-star chef with my family and friends. And for this reason, I love this woman. Don't deprive you of another great cookbook to add to your collection. Three months later from the above review, I've cooked: Farro tabbouleh with feta page 51 - perfect in the summer months, no so much in the winter Pork posole page 55 - is now a family favorite for every season Roasted beets, butternut squash and apple salad page 58 - a scrumptious to die for salad Turkey sandwiches with brussels sprout slaw page 69 - another new melt in your mouth family fav Chicken marbella page 84 - food doesn't get better than this and it brought me back to a childhood favorite dinner Crispy mustard chicken and frisee page 95 - the chicken and fingerling potatoes are great without the frisee (couldn't find frisee and so used spring mix and arrugula which were delicious) 1770 house lamb and chickpea curry page 109 - don't die without having eaten this! The chickpeas become otherworldly. Perfect basmati rice page 160 - perfect with the lamb dish and I now know how to make perfect rice. Red wine braised short ribs page 119 - I've made this 5 times. It freezes perfectly and I've also doubled the recipe for a dinner party and had my guests writhing in ecstasy! Creamy blue cheese grits page 151 - perfect with the short ribs, and I've now fallen in love with grits Shrimp and grits page 130 - easy and scrumptious, great for a savory breakfast too. Morning glory muffins page 242 - they go great with coffee and are a glorious way to start the day I won't waste your time describing the next 10 recipes I can't wait to make, but when I do, I'll be sure and update you. :)

I have most -if not all- of Ina Garten’s cookbooks and I love her recipes (my only issue is that they are too salty for us low-sodium people, so I simply halve the salt). A lovely standby for company is her "1770 house lamb and chickpea curry", I love this easy recipe and it easily serves a crowd...and can be made ahead! I think it would freeze well but there is never enough leftover to freeze. This year (2019) I looked to ‘Cook Like A Pro” for several family gatherings...my new favorite chickens recipe is "chicken thighs with creamy mustard sauce". Yum! But we are a ‘saucy’ family and always like more sauce than is normally part of a recipe, so I doubled the sauce, but would triple it next time (and there will be a next time!). Her killer "potato galette" left us swooning for more. We’ve never met a potato we didn’t like, but this is really amazing- crispy on the outside and soft and luscious on the inside, and easy to make (easier if you have a mandolin etc cut the potatoes). Yum, yum, yum. I love Ina Garten and love, love, love her recipes! I highly recommend this book, takes the stress off entertaining because she’s got you covered.

If you just read the recipes, you might not be inspired to make them. But her cooking show demonstrates the recipes, how to make them, and how they turn out. If I didn't watch the show, I might agree with many of the negative reviewers thinking this was a fluff book without substance. But last night I made the 1770 House Curry and Chickpeas. Initially, I would not have made this. But her episode which featured this recipe inspired me. I substituted the lamb for chicken and surprisingly, it was restaurant quality and a delicious recipe. I was inspired to purchase her other cookbooks. I often think cookbook writers have a few good recipes intermixed with filler content, but my advice is to give these recipes a try before knocking them. If you watch her show that features these recipes, you might just change your mind about them. The season is named after her book: Cook like a Pro.

Thanks for the free book, Clarkson Potter! In Cook Like A Pro Ina Garten says be confident, taste, season and plate like a pro. The first section contains cocktails and appetizers such as sausage and mushroom strudels. In soups and salads she talks about how and why to measure your ingredients properly. The roasted beet, butternut squash and apple salad looks amazing and I’ve made the simple turkey sandwiches with Brussels sprout slaw and one of my favorites is cauliflower toasts, so easy and tasty. Ina talks about what kind of timers or thermometers to use, how to test meat or vegetables or even muffins. The chicken thighs with creamy mustard sauce is fast and easy as well as good. I have always made her Sunday rib roast but the filet of beef with mushrooms and blue chees has become a new favorite. Next to try is shells with broccoli rabe and pancetta. She talks about knives and would you know to use dental floss for slicing soft cheeses? Two of my favorites in the vegetable section are the baked spinach and zucchini and chipotle Parmesan sweet corn which can be a meal by itself. In desserts Ina talks about baking being scientific and in breakfast about prep work, try the smoked salmon tar tines. Stocks and sauces are last including how to make your own vanilla extract. This is a wonderful everyday cookbook for me that I highly recommend!

Having a blast cooking my way through this book! Although I'm not a meat-eater (and this book has a fair amount of meat-centric recipes), there are plenty of terrific recipes here for me to make and enjoy. I'm finding this book to be especially useful as a late-summer/early autumn book, with many recipes to help me use up my garden tomatoes, eggplants, basil and other items I've been receiving from my CSA, such as Shishito peppers. I've thoroughly enjoyed the Tomato and Eggplant soup, Baked Pasta with Tomato and Eggplant, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (I subbed blueberries for the fresh figs), and Sauteed Shishito peppers (excellent, easy appetizer - healthy like edamame, but different, and just as simple). And I made the Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad today for lunch -easy and SO delicious-great way to use your late-season cherry tomatoes!! I don't know why so many reviews complain about the "Pro" aspect of the book- I don't think Ina's intent was to turn the reader of this book into a culinary professional, just someone who is confident and comfortable in their kitchen, equipped with good, basic techniques that are used by the pros in order to make delicious food for themselves, their families and friends. Reading and cooking from her books always make me feel better, and I can't wait for her next one to arrive!

I am really shocked by the reviews for this new Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa cookbook. Don't listen to them -- if you are a fan and like her style of cooking, buy it! There are at least 20 recipes I will make right away - dates with blue cheese and prosciutto, chicken thighs with creamy mustard sauce, beet/apple/butternut squash salad, new daiquiris, lamb curry, chocolate torte and moscato poached fruit, etc. I have a huge collection of cookbooks (+1,000) and I usually only find 3-5 recipes I would want to try in each book, so this book more than exceeds the average "good" cookbook. Ina has a certain style, so she gravitates to the same ingredients and types of recipes, but that said, I do think there is enough that is different in this book to really justify buying it. She has never produced a "bad" cookbook -- they are all really good and the recipes always work. It is also beautifully styled - Ina does have the best taste. The photos are stunning and she does give a lot of commentary in this one. I highly recommend buying it and I don't think you will be disappointed if you like her other cookbooks.

As always Ina has produced another great cook book. The recipes are clear and easy to follow perfect for a home cook. I only wish measurements and temperatures were given in both metric and imperial as being in Australia everything needs to be converted before starting to cook. However the results are delicious.

Me gusta mucho cocinar y disfruto muchísimo las recetas de Ina Garten

Ótimo, adorei, como esperava. Atendendo expectativas.

Amazing cookbook, it’s an easy read, recipes are easy to follow, tips are actually useful in so many situations. With so many other cookbooks I find myself thinking about how I would tweak a recipe if I made it again because it was missing something but no need with Ina’s recipes! So many of my go to meals are from Ina now. Great addition to my collection. Thanks Ina!

Great book / read.