Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten (2008, Hardcover)

Cookbook author Ina Gaten's new "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics" is the kind of book that every beginning cook should own. Her total approach says, "Preparing food that tastes good doesn't have to be complicated."

That's the secret of Garten's success: six cookbooks, regular columns in three major magazines and, of course, her long-running Food Network series.

The essence of Garten's cooking is creating dishes that can be prepared with half the fuss and still taste three-fourths as good. If that sounds like damning with faint praise, you really ought to give the book a try and see.