Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten (2006, Hardcover)

I got familiar with the author through watching her cooking show on food TV. Her elegant style just immediately caught my attention. This book itself is like a piece of art. I enjoyed just flipping through it. Each recipe has a beautiful picture on glossy paper, which is really helpful in understanding the food I'm making. I always like to see the picture before I try out the recipe, so I know what I will be making. :) The recipes are divided into the following sections:

soup and sandwich
salads
dinner
vegetables
dessert
breakfast

I just tried one muffin recipe and it turned out to be absolutely delicious. It was the best muffin I've ever had. So much better than any store bought ones. Not only the recipes are simple, Ina also teaches some tricks on cooking and shopping. Great to have.

This book is highly recommanded whether or not you enjoy the cooking.

Happy Cooking!
Elizabeth

I recently decided to start to cook again, I always watch Ina's show on tv, so I thought the book will come handy. I like the variety of recipies she provides in the book, however, I was hoping for more earthy dishes. If you are a fish lover it is also a good pick.
The book is very detailed, even if you can't cook now, you can learn from this book. She keeps it simple, easy to fallow. Overall, I love the book.
I recommend this book to everybody who like or would love to cook!

I bought this book because I saw it in the bookstore and loved the photos and recipes--I thought they would be things I would actually make. They are pretty simple, but sophisticated. My mom was visiting and liked the things I had made from it so I found a copy for her.

The recipes are really good--everything has come out well except for a chocolate cake and that was my fault as I messed up the order of ingredients. None are too complicated but the end result is great. It is nice to have a cookbook that you can rely on. Another thing I like is that Ina is accustomed to cooking for groups and makes that seem less daunting.

The recipes are easy to follow with ingredients that are often in my kitchen. And the finished product is delicious. The pictures show how the food will actually look and she has great tips.

A very good book to add to your collection. I've tried some of the recipes already and they were terrific. I wish there was some more low carb recipes in there but all in all a very good book. If you buy it make sure you try the Fresh Whiskey Sours and the Tomato, Mozzarella & Pesto panni. They are both fantastic.

I would love to tell you about this book. Unfortunately, we never received the book from the eBay Seller and was forced to contact PayPal to receive a full refund. Buyer Beware!! We finally did order the book from Amazon and are presently awaiting its arrival.

love the book. love the recipes, love the colors of the food. I have this book displayed on my cookbook holder in the kitchen. I love to cook and bake, so this book is awesome.

Another wonderful book from Ina Garten full of recipes that are easy and delicious. The chicken piccatta is simple to prepare and yummy. A+++ As always the introductions to the chapters are as fun to read as the recipes. Great care has been taken with the writing and photography of this book and it shows.

I love the beautiful pictures showing what the finished meal looks like. Some of the recipes seem pretty basic, though. The desserts are nice. The peanut butter cupcakes and coconut cake are delicious! I purchased the book, because I love Ina's recipes.

I love to watch the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network - Ina makes cooking look effortless, simple, fun and delicious. Since I've used her cookbook, the outcome of each recipe thus far have been successful and my family says "I'm the best cook" (thanks, Ina)! I haven't enjoyed cooking as much as I have since I started using her cookbooks. I've also enjoyed her stories that goes along with recipes - it encourages me to remember the good times along with the good food!

I absolutely love the way the book uses a variety of different ingredients. None of the recipies I have seen elsewhere use such a diverse and delicious blend of food.

This is an excellent cookbook. The recipes are bound to become family favorites. I made the honey ginger carrots for Christmas to rave reviews. The ingredients are things you have at hand, not exotic speciality items you have to scour gourmet shops to find. Directions are straight forward and easy to follow. One of the best purchases I've made on E-bay! Hurray!

What I love about Ina is her motherly approach, her attention to quality ingredients etc. but her recipes are redundant. The color photographs are wonderful but so much of the stuff in this book is very very similar to her other books. Not enough variety and way too Martha Stewartish for my taste - I loved her first book because it was grounded in technique and used quality ingredients, this one seems like it is beating a dead horse.

I love Ina! I have all of her cook books. This one is just as great as the others. I mostly like her books for the photo examples. I find it helpful to have a picture of the finished product to work towrds.

I had been reading the reviews for all of Ina Garten's cookbooks, but decided on this one as the recipes are all down home, easy to make, delicious and ones I would make more than once. The final deciding factor was Nancy Sortino's (Editor in chief of Country Living Magazine) comments on countryliving.com about the chocolate cake she made from this cookbook for guests. She raved and thus I had to try it myself. So, I hunted ebay for the most inexpensive 'new' book of "at home" and am thrilled with the purchase. Loved the lemon yogurt cake, moist and yummy; the cornmeal fried onion rings and chicken salad. And, almost forgot the blue cheese coleslaw...Ina inspires me with her effortless manner and fresh ingredients and the pictures are to die for.

Ina Garten is an experienced cook, business woman and hostess, and her style of cooking is very relaxed, yet the outcome is always perfection. Her TV show on The Food Network clearly demonstrates her skill, and is always enjoyable to watch. I'll be looking to purchase her previous cookbooks, and add to my collection.

Adore her show and this book. Ina really has a way of making everything and everyone feel so cozy. She does an excellent job of allowing the reader insight as to how she is able to so flawlessly accomplish her intimate and charming get-to-gethers. Choc full of the perfect recipes!

The book is in excellent & my sister wants a copy, too. I watch Ina on cable and the book follows her program. The receipes are easy to make and great for guests.

I love the Barefoot Contessa's simple easy recipes. I enjoyed her other books and felt certain I would enjoy this one.

There wasn't anything to dislike about the cook. We well always be glad with have with our collection of cookbooks

A great cookbook with various recipes and serving ideas. I bought it for my husband, but I am using it more that he is!

I enjoy Ina Garten's cookbooks because she creates easy recipes that are fit for entertaining and family meals. Her cookbooks include fabulous desserts which look store bought when finished and tips for creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in your home when entertaining.

Good book. I like some of her others better, like Family Meals. Worth owning for Barefoot fans though.