• Laura on August 06, 2011

  The more I cook from this book, the more I appreciate it. The recipes are very approachable, yet delicious. This would be a good choice to give to someone just starting out in the kitchen. The photographs are lovely and would tempt anyone to want to get into the kitchen and start cooking.

• IvyManning on September 03, 2010

  It a good book, mostly. But beware the amount of butter and oil in everything, especially the carrot cake!

• lydia on June 12, 2010

  The first and still the best of the Barefoot books.

• Lhardin on April 29, 2010

  Banana Crunch Muffins, Yum!!

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Pan-fried onion dip

  • bmbaker on May 15, 2010

    This is the best, but we like it better with the onions chopped a little finer!

  • BethNH on April 12, 2019

    There's not much to say that hasn't been said. I cut the butter and oil in half which worked out fine. I also used low fat sour cream and lite mayonnaise and the dip was plenty rich. If you're going to be in the kitchen anyway and can watch the onions for 30 minutes, there's just no reason to use onion dip from an envelope.

  • meaganh on July 25, 2016

    Always a hit. I chop the onions finer and use a few other mods to make less nutritionally deadly: Reduce both butter and olive oil for sauteing to 1 or 1 1/2 tbsp each -- Drain onions before adding -- Substitute light sour cream, olive oil mayo, and Neufchatael for the full-fat versions -- Cut mayo to 2 tbsp and bump up sour cream and Neufchatel to reach 1/2 cup of mayo called for.

  • ckbkaddict on November 02, 2012

    This is lovely but next time I would omit or reduce the cayenne.

  • HerBoudoir on January 01, 2015

    Entirely too addictive.

  • averythingcooks on January 26, 2020

    This was actually the very first Barefoot Contessa recipe I made for a dinner party (probably in 2006?). When planning last night's gathering, T suggested "that really good onion stuff that you never make anymore". I keep the base proportions as written (which are easily scaled up or down as needed) but also cut the fats in 1/2. The onion are more like 1/4 slices than half moons and the cayenne is a must for us. My guests devoured it.

  • themasterkey3000 on June 02, 2019

    Too sweet for us. We like our onion dip more oniony, less caramely.

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    Made a day ahead. Used about half the oil and butter to saute the onions, which was enough. Delicious! Next time I would cut the onions into smaller pieces so they're easier to eat.

  • jhallen on October 22, 2020

    Mayo flavor was way too heavy for me - not my cup of tea. Agree with comment about the onions being too sweet as well.

  • Soulkitchenjen on December 31, 2022

    This recipe is perfect. Absolutely devoured at the party.

• Cheddar-dill scones

  • Jane on April 26, 2020

    I haven't made scones in a long time and I had it in my head that they needed a light touch. These have you knead the dough for 1 minute so I was a bit concerned but they were delicious. I thought I had baked them too long as when I took them out at the minimum bake time of 20 mins they were quite dark. But they were wonderful when cut into - flaky, cheesy, rich. So good. I sprinkled a little grated cheese on top as my memory of cheese scones has that. I also used thyme as no dill to be had. I'll be making these again. Like anya_sf I got 6 scones from a 1/4 recipe (the recipe is easily quartered).

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    Very good but very rich. 1/4 recipe made 6 good-sized scones.

  • Skamper on May 09, 2020

    These are delicious. I made a half batch, which yielded 8 large scones. I used half & half in place of the heavy cream. My partner doesn't care for dill so I used minced chives. Based on some Food Network reviews that said the cheese oozed out of the scones during baking, I finely grated it in my food processor (also easier) and didn't have any problem. The dough was very sticky so I didn't really knead much, and patted into a square rather than rolled with a pin. I baked 2 right away in the toaster oven to avoid heating up the house and they were done in 17-18 minutes. I didn't add the egg wash but if I did I'd also add some fleur de sel, but they don't need it. I froze the rest unbaked so will see how those turn out.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    I don't normally like savory scones but these were awesome. Very flaky with great flavors! I small-diced my cheddar like Ina recommended, and they ended up staying in globs that oozes out--not attractive. But they still tasted great and next time I'll use a higher quality cheddar.

• Hummus

  • Cheri on July 21, 2019

    This is my go to recipe. Easy to vary as you like. Last batch included some cumin and smoked paprika, excellent with grilled Greek meatballs stuffed with feta. Super easy.

  • Breadcrumbs on August 18, 2012

    p. 46 - I've made this hummus on countless occasions and it's always a hit. So quick and delicious. I tend to add extra hot sauce and depending on my menu I vary between using fresh or roasted garlic. I roast heads of garlic in the fall and freeze them so I have them on hand through the winter months. Love this w some Aleppo pepper sprinkled atop.

  • Breadcrumbs on September 01, 2013

    p. 46 - Just another shout out for this recipe. It's our house favourite and one that just never lets us down. So quick to pull together and no need to let it sit as it's delicious right away! Today's batch is made w the wonderful Susie's hot sauce from Antigua. A drizzle of evoo and a sprinkle of Aleppo over top and we're off to the deck to enjoy it along w some grilled pita and a little white wine. Cheers to another summer!

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    Easy and very good. Relatively mild flavor. Great with pita bread or carrot sticks.

• Swordfish with tomatoes and capers

  • Breadcrumbs on December 22, 2010

    p. 136 - Oct 2010 -The sauce was really delicious. I used the food processor to chop the veggies to speed up the process, especially since fennel is so hard...much easier in the fp. I really liked the impact that the inclusion of one tbsp of butter made to the sauce. I tasted it just prior to the addition and though it was a small amount, the butter really seemed to round out the flavours and kill any acidity from the tomatoes. Made again in December and dish was even better w addition of sweet yellow pepper and olives and anchovy paste. Excellent, will make again.

  • mirage on June 26, 2010

    Anne made - it was very good

  • Laura on August 06, 2011

    Pg. 136. We really liked this alot. Delicious and simple. The sauce flavors were excellent. However, next time I make it I will increase by half the amount of tomatoes -- the proportion of onions/fennel seemed to overwhelm the tomatoes. The swordfish steaks I had were slightly smaller than those called for in the recipe and so I cut back on the cook times just a bit. The fish came out perfectly cooked. This sauce would be great with other white-flesh fish as well.

  • wcassity on September 08, 2021

    Tasty. Made per recipe; served with fresh spaghetti.

  • Wende on January 27, 2023

    This is my go-to recipe for swordfish which I am lucky enough to get locally fish-caught. Although I sometimes change up the swordfish cooking method (i.e. sous-vide), it doesn't matter much because this recipe is all about the sauce. The sauce is so delicious that I always err on the side of making more since upping the amount of sauce ingredients has no effect on the cooking method.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I made the full sauce recipe with fish for 2 people, adding 1 yellow bell pepper. The sauce texture was quite chunky. We ate nearly all the sauce - it was so good. I substituted albacore tuna for swordfish. I could have cooked it a couple of minutes less (my fish may have been thinner), but it was still good. Served it over bulgur to soak up the sauce.

• Roasted eggplant spread

  • Breadcrumbs on August 20, 2012

    p. 41 I’m really surprised we haven’t seen a review for this yet. I’ve been making the recipe for years now and we always love it. If you’re finding yourself with an abundance of eggplants and peppers, this is the recipe for you! I see there's a link to the recipe so I’ll skip how this comes together. Suffice to say, prep is super-simple. Ina calls for minced garlic, I often toss in some whole cloves as well. We prefer this a little smoother and I always add an extra tbsp of tomato paste to my mixture. If you have any eggplant-haters in your crowd, this is a dish that just may convert them as the eggplant flavour and texture blends with the other ingredients. Sweet and rustic we love this atop grilled Crostini or pita. Highly recommend this one. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/737716?replied_to=5954411#7536055

  • Cati on August 20, 2012

    Breadcrumbs, this was the first recipe I noted to try when I bought thsi book a month ago. I have been making variations of an eggplanr dip for years, but always roasted the eggplant whole or when in a hurry did it in the microwave.Am very keen to try this where the eggplant is cut up before roasting,but I think it is the wrong season here ,will have to wait till summer.

  • anya_sf on June 17, 2017

    Amazingly good for minimal effort. Has a natural sweetness from the roasted vegetables. I served it with pita chips.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    This has become my go-to dip for entertaining. It's easy, delicious, and healthy. It goes fabulously with goat cheese as an app or on a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. I usually double the tomato paste since I like it more tomato-ey.

• Turkey meatloaf

  • mirage on January 16, 2010

    Susan and Nancy each said "yuck"

  • we10mom on May 01, 2013

    I love this meatloaf! Especially wonderful cold for sandwiches. In place of ketchup, I use tomato jam.

  • wcassity on July 26, 2015

    Nice flavor, but turkey breast just doesn't make sense for meatloaf. Even juicy and out of the oven, the texture was off, and the leftovers were inedible.

  • mamacrumbcake on April 16, 2020

    This is a perfectly fine turkey meatloaf, moist, well-seasoned, other than that, not very special or memorable. A quarter of the recipe was enough for a family of 4.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    This recipe makes a ton. I made 2/3 recipe, which was enough for 4 adults, 3 kids, plus leftovers. It was tasty. The kids really liked it. I liked it better hot than cold.

  • ginger2212 on October 18, 2022

    I love this meatloaf and it has such classic, home-y flavors. I make with the parmesan smashed potatoes and a bright green salad to lighten everything up. I 1/2 the recipe because it is way too much. I find that 1/2 the recipe for 45 minutes is perfect.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    We found this on the dry side, and I pulled it before the suggested cooking time as well once I realized it was at temp. We didn't find the flavor to be anything special. Even halved, this made a ton of meatloaf.

• Grilled salmon salad

  • mirage on June 26, 2010

    Anne made - it was very good.

  • ksg518 on April 30, 2017

    This is a great light dinner or lunch. I serve it over crisp lettuces, with a small amount of extra oil and vinegar dressing. The first time I made this (years ago), I thought having to grill the salmon hours before serving so it would have time to chill was a problem but it's actually one of the best parts of the recipe. Just grill the salmon when it's convenient, let it chill and the actual salad can be put together in a few minutes.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I had trouble flipping the salmon on the grill, so I left the fillets skin side down the whole time, which worked fine. Served over romaine lettuce with cucumber, avocado, tomato, and hearts of palm, the salad was very good.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    I roasted my salmon salad instead of grilling and used red wine vinegar because my local grocery stores don't carry champagne vinegar. This was pretty good, and my husband and I both enjoyed this, him more than me.

• Outrageous brownies

  • mirage on January 16, 2010

    The best.

  • Dale on May 22, 2011

    Hands down the only recipe I will ever use for brownies and feeds a crowd

  • Rajcakes on June 19, 2017

    Been making this for years best brownies ever

  • mamacrumbcake on October 14, 2020

    Addictively good brownies. They are rich, very chocolatey and fudgy with a crackly top. Recipe makes a huge amount. Half recipe fits a 9x13 pan and 3/4 recipe fits in a 10x15 jelly roll.

  • anya_sf on January 10, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe in a 9"x13" pan, which made 24 "normal" brownies. I lined the pan with parchment for easier removal. They baked for 20 minutes plus another 8-10 minutes and turned out nice and moist. They were awesome!

  • Mlr5 on May 10, 2021

    Very delicious dense fudgy brownies. The flavor is intense and super sweet but also very dark and adult-ish. (But the kids loved them too!) I omitted the walnuts but can see how they’d be a nice way to break up the richness. Them or ice cream! Or both! Will make again.

• Filet of beef bourguignon

  • Laura on March 11, 2013

    Pg. 123. This is fabulous! As Ina states, this is a far quicker way of making this dish because the filets require almost no time to cook vs. stewing beef for hours the old-fashioned way. However, this is also an extremely expensive way to make this dish. To save some money I cut back by 1/3 the amount of beef and added baby yukon gold potatoes. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. It was absolutely delicious and I wouldn't hesitate to make it again, but not soon and only for a special occasion because of the cost. Meanwhile, looking forward to leftovers for dinner tonight; they should taste even better.

  • Rachaelsb on December 09, 2017

    Even more delicious the next day.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I made this one day ahead and reheated it, but wouldn't do that again as the filets overcooked and dried out too easily, and this recipe doesn't take that long to make. I used 1 1/2 lbs beef but the full amount of vegetables and sauce (but half the bacon), which was a better ratio for our taste. The sauce reduced a lot by the time the carrots and onions were done; I thinned it a bit with hot water and only needed 1 Tbsp butter and flour to thicken it. Since I used canned broth, I added less salt. I used frozen pearl onions. It was delicious!

• Indonesian ginger chicken

  • Laura on June 06, 2014

    Pg. 125. I'm a big fan of Ina Garten -- her recipes are pretty foolproof for the most part. So, I expected to love this dish, especially given the ingredients. I followed the directions exactly with the exception that I marinated for about 8-9 hours on the day I cooked it rather than overnight. So, that may have been the issue. In any event, I liked it but didn't love it -- the flavor of the ginger did not really come through. Next time I would remove the covering at the beginning of baking, not halfway through the process. I did love the fact that it was a snap to prepare, so I will probably try it again.

  • wcassity on December 23, 2019

    Tasted like mall “Bourbon chicken”. Not a bad thing. The kids loved it - sweet, soy, gingery.

  • ddenker on October 20, 2016

    We really liked this dish and would like to make it again as it was so easy to prepare and more exciting than the normal roast chicken we make. I marinated it overnight (~24 hours) and it was fragrant and the color and crisp were incredible.

  • averythingcooks on May 09, 2021

    I made this with a spatchcocked chicken ( 1/2 the marinade with a 3.6 lb bird) marinating overnight in a bag (full fridges = no room for the actual pan). The marinade & chicken went into a cast iron pan and the cooking instructions were spot on (temps / times / covered / uncovered).....BUT the sauce seemed to split (& never got to "rich dark brown") so we did not use it. The chicken itself was moist & tasty but I think we have better ways to flavour a flattened chicken.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    For convenience, I usually use boneless, skinless chicken. Thighs work best, but breasts work too, with a shorter cooking time. Easy and tasty.

  • Dahliadiva on August 19, 2017

    I have made this a few times, it is delicious and easy to make. So far, all of Ina's recipes have been a success.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    Boring and forgettable. I marinaded my chicken overnight, and the hubby and I both felt like it needed more flavor. There are better recipes for Asian-inspired chicken out there.

• Gazpacho

  • Laura on August 27, 2010

    Pg. 79. I've been making a lot of gazpacho this summer, trying different recipes. So far, this one is the best. We had some immediately after I finished preparing it. I suspect it will be even better later, as tomato dishes often are.

  • krobbins426 on July 15, 2013

    Pretty straightforward Gazpacho recipe that hits the spot on a summer's evening. Makes a lot but keeps well.

  • imaluckyducky on May 19, 2013

    I've been making a batch of every other week or so for a solid two months during the summer for the past few years. Good texture, good range of flavors, and you can spice it up if you like. Keeps extremely well in the fridge - I've had it in there for a week and a half before all of it was gone, with no negative outcomes for the flavor or texture.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe using 1 large red bell pepper, 1/2 large red onion (I don't like too much onion, but this was still a lot). I chilled the soup one hour before serving, but it would have benefitted from more time. The gazpacho was very good, but best in small servings, so we still had leftovers. I definitely prefer this version to the canned tomato version in "How Easy Is That?". I would reduce the oil next time.

• Lentil vegetable soup

  • Laura on November 18, 2011

    Pg. 80. Made this using both chicken stock and vegetable stock (both were homemade.) Also used regular green lentils, not the small French green lentils, because that's what I had on hand. Used both red wine and red wine vinegar. We both enjoyed it a lot. Husband wants to give it 4.5 stars; I'm going with 4.0. That may change after leftovers tomorrow.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    This was a good, basic recipe. I made it a day ahead and reheated it, adding extra broth. The soup reheats well.

• Roasted-tomato basil soup

  • Laura on August 27, 2014

    Pg. 84. Another winner from Ina Garten. Loved this soup! The basil flavor really shines through. I was concerned about using canned tomatoes in addition to the fresh for fear that the soup would not seem as fresh, but I really don't think it had any effect on that. I'll be making this again very soon!

  • dmass on January 07, 2013

    This is a delicious soup. We make this with fresh tomatoes and basil from our garden. We substitute fresh tomatoes for the canned.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I made the soup one day ahead using half chicken broth, half water. The food mill wasn't too difficult for once and gave it a nice texture. The soup was quite good hot or cold. Either way, it's probably best with the recommended dollop of creme fraiche to round out the flavor (it doesn't need the extra basil).

  • sdutton on October 10, 2019

    I didn't exactly make this soup. This was the first time I made a homemade tomato soup and I was afraid using so much basil would overpower the soup. I just served the soup with basil chiffonade on the finished soup but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. WOW. This was soooo good. Next time I will trust the recipe and add the basil as written. Until then, I am happily enjoying my Roasted-tomato soup.

  • pastaplease on April 07, 2022

    Made as written (all the basil, canned and fresh tomatoes) - absolutely best tomato soup and it freezes really well, too. I make this often.

• French onion soup

  • Laura on January 19, 2011

    This is the first time I've ever made French Onion Soup, although I've eaten it many times in French restaurants. I would say that this version is definitely tasty, but not mind-blowing. The onions take way more than 20 minutes to caramelize, more like 40 minutes. Also, I would cut the onions differently in the future -- quarter the onion, then slice -- the slices were too long to eat easily. Also, if I were to make this again, I might use all beef stock instead of half veal stock.

  • averythingcooks on January 01, 2018

    In a world of French onion soup recipes, this is my favourite. Yes....it calls for 3 different types of alcohol (which makes it richly flavoured compared to so many others I've tried). Yes...the onions do tend to take longer ( but I'm all about low and slow re: caramelized onions) and yes .....I either use all beef or half beef / half chicken stock because I can't get (nor bring myself to order on-line) veal stock BUT at the end of the day, the ultimate test is this: Do I happily eat bowl after bowl WITHOUT the delicious melty cheese/toasty bread topping? Yes I do - all the time.

  • anya_sf on November 24, 2020

    When cooking the onions, I needed to turn the heat down to medium to avoid burning. 6 Tbsp butter was enough, but I wouldn't cut back much more. I used canned low-salt beef and chicken (instead of veal) broths and the flavor was still absolutely delicious - I'm guessing that's due to the 3 different alcohols. Although I missed the cheesy bread, the soup was still great, and we just had some cheese bread on the side.

• Parker's split pea soup

  • Laura on December 28, 2020

    Made this with some of the leftover ham from our Christmas dinner. It was really delicious, very reminiscent of the split pea soup my mother used to make. I realize that the recipe is vegetarian and doesn't actually call for ham. But, to my mind, there's no split pea soup without ham! Also, I only had 1 lb of split peas so only made half of the amount -- it still produced a lot of soup! The leftovers thickened up quite a bit and it was necessary to thin out the soup with some broth.

  • imaluckyducky on December 11, 2013

    Pg. 73 I used this recipe as the base for making a split pea and ham soup. It was, by far, the best version I have ever tasted. Added the ham bone with the water at the beginning and then added about a pound of chopped leftover ham when the second portion of split peas were added (after about 40 minutes). Didn't have oregano, but marjoram was an excellent substitute. I left out the potatoes only because I wanted to freeze the leftovers. Will make again!

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I used yellow peas and canned chicken broth, adding salt to taste. I mixed in chunks of ham near the end of the cooking time. The soup was quite flavorful ad good, but watch for scorching towards the end.

  • pattig on December 04, 2017

    I used rutabaga instead of potato and the soup was excellent. Will be my go-to for split pea soup now.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    This was just okay for us. It's a classic split pea soup (in a really large quantity), but I can't help feeling like I've had better.

• Broccoli with garlic

  • Laura on July 08, 2014

    Pg. 100. Well, this is a rarity -- an Ina Garten recipe that didn't wow me. The one change I made was that I made it with half broccoli and half golden cauliflower. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't all that good. The pepper flakes and garlic flavors didn't come through in the oil. I much prefer the Deborah Madison recipe, Broccoli with Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes and Parmesan, from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

  • sturlington on May 25, 2013

    P100. I was looking for a recipe that would use some leftover cooked broccoli. This was surprisingly good. I omitted the actual garlic and added only the garlic oil for a more subtle flavor.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Since the recipe only uses 1/4 cup oil, I just heated that much for the garlic and tossed everything with the broccoli. I blanched the broccoli in well-salted water, so I added less salt at the end. Very good, if a bit oily.

• Parmesan croutons

  • Laura on January 19, 2011

    I accidentally bought a whole wheat baguette, so these probably weren't as good as they would be with a regular baguette. I used course Kosher salt, which I think made them a little too salty.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Delicious, but watch the baking time. I used half a baguette and got 24 toasts. They were done in 8 minutes, so I wondered if they should be thicker, but the thin ones were nice with the soup.

• Curried couscous

  • Laura on April 20, 2019

    Pg. 94. I wanted to love this as much as the previous 3 reviewers and expected to, given that it's an Ina Garten recipe. Unfortunately, I thought it was just so-so. That may have been because I used whole wheat couscous rather than regular couscous. I'd never used whole wheat before and I think I don't care for it. I'd give this recipe another try using regular couscous.

  • cookbookhabit on June 08, 2013

    One of my favorite BC recipes ever, and one of the simplest and healthiest, too. Keeps well in the fridge for repeat lunches.

  • Dale on May 22, 2011

    This is an unbelievable salad and very easy; I substitute craisins for currants

  • bernalgirl on July 26, 2012

    My cousin made this for a barbecue, it is delicious! Definitely not another ho hum couscous salad.

  • julesamomof2 on July 16, 2020

    This recipe had held up well over the years, considering it was first published in 1999! I left out the yogurt as we avoid dairy and didn't miss it at all. Served with grilled shrimp skewers for dinner. The leftovers made a nice next day lunch.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I omitted the red onion as there was plenty of onion flavor from the scallions for my taste. I used dried cranberries instead of currants, which added some sweetness and color. The couscous was quite tasty. Extra vegetables would be nice here, such as baby spinach or bell pepper.

• Cheddar corn chowder

  • sfcarole on January 27, 2023

    I thought this soup was bland and I ended up sautéing two stalks of celery, a jalapeño and some garlic to add to the completed soup. This improved it quite a bit, but it still needed something. To give it a little more dimension I added about a half cup of buttermilk (reheating slowly). There also seems to be way too much stock for a chowder. I would recommend 8 cups of stock instead of 12. You can always add more stock at the end to suit your taste. Made as it is, it filled two quart containers.

  • mharriman on February 16, 2020

    My husband and I enjoyed this soup. Like Anya_sf, I made half a recipe. I did make changes: I didn’t put the olive oil in the pot until after the bacon was cooked, and then put in 2T. I omitted the butter since this recipe already has an abundance of fat ingredients. I used store bought unsalted chicken stock, frozen corn, and Yukon potatoes. I only used 6 oz of white sharp cheddar cheese. Even with those changes, this was a fairly rich soup that was hearty and filling. We liked that the cooking time created just cooked-enough potato pieces and cooked - but firm - corn. Served with homemade buttermilk biscuits and a lettuce and tomato salad.

  • averythingcooks on October 21, 2020

    This was a delicious part of a soup and sandwich dinner. I used mostly fresh corn topped up with some frozen and I did not blanch it before adding to the simmering pot. I also added some chopped roasted red peppers and a handful of diced ham for some extra flavour & a pop of colour but note that it was really good before I did that. It is worth noting that I made 1/3 of the recipe and after 2 big dinner bowls, I still have a lot of soup!

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe using 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp butter, which was plenty with the bacon fat. I used red potatoes and frozen corn. The soup was very good.

• Potato-fennel gratin

  • kari500 on November 03, 2019

    LLD made this with less fennel (unnecessary because you barely taste it, and I love fennel), and it was fantastic.

  • dmass on March 17, 2018

    Delicious! A non fennel fan I served this to, loved it.

  • mamacrumbcake on December 31, 2019

    Delicious and surprisingly quick prep if you use a mandolin (and wear a Kevlar glove). People always rave about these potatoes. I have scaled this recipe up and down and find that the cooking time is directly proportional to the quantity. So for a half size recipe, 45 minutes; a double recipe, 3 hours. The perfect amount for 9x13 pan is 1.5x, as a single recipe seems a bit on the thin side for me. A doubled recipe will fill a standard 9x13 to the top and you will not be able to get all of the cream into it. Bake it on top of a baking sheet to capture spills. The cheese browns very quickly, so I wait until the last 20 minutes to add the reserved cheese. I don’t think this needs the reserved cream and usually skip it. When the recipe is scaled 1.5x, it is perfect for a dinner for 15 people as part of a buffet with other side dishes.

  • Lepa on March 08, 2020

    We needed some comfort food today so I finally tried this recipe and it is so incredibly delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, even though I was a bit skeptical about the fennel. It was such a great addition! I will be making this again!

  • anya_sf on December 23, 2018

    Made 1/2 recipe in a 7"x10" dish. Sliced the potatoes by hand. Used a mixture of cream and half-and-half, which worked fine - next time I'd try all half-and-half, since it's so rich. I'm not sure cream needs to be mixed in with the cheese on top. The gratin was amazing! We devoured the whole thing.

• Sugar snap peas with sesame

  • ellabee on June 11, 2017

    Steamed 3 min rather than blanched, dressed w/just sesame oil and bit of salt. Terrific, but these sugar snaps were abs fresh from the farmer's market and so sweet that they're equally good when raw & unadorned. Next time will add tiny bit of rice vinegar to sesame oil before dressing.

  • chawkins on May 31, 2017

    Very simple and great tasting side for my garden fresh sugar snaps, I blanched the peas for 1 minute just to take the raw edge off.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I blanched the peas first. Simple and very nice complement to other dishes.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    This was a bit oily but the flavor was great, and they are a beautiful side dish. Doesn't get easier than this. It was my first time eating sugar snaps raw, and I was surprised at how good they were.

• Sun-dried tomato dip

  • Julia on January 22, 2016

    So easy and delicious.

  • ckbkaddict on November 02, 2012

    Easy to make and tastes fantastic.

  • KarinaFrancis on July 09, 2017

    Like the previous reviewers I thought it was delicious and so simple to make

  • cadfael on March 10, 2014

    One of my favourite dips over the years.

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    Made 2 days ahead. Substituted yogurt for part of the sour cream. Served with crudites. Everyone at work liked it.

  • secoffey on January 22, 2019

    I've made this for years. Love it.

• Rosemary white bean soup

  • nomdekt on August 31, 2010

    Wonderful subtle flavors & so easy to make!

  • imaluckyducky on May 19, 2013

    I agree that the flavors or subtle, but they were perhaps a bit too subtle for my liking. I ate all of the soup during the week, but only out of necessity instead of "man, I can't get ENOUGH of this stuff!"

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    After reading online reviews, I added a parmesan rind during cooking. I wasn't planning to puree the soup, so I diced the onions and used about a cup less broth. I substituted thyme for the rosemary. The broth was too thin so I ended up pureeing half of the beans, but the soup was still on the thin side. It definitely could have used some more flavor, such as bacon or ham.

  • Skamper on October 10, 2019

    This has long been a favorite soup. I often make it with canned cannellini for a quick weekday/night lunch or dinner. Really delicious!

• French potato salad

  • Aggie92 on August 22, 2016

    Delicious. Made a few small changes: white wine vinegar for the Champagne vinegar, omitted the dill, reduced the olive oil all the way down to 1 tablespoon, and cooked the potatoes in chunks instead of whole. Best served at room temperature.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I used a mixture of baby gold, red, and purple potatoes. For the herbs, I just had parsley and dill. I added salt to taste at the end - not the full amount. There was more dressing than needed, but the extra sank to the bottom, so the salad didn't taste overdressed. It was quite good.

• Homemade applesauce

  • cookbookhabit on June 08, 2013

    The only applesauce recipe I come back to every fall. Freezes beautifully, too.

  • smccandless on December 16, 2011

    favorite applesauce recipe. Works every time. Do not need to peel apples. Use variety. Cut sugar in half and omit butter.

  • averythingcooks on November 14, 2020

    I made roughly half with 1 honey crisp, 2 Granny Smith and 6 Macintosh. I went a bit lighter on the cinnamon and used 1 orange and 1 lemon (zest & juice). After 1.5 hours, it easily whisked to my desired consistency. We both really like it but I believe my personal preference would be to go much lighter on the orange zest. The whole house smells like fall....lovely!

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I used 2 lbs Fuji and 2 lbs Rome apples, zest of 1 orange, juice of 2 oranges, zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 Tbsp butter, 1.5 tsp cinnamon, no allspice. I mixed everything in the Dutch oven with red apple peel for color. Overall, this was good, with pleasant sweetness, strong cinnamon flavor, and chunky texture. The color was rather brown from the cinnamon. The peel was hard to fish out, so I wouldn't bother adding it next time. I'm also not sure what the butter adds.

• Homemade granola

  • cookbookhabit on June 08, 2013

    Seriously addictive stuff - probably the most sugary granola recipe I've tried, but it's incredible. I find that turning the oven down a notch results in less burning (always a hazard with granola, but especially this one with its copious amounts of maple syrup).

  • Alro9 on November 06, 2013

    Really enjoying this granola. I did make some changes to the recipe - turning down the oven and reducing the time overall (more like 30mins) worked and stopped the whole thing burning. Also I found the suggested proporition of dried fruit to add (cherries, apricots, cranberries etc) was too high for me so I chopped this up and have kept it separate to add 'according to taste' to the granola base. Next time I'd just reduce the quantity.

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    I made 1/4 recipe, which was still a lot. It was hard to whisk the honey and oil and toss them with the oats; I ended up using my hands. I omitted the cashews. The oat mixture was brown and threatening to burn after 25 minutes. The flavor was nice, but the granola was too dark. The texture was good, but did not stay crunchy when stored. The fruits were not my favorite, but of course you can use ones you like.

• Banana crunch muffins

  • Kfaber on July 18, 2014

    These muffins are so good! Left out the nuts- the diced banana, granola and coconut added to batter was plenty- and added banana chips to the tops which gave them great crunch.

  • wcassity on December 16, 2018

    Very tasty. Good texture with the mix-ins. Recipe made 24 small sized muffins, cooked for approx 21 min.

  • Delys77 on November 19, 2012

    The flavour on these muffins is delicious with all the little tidbits that go into them. The are quite delicate though, and a little sticky form the sugar so I would definitely say you have to go with a lined muffin tin. A bit higher calorie than some other muffins but definitely a good result.

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    Half the recipe yielded 12 "regular" muffins. Mixing the batter by hand worked fine. I used white whole wheat four instead of all-purpose and the muffin texture was great. The muffins were quite sweet but very good.

  • Sparkles75 on May 04, 2020

    I can honestly say I have loved every Ina Garten recipe I have ever tried but sadly this is a first thumbs down for me. I'm not worried about the amount of sugar in a recipe as long as it adds to the flavor and texture but these were just so excessively sweet that they were hard to enjoy. There were good points though- I loved the addition of granola and banana chips on top and would use them in another recipe. I wouldn't use the fresh diced banana again but that is just a personal textural preference.

• Croissant bread pudding

  • Kfaber on December 21, 2013

    Incredibly rich but delicious in small portions! Next time I would try chocolate chips instead of raisins

  • alex9179 on May 26, 2016

    Wonderful and a good option for the holidays. I substitute craisins for a bit of tartness with the very sweet pudding.

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    I made 2/3 recipe in a 9"x13" oval dish. Everyone at work loved it. However, it is super rich, and I could only eat a tiny portion.

• Roasted Brussels sprouts

  • ljholland on November 08, 2012

    Cut sprouts in half before roasting.

  • Omsafeeya on December 26, 2022

    Cut in half

  • averythingcooks on October 08, 2018

    So simple.......so delicious! I did go lighter on the salt and cut the larger ones in half before roasting. I had some chopped cooked bacon ready to toss with them but my husband tasted one and declared the bacon unnecessary. That is saying something.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Good, simple, and delicious. Smaller Brussels sprouts may cook faster - check after 30 minutes. Watch for burnt leaves (although I usually snack on them).

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    Good basic recipe though I prefer my Brussels halved before roasting.

• Spinach pie

  • wcassity on December 16, 2018

    This was great. Used 8 inch nonstick pan as directed. My phyllo sheets weren't longer enough to cover the top, so used 3 additional sheets on the top. Delicious.

  • anya_sf on June 08, 2017

    I used 2 16-oz bags of spinach and pregrated Parmesan. I used unsalted butter for the pastry, which I think it better, since the filling is salty enough. I didn't need quite all the butter. Ina did not specify the size of phyllo sheets - mine were large, about 14x16". I don't own a 6" ovenproof nonstick skillet, only a 10" one, so I used that, which worked fine. It was quite thick; I think it would be overly thick in a 6" pan, although 8" would probably work. It can be assembled a few hours (and maybe even a day) ahead and refrigerated, then baked later. Mine needed about 10 extra minutes in the oven to avoid pale pastry spots. The recipe says to cool completely before serving, but I only cooled it for about 20 minutes, which is probably the minimum time. The longer you let it cool, the easier it is to cut. It makes 6 generous servings, or 8 more reasonable ones, depending on what else you're serving. I ate way too much. It was delicious.

• Smoked salmon tea sandwiches

  • ianapoli on January 04, 2014

    butter was too rich, used cream cheese instead

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    I used Eli's Health bread, which was presliced, so I made thicker sandwiches with proportionately more salmon. Great flavors! I'm sure even better as tea sandwiches.

• Maple-oatmeal scones

  • twoyolks on November 18, 2014

    The glaze was the best part of these scones. The scones themselves didn't have a lot of flavor other than being slightly sour (from the buttermilk).

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2019

    I made 1/4 recipe and patted out the dough instead of rolling, cutting it into 6 triangular scones. I used all whole wheat pastry flour and old-fashioned oats, and reduced the butter to 6 Tbsp instead of 8, adding a few extra tablespoons of buttermilk. Shaped them the night before and baked in the morning. For the glaze, I used maple extract instead of vanilla. We liked them. They were similar to Starbucks' maple scones. I've also made them with raisins instead of pecans.

• Vegetable coleslaw

  • twoyolks on November 15, 2016

    This is a decent coleslaw. It's a little unusual to have mustard in the dressing but it works pretty well. I don't think slicing the cabbage in food processor yields thin enough slices for a proper coleslaw.

  • raybun on November 06, 2016

    This is my go-to coleslaw every time I make pulled pork. Just perfect!

  • averythingcooks on January 22, 2021

    This is a nice coleslaw but I did eyeball a bowl of veg for 2 (and included thinly sliced red onion & red peppers). 1/4 of the dressing made enough for last night's dinner for 2 with leftovers for at least one more round of the same amount of veg. Definitely repeat worthy.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I'm not a huge coleslaw fan, but this was very good, although I just made 1/4 of the dressing (without celery seeds - didn't have), mixed with 12 oz packaged broccoli slaw.

  • Beebopalulu on January 18, 2020

    Good flavour but makes far too much dressing for quantity of vegetables.

• Roasted carrots

  • twoyolks on December 24, 2015

    The carrots weren't cooked all the way through but were already quite brown.

  • averythingcooks on October 08, 2018

    I realized I wrote about these in a comment to a blog but not here. I. Love. These. Carrots. They appear at all kinds of holiday dinners and always receive rave reviews. I see all kinds of recipes for glazes or vinaigrettes to serve over them but they really don't need anything other than the olive oil, salt and pepper - simple and delicious.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Really good and easy, especially when made with fresh organic carrots.

  • JJ2018 on April 21, 2019

    These were just ok for me... maybe I just don't like roasted carrots that much though!

  • tlight on January 09, 2022

    This is an easy, dependable recipe that we served with Ina's meatloaf and mashed potatoes for a comforting meal.

  • cookbook.chronicles on January 19, 2020

    Very simple and good. Easy to make.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    Used the suggested amount of kosher salt and found these to be inedibly salty. Not sure if this was an error on my part. It was a shame because they otherwise would have been great.

• Grilled lemon chicken

  • twoyolks on July 24, 2015

    This grilled up nicely and wasn't reasonably moist. The lemon flavor was strong, almost too strong after marinating for 24 hours. Unfortunately, chicken breasts simply don't grill all that well.

  • dmass on March 17, 2018

    This is our go to recipe for lemon marinated chicken. Always receive compliments and requests for the recipe. Absolutely delicious.

  • latham on December 28, 2014

    I've made this twice and it was delicious both times. I marinated the chicken in the refrigerator for 24 hours and I cut the grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces for an appetizer buffet. I also made Ina Garten's satay sauce to go with the chicken. It was a great combination. I will make this again!

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    Half the marinade is sufficient. This works best with thin chicken breasts so that they cook quickly without drying out too much. WIth large breasts, butterfly them. Very flavorful even after marinating only 4 hours.

  • Treeheart14 on August 15, 2021

    I have made this several times and its my go-to grilled chicken recipe. I do slice the beasts in half which makes them nice and thin to grill without drying out. Do not overcook! Moist and delicious, always receive compliments and requests for the recipe! I don't find the lemon flavor too strong but I only marinate about 12 hours.

• Perfect roast chicken

  • chawkins on November 07, 2018

    This was quite tasty for the effort put in. The recipe from the book adds only yellow onions to roast along with the chicken, but the photograph there showed carrots. Since we just harvest a bunch of carrots from the garden, I added couple of them to the pan. My thyme is dying and there is not enough usable sprigs on it, so I used rosemary instead. I also liked the way she made gravy, very simple and no lumps.

  • stockholm28 on August 25, 2013

    This is my "go-to" roast chicken recipe ... easy and tasty.

  • cadfael on July 29, 2022

    VERY GOOD

  • mharriman on January 12, 2019

    Wonderful. We usually don’t like gravy at our house, and I usually don’t make it, but decided to follow the full recipe and am glad I did. The gravy was lovely— not to heavy, not to thin, nice texture and flavor, and no lumps. Definitely will repeat.

  • mamacrumbcake on July 11, 2016

    I thought I already knew everything I needed to know about roasting a chicken, until I tried this recipe. Wow! This was so good and so easy--maybe 10 minutes of effort, compared to my usual 5. This recipe makes the most delicious pan juices of any roast chicken I've ever had. You can taste a hint of the lemon and the thyme which is stuffed into the cavity. And the roasted onions, carrots, and fennel that cooked in the same pan--swoon--who needs chicken? My chicken was smaller than the recipes called for so I only cooked it for an hour at 425. It was beautifully browned, juicy, and tender. If you make this, make sure to serve something that will soak up the pan juices (rice or potatoes). The book version of this recipe differs slightly from the online version: the book version has an accompanying gravy recipe and only calls for roasting onions and carrots. The online version also adds fennel.

  • rionafaith on September 09, 2017

    p. 130 -- Delicious roast chicken with gravy. The cavity is stuffed with a whole head of garlic, lemon, and a bunch of thyme, which seems slightly wasteful, but it did make for a great bird. I couldn't find my kitchen twine so I "trussed" the bird by slitting a hole in the excess skin and shoving the end of each drumstick through (a technique I picked up from some other roast chicken recipe somewhere along the line), which worked just fine. Skin was nice and crisp, and the meat was very juicy, even the breast. I didn't bother to strain the onions out of the gravy as I love caramelized onions anyway, and thought they added something extra to the gravy -- which is fantastic, by the way. Next time I will definitely have to serve this with mashed potatoes or crusty bread for all that deliciousness!

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    My chicken weighed 4.5 lbs and took 1 hr 20 min to roast. I put the chicken on top of the onions in order to elevate the chicken and protect the onions, but they burned, so I couldn't deglaze the pan. I made the gravy in a separate pan using the drippings. The chicken was very good - not sure if the butter and garlic added anything. The gravy was okay, but perhaps would have been better if the onions hadn't burned.

  • jay.moe on October 15, 2021

    This is the perfect roast chicken. My chicken was just over 5 pounds and cooked in 80 minutes. I used a smaller roasting pan so the onions wouldn't burn and poured a little chicken broth over the chicken after an hour. I didn't add potatoes or carrots to the pan this time, but from past experience cooking potatoes and carrots for 90 minutes in a hot oven makes very mushy vegetables. Adding them to the pan for the last 45 minutes is long enough for them to cook. The gravy made with pan drippings and chicken stock is delicious. This is a winner with very little effort.

• Strawberry scones

  • sturlington on May 03, 2015

    These scones use dried strawberries, not fresh.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2019

    I couldn't find dried strawberries, so I used dried mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries). I diced the strawberries, not not the other fruit. I increased the fruit and next time would double it, as the scones aren't very sweet and the fruit added sweetness and flavor. I used whole wheat pastry flour and buttermilk in place of cream. The scones were very flaky and moist, and still quite rich with all that butter. No need to roll them out - just pat them with your hands and cut them.

• Provençal potato salad

  • KarinaFrancis on May 08, 2020

    A robust and flavoursome main meal salad and there is a bit of flex I didn’t use olives or anchovies (my beloved is not a fan) and we had tuna in chilli oil. It all worked and we have leftovers for tomorrow

  • Lepa on February 26, 2020

    This was delicious and I expect the leftovers will also taste great. I used an eight ounce jar of nice Italian tuna but otherwise followed the recipe as written.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I altered the ingredient proportions and would do so again: 1/2 recipe potato salad, 12 oz green beans, 6 oz tuna, 1/4 c capers, 1 c tomatoes, no red onion, 1/3 c olives, 3 eggs, 6 anchovies. Served over salad greens, there was plenty of dressing for everything. The salad was very good.

• Guacamole

  • marglewis on August 05, 2020

    Pretty sure Ina taught me my first guac. Over time I have preferred to sub jalapeño for hot sauce, lime for the lemon, and add cilantro.

  • averythingcooks on December 23, 2018

    This year my annual "pre-Christmas dinner party" was a red & green Mexican feast. Neither of us are guacamole fans (i.e. After making it, husband tasted and said "I suppose that is how it is supposed to taste") BUT all night people raved and the bowl was scraped clean! I can always rely on BFC to deliver!

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    I used white onion soaked in water for 10 min to remove some of the pungency. Added cilantro (Ina hates it, but we love it). Mashed the avocados with a fork rather than cutting them; the cutting method in the bowl seems rather awkward. Added salt to taste. Good recipe.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    This is our house guacamole recipe. I sub lime juice for lemon juice, omit the Tabasco, and sometimes I leave out the tomato if I don't have any around. I mash my guacamole with a fork but usually leave it on the chunkier side. No matter how you make this, it's always amazing!

• Coconut cupcakes

  • imaluckyducky on February 06, 2015

    Pg 175 4 stars. I made these without a standmixer, and my handmixer died halfway through creaming the sugar, so keep that in mind with this review. Used 5 large instead of extra large eggs by accident. Cake comes out light and moist, but with such a large cooking window (25-35 mins), you really need to pay attention to how the tops of the cakes are cooking. 30 minutes provided a more dry cake. Stick with 25-27 minutes. Frosting is delightful and not too sweet despite having 1.5lbs of confectioners sugar. Rave reviews from the coconut lovers, but even those who generally aren't fans liked them. Took about 3.5 hours when all is said and done.

  • Cookie24 on February 26, 2017

    I love these cupcakes. I do find however, the extra large eggs to be annoying because I never buy that size so I usually just add an extra large egg. The cake is light a flavorful. Frosting is great, just be sure to set out the cream cheese the night before so it's soft and pliable.

  • anya_sf on January 11, 2020

    I made 1/3 of the cupcake recipe (6 large cupcakes) and 1/4 frosting, which was plenty. The recipe was very easy and the cupcakes were so good. I loved the frosting especially. During baking, the cupcakes domed and stuck to the top of the pan, so next time I'll grease the top.

• Peach and raspberry crisp

  • stockholm28 on September 16, 2019

    This was quite good, but also very sweet and I felt the peach flavor was somewhat masked by all the sugar. Next time I will reduce the amount of sugar mixed in with the peaches.

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe but with the full amount of raspberries. I made the topping a day ahead and chilled it. I placed the baking dish on a sheet pan in case the fruit bubbled over. The crisp had good flavor, but I thought the orange zest was too strong. We liked this best with ice cream.

  • secoffey on January 22, 2019

    This is delicious. Peach and raspberries together is such a great combination.

• Barbecue sauce

  • swegener on February 01, 2015

    This was really good and pretty easy--I used it on my pulled pork and it was rich and spicy. It does make a lot.

  • averythingcooks on January 11, 2020

    I needed a homemade BBQ sauce that did NOT call for molasses (freezing rain storm in progress and none in the house) so here I am. I made a 1/2 recipe and still needed to top up / improvise a bit: tomato paste + passata , apple cider vinegar + rice vinegar and less Lea & Perrins than called for with no good substitute. This sauce is really good (...maybe a "bit tangy" for our tastes??) and I now have 2 mason jars in the fridge. Since I make 4 other really good BBQ sauces, maybe next time I'll make 1/4 recipe.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe and it was still a lot. The sauce was really good.

• Fresh corn salad

  • Lepa on July 23, 2020

    This is such a simple salad but it tastes great.

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Delicious. Basil adds nice flavor. 2 Tbsp each oil and vinegar are probably enough.

  • Skamper on June 08, 2019

    Delicious summer salad. Great flavor for such a simple recipe.

• Shortbread hearts

  • averythingcooks on December 14, 2021

    I also ended up rolling a little thinner than the 1/2 inch called for and then proceeded overbake the 1st pan. Subsequent pans baked for around 13 minutes and were perfect. Perhaps not my favourite shortbread (of course not judging by the overbaked pan :) but we will happily munch on them as our after dinner sweet.

  • anya_sf on January 11, 2020

    I rolled the cookies thinner (about 3/8"), as 1/2" seemed very thick. They baked in 20 minutes. The shortbread had a nice, classic flavor and texture.

• Fresh lemonade

  • averythingcooks on January 18, 2022

    This packs a very refreshing hit of lemon. Because I intend to drink this mixture in combination with either sparkling water or vodka (or both :) and always over ice, I did not do the blender with crushed ice step. I went with a little extra lemon juice to counter the dilution with my "mixers" and I am playing a bit with the sugar levels but this is really good and the 1/2 recipe I made won't last long in my fridge.

  • Melyinoz on February 21, 2023

    Yum. Tart, sweet and refreshing.

  • anya_sf on June 17, 2017

    Good and easy. I'm not sure why ice is needed, but it worked. I used Meyer lemons and 2/3 cup sugar, although I could have reduced it a bit. The kids loved it.

• Rémoulade sauce

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    Very good!

• Satay dip

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    Lots of ingredients but simple to make. Great with the lemon chicken. Next time I would use lime juice in the chicken marinade to complement the dip.

• Crab cakes

  • anya_sf on October 20, 2018

    I shaped the crab cakes a few hours ahead. Used panko. Mixture was very loose, hard to form into cakes (maybe regular crumbs work better?). Even after chilling, these were hard to fry because they were loose. Several fell apart. They were tasty, but the crab flavor wasn't strong, and they were rather greasy. The remoulade was good with them, but overkill. There are better crab cake recipes.

  • Mlr5 on April 07, 2021

    Made recipe 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Shaped right before cooking. Once done I kept them warm for about 20-30 minutes in a low heat oven as suggested and they were still just right. These were a total hit! Will be making these (and the remoulade which was zingy and perfect with them) again!

• Lobster salad in endive

  • anya_sf on June 17, 2017

    I've made this with both crab and bay shrimp, but not lobster. Both were delicious (and more affordable). I made the seafood salad a few hours ahead and assembled the appetizers at the last minute.

• Lamb sausage in puff pastry

  • anya_sf on June 17, 2017

    I used pork sausage links because I couldn't find any other thin sausage. My puff pastry sheets were square, so I cut each into 2 acoordingly. I assembled the logs early in the day and refrigerated, then baked at the last minute. Sliced straight into smaller bites for a cocktail party. Very tasty and easy!

• Turkey tea sandwiches

  • anya_sf on August 16, 2021

    This flavor combination didn't work for me. Even with smoked turkey, the scallion and basil overpowered the meat. I might have liked it OK without those, but I won't bother to make this again.

• Vegetable sushi

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    The rice instructions worked perfectly. Recipe makes a lot - probably good for 6-7 rolls (my nori package had 10 sheets). There were lots of extra vegetables. I found it helped to moisted the nori edges with water to seal them. The flavor was nice and light. I omitted the red onion as it didn't sound good here. I served the rolls immediately, so I'm not sure if they'd keep well refrigerated - in my experience, the rice tends to harden.

• Sushi dipping sauce

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Excellent, very flavorful, which is needed for the rather plain maki.

• Roasted-potato fennel soup

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Good, not great. I used a food processor - be careful not to over process. Half the recipe was still a lot - the soup was very hearty.

• Grilled lemon chicken salad

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I made about 1 1/3 lbs chicken and used 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil so it would be slightly less acidic. I double the snap peas and blanched them along with some asparagus. I also added avocado, omitted the sliced lemon, and served it at room temperature over Bibb lettuce. It needed extra salt, but was quite delicious.

• Beets with orange vinaigrette

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I used roasted, vacuum-packed beets for convenience and made the salad a day ahead. Very flavorful, nice combination of flavors.

• "Linzer" cookies

  • anya_sf on January 11, 2020

    I used half the dough for these (half for a different kind) and got 9 sandwich cookies (18 halves). I used a 3/4" cutter for the centers because that's what I had. The cookies baked at 350 convection for 14 minutes. I tried to fit all 18 cookies on one sheet, but they spread during baking and ended up slightly misshapen, but still worked. The cookies were quite good, though I'd prefer more jam, but then they'd be messier to eat than they already were.

• Pecan shortbread

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    Using 1/3 of the recipe, I cut the cookies into 2" rounds and got 14 cookies. Most likely I rolled the dough thinner (perhaps 1/3"). Although the dough was easy to roll, I hate re-rolling, so I'll cut them into rectangles next time. They baked in 16 minutes, which may have been a bit too long for my smaller cookies. Made with toasted pecans, they tasted very nice.

• Fingerling potatoes

  • anya_sf on December 23, 2018

    Simple and delicious. I used a bit less salt.

• Roasted vegetable torte

  • anya_sf on January 10, 2020

    I made this one day ahead. The vegetables browned a fair amount - maybe the temperature should be reduced. Half of the eggplant burned, so maybe that should be sliced thicker. I layered the vegetables in a 7" springform pan, which fit fine (especially since I had to toss half the eggplant), but I wonder if it all would have fit in the 6" pan. Despite the overly browned vegetables and only half the eggplant, the torte tasted fantastic and unmolded beautifully.

• Parmesan smashed potatoes

  • anya_sf on December 23, 2018

    Good even when made with lower fat milk instead of half-and-half. I usually mix them by hand. Add salt to taste - I did not need the full amount.

  • ginger2212 on October 18, 2022

    Yes these are rich but they are DELICIOUS! I think my taste buds have changed because I definitely felt like it needed more pepper or even an onion-y bite. If you like these - you would likely love Alison Roman's Crushed Sour Cream Potatoes: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020602-crushed-sour-cream-potatoes

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    I thought these were good, not great. My husband thought they were too rich and wasn't a fan though.

• Caramelized butternut squash

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Easy and good, but squash is already sweet enough for me, so I'd omit the sugar next time.

• Roasted baby pumpkins

  • anya_sf on October 30, 2017

    I wasn't sure which type of baby pumpkin to use - seems like some might be tastier than others. The ones I picked had a fairly dry, starchy texture. When mixed with the applesauce, they tasted OK, but not that great. They needed extra salt, and maybe some butter. The presentation was super cute, but I'd rather stuff them with something else (like stuffing).

• Roasted fennel with Parmesan

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Very tasty way to prepare fennel.

• Grilled tuna niçoise platter

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I changed the ingredient proportions to serve 3 people: 1.5 lbs tuna (cooked on cast iron), 3/4 lb haricots verts, 3 eggs, 2 tomatoes, 1/2 recipe potato salad, 1/2 cup olives, 8 oz arugula. 1/3 of the vinaigrette was plenty for that. Everything tasted really great.

• Barbecued chicken

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I used 2 breasts and 4 drumsticks, marinating the chicken overnight. The chicken totally burned on the grill right away even with low heat. The sauce was very good, but the technique did not work for me.

• Baked Virgina ham

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Same recipe as Barefoot Contessa Parties

  • ginger2212 on October 18, 2022

    Excellent glaze!

• Szechuan noodles

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Delicious, easy, and quick. There is more sauce than needed - could reduce by 1/3 or 1/2. I added cucumber, cooked broccoli and chicken. Other vegetables would be good too. You must toss this while the noodles are warm because the dressing will stiffen as it cools/sits.

• Crudité platter

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I used arugula, radicchio, endive, baby carrots, radishes, blanched haricots verts, and cherry tomatoes. The platter was beautiful, but rather tricky to serve and eat. It's easier if the dressing is tossed with the ingredients. Next time I would use fewer bitter vegetables. The vinaigrette was also quite lemony, so I might reduce the lemon.

• Vinaigrette

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    Good, but quite lemony

• Kitchen clambake

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I made approximately half the recipe using 7 oz kielbasa, 6 littleneck clams (over 2 lbs!), 1 lb steamer clams, 1 lb mussels, 8 large shrimp, 2 lobsters. Steam started escaping after 10 minutes, so I lowered the heat to medium, then everything was done in 30 minutes total. This was quite easy to make, but was very messy to eat, of course. The broth was a bit salty, but oh, so good with bread for dipping. The recipe makes a lot. Next time I'd cook the suggested corn on the cob together with everything else.

• Lemon capellini with caviar

  • anya_sf on March 16, 2019

    I made 1/2 recipe as a main course for 2 people, using whole wheat spaghetti, Meyer lemons, and whitefish roe. I also added cooked broccoli florets. The pasta was really delicious - how could it not be with all that lemon butter? Broccoli was great in it. I'm sure it would be even more decadent with capellini and black caviar.

• Lobster potpie

  • anya_sf on December 27, 2018

    I've made this twice, but never exactly following the recipe. First time I made individual pot pies using puff pastry crusts only on top (no bottom crust). Increased the lobster to 1/4 lb per person. The second time I made one large pot pie, but again using puff pastry and only a top crust; assembled it one day ahead. This time I used frozen cooked small shrimp and added some tarragon to the filling. Both versions were delicious. The large pot pie filling bubbled through the crust so the center never browned; I cut it away, so we just had crust around the edges which was still enough. Half the butter was enough for the filling. A nice special occasion dish.

  • anya_sf on February 04, 2022

    I finally made this using Ina's pastry, which did not disappoint. Only made a top crust, as the bottom one usually gets soggy, and we were happy with the crust-to-filling ratio. Better Than Bouillon lobster base made a flavorful stock.

• Salmon with fennel

  • anya_sf on January 09, 2020

    I used 2 1-pound salmon tail fillets and about 1/3 of the other ingredients. There was a lot of filling, but I stuffed it all inside. Roasted for 30 minutes exactly, the salmon turned out great.

• Chocolate buttercream cake

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    The cake took a bit longer to bake but turned out perfectly. I thought there would be too much frosting and there was (I froze the leftovers), but it's easier to frost with too much than barely enough. The first time I cooked the egg whites and had to start over. The second time worked great. With that in mind, the frosting was relatively easy to make and spread perfectly, with awesome taste and texture. I omitted the rum.

• Pecan squares

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    I made 1/4 of the recipe (with 1 egg in the crust) in an 8"x8" pan, yielding 16 "normal" bars. The crust puffed a lot so the edges were not very raised, and the pecan filling went over the sides, making the bars difficult to remove from the pan. By the time the filling seemed set, the bars were overly brown and crunchy. They still tasted good though. Next time I'll line the pan with foil or parchment and reduce the baking time (although the full recipe might be okay with the longer time).

• Lime curd tart

  • anya_sf on November 26, 2019

    Two-thirds of the crust was enough for about 6 3-3/4" tartlet shells. I needed to add a couple of teaspoons of water for the dough to come together. After removing the foil and pie weights, the tartlets needed about 12 more minutes in the oven to bake through. Half the curd filled 3 tartlets generously with a little left over. The curd was easy to make; I cooked it over higher heat for a shorter amount of time, watching it closely. The tartlets were delicious, with a very zesty lime flavor. The curd was flavorful enough to use in mini tartlets.

  • Skamper on February 02, 2020

    This is my go to recipe for any kind of citrus curd, whether for tarts or anything else. Don't worry if the curd looks a little "curdled" when it goes into the pan.

• Raspberry tart

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    Delicious - like shortbread jam cookies with fresh fruit. I served it with whipped cream. Depending on your guests, this tart might only serve 8. It did not keep well - the crust got soggy from the jam - but still tasted good the next day.

• Pastry cream

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    I made 1/3 recipe for a 7" tart. This is an unusual method - not difficult, but it's not really necessary to dirty a mixer for pastry cream. Be careful when adding the milk as it may splash. Good flavor.

• Honey vanilla crème fraîche

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    I just mixed this with a whisk and did not whip it. I didn't have vanilla bean, so I doubled the extract. Served with fresh fruit, this was delicious.

• Raspberry corn muffins

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Good, but not my favorite corn muffin. These have a lot of butter and not so much cornmeal. The raspberry jam was tasty, but next time I would just spread it on the split muffin.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    These were a pretty tasty, standard corn muffin. The raspberry jam really makes the muffin, so don't skip it!

• Cranberry harvest muffins

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2020

    Half the recipe yielded 12 "regular" muffins. They baked in 20 minutes. I used white whole wheat flour, lowfat milk, and mission figs. The muffins were easy to make. We loved the flavors; the spices were wonderful.

  • snoozermoose on December 05, 2021

    My go-to muffin recipe! These are the best muffins I've ever made. They also lend themselves well to substitution for the fruit and nuts. I usually leave out the figs and sub in pecans for hazelnuts. Sometimes I riff on them with instant espresso powder in place of the spices and chocolate chips instead of the fruit. They always turn out perfect. Like anya suggested, halve the recipe if you want to make 12 muffins, but I like making a full batch and freezing half. They reheat beautifully in the oven.

• Orange yogurt

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2019

    I drained the yogurt (Straus nonfat) for 6 hours and it was nice and thick. Enjoyable combination of flavors, not too sweet. Orange zest was fairly strong.

• Fresh fruit platter

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2019

    This is more of a guideline than a recipe - very handy for entertaining. I used pineapple, watermelon (sliced with rind for additional color), raspberries, and blueberries, garnished with mint leaves. Very pretty and a nice combination of fruit.

• Fresh fruit tart

  • anya_sf on January 16, 2020

    I made 1/2 crust for a 7" round tart. I forgot to prick the dough, but it didn't puff or shrink. It only needed to bake 10 minutes after removing the foil and browned quickly. I topped the shell with pastry cream, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and mango slices. It was delicious! It's best the day it's made, but still tasted pretty good the next day.

• Roasted shrimp panzanella

  • anya_sf on February 05, 2022

    I used 5 oz arugula and we liked the extra greens, although there were lots of other vegetables. Half the dressing was plenty. 2 tsp salt seemed excessive for the shrimp, but they turned out perfectly (some of the oil/s+p remained on the sheet pan). I questioned the extra 2 tsp salt at the end, but added it after tasting the vegetables - unfortunately, my taste did not include the feta and capers, and in the end the salad was far too salty. The extra vinegar at the end also made it overly acidic for my taste. Usually I add extra vegetables to recipes, but in this case I actually wanted more shrimp. I think I would love this dish with more shrimp, no vinegar at the end, and only a light sprinkling of extra salt (if needed), still using half the dressing.

• Overnight mac & cheese gratin

  • anya_sf on February 02, 2022

    The volumes and weights of the cheeses did not correspond to those in Ina's previous mac & cheese recipe; I went by weight. I used cavatappi, orange cheddar, 2 c cream + 1 c half-and-half (to save a few calories). The liquid wasn't fully absorbed overnight - the pasta at the top of the bowl was drier - but the pasta baked up fine. 3 slices of bread were enough for the crumbs. This was really delicious, with just the right amount of cheese - rich, but not as rich as you'd expect. 3 of us nearly finished it all.

• Brown butter skillet cornbread

  • anya_sf on February 03, 2022

    I made 1/2 recipe in a 9" skillet; baking time was 28 min. Too late, I realized I only used half the amount of baking powder, and the resulting cornbread did not rise that high (although it did rise) and did not brown much. As promised, the cornbread was very moist. The flaky salt on top was too much for us though - next time I'd use less or omit it. I will try this again with the correct amount of baking powder.

  • anya_sf on September 01, 2022

    Made 1/2 recipe again, this time with the correct ingredient quantities, but just used 1 tsp Maldon salt on top. That salt level was more to my liking, although I could still skip it, but it contrasted well with the jam I put on my serving.

• Avocado & fried egg tartines

  • anya_sf on February 02, 2022

    Really tasty. I roasted the prosciutto (2 slices, 1/2 oz each) in the toaster oven, then toasted the bread there too. Made 2 tartines. They were quite filling, with lots of avocado, which was very lemony.

• Hot chocolate

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2019

    The chocolate seemed a little grainy (or maybe it was the espresso), but the taste was smooth, rich, and delicious. I think you could use all milk in place of half-and-half.

• White hot chocolate

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2019

    This was rather one-dimensional, like sweet vanilla milk. The white chocolate solidified as it cooled. I didn't serve this with vanilla beans (expensive!). Would not make again - regular hot chocolate is way better.

• Kitchn

  If you want retro-fabulous soups, salads, and party platters, go for this one.

  Full review