I've been in quite a cooking mood lately. Sadly, this doesn't jive well with my desire to live a healthier lifestyle. It could if I didn't love butter and cream so much. And chocolate. And pie. And pasta. And bread. And cheese.
Love her. Now I'm trying to decide which of these 2 cookbooks to get as a gift for a fall wedding we are attending. For you other Contessa Wannabes, which one would you choose? Well, now I seem to have made myself ravenous so I'm off to make blueberry muffins. I'll save one for you! 
I own all of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks and I've been striving to test a new recipe of hers every week. My pick for this week is her Linguine with Shrimp Scampi from the Family Style cookbook. It's not nearly as heavy as you might think, actually quite light tasting and perfect for a summer meal on the patio. You can find the recipe here. It calls for fresh shrimp in the recipe but I actually used frozen, thawed shrimp. It was amazing. Sweet Hubby, who it must be said is not a huge pasta guy, had seconds.
Love her. Now I'm trying to decide which of these 2 cookbooks to get as a gift for a fall wedding we are attending. For you other Contessa Wannabes, which one would you choose? Well, now I seem to have made myself ravenous so I'm off to make blueberry muffins. I'll save one for you!
I love her family style cookbook! I think that would make a nice gift!
ReplyDeleteYou're a woman after my own heart! My sisters and I always say our mother used to put butter, sugar or cream on everything we ate as kids, and we still love those divine ingredients to this day, much to the chagrin of our consciences! For me, cooking is one of the supreme joys in my life (besides glittering, of course!) and I think a touch of cream where needed can make a real tasty difference. No artificial junk for us! Love the Barefoot Contessa, too. Her books are beautiful as well as practical.
ReplyDeleteAny book you can bear to part with would be a spectacular gift, indeed!
Yours in cream and butter...
Laurie
I, too..am a Contessa Wannabe!!!...I LOVE her home, too!!!...I only own her 'family style' cookbook...it's wonderful!!...I tried her blueberry muffins...OMGOSH!!!...can't wait to make them again!!!...Lacy
ReplyDeleteWell, I think I might have to make a trip to Barnes & Noble to pick up a BFC cook book. Sounds like the family style one would be a good one to start with. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSue
I love Ina, but for some reason she drives my husband crazy - maybe it's that laugh - so I Tivo her shows and watch them on the sly. Ina's husband seems like such a doll too!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore Ina - and like you I have all her cookbooks. I'd have to say the two I'd pick are the Barefoot At Home (it's my favorite) and my second favorite is her original Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read your first paragraph I laughed because I could have written that myself! I try to be healthy but I love to cook and I don't like to cook healthy!
ReplyDeleteI think any of her books would be a nice gift. I just love her!
I don’t think she has children and I have often wondered if she would adopt me! She is my go-to woman in the kitchen. LOVE her! I am going to check out the recipe.
ReplyDeleteHeather
how'd the muffins turn out?
ReplyDeleteps, I'm so glad you got the notebook you wanted :)
I absolutely adore Ina Garten, love her cooking show, her adventures, and how she makes cooking seem fun. I try to use her recipes as often as possible. I've got to get her book!
ReplyDeleteI love Ina! And I have a collection of cookbooks that do not meet a healthy lifestyle either :). Good thing you and I are not neighbors, we would do any diet plan in for each other :).
ReplyDeleteHow about that muffin you were saving :)!!
Amy
Hi Jen...The pasta sounds delish! Silly me...gave up chocolate...it's been a week....sigh...
ReplyDeleteI have a giveaway going..come on over to the back porch and check it out!
Pat
I love to watch her show...fun to see all the creative things she cooks. It is hard to stay away from all the yummy stuff out there like butter, bread & pasta. Love all of them too.
ReplyDeleteRhoda
Which of her cookbooks is your favorite?
ReplyDeleteI love her show, but, with all the babies in this house haven't had an opportunity to watch it in *ages*. I now just comb the foodnetwork site to get a recipe of hers now and then, but would really really REALLY enjoy a good cookbook of Ina's.
If you think Family Style is the way to go, can you let me know?
Thank you, and enjoy your blog ever so much!
I too, love to cook and the more cream and butter the better, unfortunately. I try to tell myself that real cream and butter are much better for you than butter and cream flavored chemicals. So far my waistline is not believin' it! Any of Ina's cookbooks would make a great gift; I love Barefoot in Paris.
ReplyDeleteJanet
I love her cookbooks too. I have Barefoot in Paris, which is also good. I think any of them would be a great choice for a wedding.
ReplyDeleteallie
www.mycozyhome.typepad.com
I'm the same! All that I want to do recently is cook & bake. It might be because I'm working so much & want the comfort of the domesticity.
ReplyDeleteI so enjoy her show and books, too! She makes cooking seem so natural and easy, and "approachable".
ReplyDeleteWe try to eat healthy most days, and then have a "splurge" day each week. I think that it keeps one sane. :)
xo
I own all of her cookbooks as well but am partial to her original Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I seem to reference that one more than the others.
ReplyDeleteI think whatever book you choose would make a lovely gift.
Oh my gosh, I LOVE Ina! I wrote her an email once and she replied and was so nice and gracious.
ReplyDeleteI love the BC Parties book, but I think if I were getting a BC book as a gift I'd want the Barefoot in Paris book.
I love barefoot! I just make some of here carrot cake cupcakes and they were SOOOO yummy!
ReplyDeleteI love the Barefoot Contessa books. I have Family Style and Parties. I am going to try the shrimp recipe this week! Thanks!
ReplyDelete