Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy ... (ISBN 0609606441)

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Amazon.com Review:
"A good party is not about the food," says Ina Garten, "it's about the people." That may be true, but her Barefoot Contessa Parties! will ensure that your next party is a fabulous one, regardless of your guest list. Garten, author of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and a monthly column in Martha Stewart Living, has been catering since 1978. So who better to put together a collection of entertaining theme parties? She's included everything from drinks and hors d'oeuvres to dessert and coffee, as well as notes about what "surprises," atmospheres, venues, and table decorations lend themselves to each. Because she likes to attend her own parties (and who doesn't?), almost every recipe is make-ahead and remarkably uncomplicated. From casual get-togethers, such as the Pizza Party--which includes recipes for Caesar Salad with Pancetta, California Pizzas that your guests can assemble themselves, and Ice-Cream Sodas--to the elegant Academy Awards dinner--where your guests will enjoy Raspberry Vodka, Rori's Potato Chips with Caviar Dip, Smoked Salmon with Mesclun, Filet of Beef with Gorgonzola Sauce, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic Roasted Potatoes, and Chocolate Ganache Cake--Garten's parties are well thought out and well organized. Divided by season, you'll look forward to Summer's Outdoor Grill, which starts with Real Margaritas, followed by Endive and Avocado Salad, Grilled Herb Shrimp with Mango Salsa, Spaghettoni al Pesto, Tomato Fennel Salad, and Peach Raspberry Shortcakes for dessert. Autumn brings beautiful menus like the one where you cook with your guests and end up with a feast of Potato Pancakes with Caviar, Salad with Warm Goat Cheese, Rack of Lamb, Orzo with Roasted Vegetables, and Apple Crostata. Winter's menus bring soul-warming food, such as Seafood Chowder, Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, and a recipe for possibly the world's best Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Spring offers menus such as the Sunday Breakfast, with a main course of Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs, and the Jewish Holiday Party, with Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls. Filled with funny party anecdotes, a bit of Ina Garten history, and clever hints and tips to help guarantee the success of these recipes, this collection, subtitled "Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun," delivers on every count. --Leora Y. Bloom

I love Ina!:
This is a must-have for your cookbook collection! I've watched Ina on Food Network for a while but this was the first cookbook of hers that I bought. There are beautiful pictures of every single recipe (yay!) and the recipes are so delicious! The low down on what I've tried: Shrimp salad - Even friends who don't like shrimp loved this salad. Very easy and so good! Chinese chicken salad - Great foundation recipe; added shredded cabbage, carrots and cilantro. Pasta, pesto and peas - A whole bowl of pasta pesto is normally too much of the same basil oil flavor for me, but this recipe makes it delicious and so easy to eat bowls and bowls of it! I added some sundried tomatoes for a little more zip. Lemon cake - One of the yummiest desserts EVER! Added a side of mashed raspberries but also great alone. Asian grilled salmon - It's a little on the salty side but the flavor is great. Grilled herb shrimp with mango salsa - Hands down, the best shrimp I've had at home, at a restaurant, anywhere! You'll be totally wowed! I didn't think the mango salsa was necessary at all though. Potato pancakes with caviar - I didn't add the caviar, but the pancakes with just the creme fraiche was super tasty! I've never been disappointed with any of Ina's recipes - she rocks!

Forget the Fat:
Forget the fat. Or don't think about it anyway. Every recipe I've tried in this book is not only easy to make, but delicious. I've made the pesto and the pasta salad that uses it, both with great results. I've made the oriental dressing and have used it for salads as well as for a marinade for chicken. This is fantastic stuff--yummy and great for parties. You can't go wrong.

Barefoot Contessa Parties:
This is a quality product, the best cookbook I've read in years! Each recipe is clear, precise, and appetizing. Yes, I will buy others written by Ina Garten.

Barefoot Contessa Parties:
As with all Ina books, this one was not a disappointment. Thoroughly enjoy her writing style and tried-and-true recipes.

Awesome recipes!:
My friend invited me to a dinner party where she served the filet of beef, the gorgonzola sauce/gracy, the spinach gratin and the garlic potatoes...it was delicious! So I had to order a copy of this book for myself and the recipes are just out of this world. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves food.