Rating: 
Summary: GREAT RECIPES - DIETERS BEWARE!
Review: This book contains great recipes but for those who are conscious of their calorie intake, and many individuals are very health conscious these days, some of these recipes would blow your calorie intake for a week! However, if you feel the need to pamper yourself now and then, these recipes are certainly delicious. My personal favourite was the French Onion Soup and Lobster Potpie. While these recipes cater to the "party platter," it would have been a little extra plus to provide measurements for smaller servings (two to four servings) especially for those who enjoy the recipes but would prefer dinner for two as opposed to a "party platter." The idea of freezing what is left over is great if you have a large freezer space but not everyone has that option. Often, simply halving the ingredients, does not always give optimum results either. As far as the recipes go, they are quite tasty, and there is such a variety here, you are almost certain to find something to please every taste - but a word of caution: watch the calories and butter if you are trying to restrict your intake.
Rating: 
Summary: A Must Have for your Kitchen
Review: This cookbook is a must for everyone's kitchen. The receipes are wonderful-easy to follow with common ingredients that are found in most kitchens. The photographs are terrific and I love the tips in the margins. Speaking of margins, they are nice and wide-perfect for jotting notes. I would highly recommend this cookbook-try the guacamole receipe right away!!
Rating:
Summary: Get ready to entertain!!
Review: Each time I try a new recipe, I subject my husband to the following three questions: Do you like it? Is it good enough to make again? Would you serve it to guests? (Bless my husband, he mostly manages to answer these questions without rolling his eyes in the process!!) So far EVERYTHING I've tried from Barefoot has gotten the "thumbs up" for serving to guests ... AND our guests have really enjoyed the food :-) Here are some of the things I appreciate about Barefoot: the photography is BEAUTIFUL and inspires me to present the prepared food in an eye-appealing manner; the recipes are relatively simple to prepare and stress using the best and freshest ingredients for the tastiest results; and best of all ... the author provides detailed instructions for preparing ahead of time so that if you're entertaining guests, you can turn your attentions towards your visitors instead of being mired down in the minutia of last minute cooking details. Some notes re: specific recipes: We loved the corn chowder - we ate about a quart ourselves; gave another quart to friends who just had a baby; and still had a couple quarts to throw in the freezer for later. This is a recipe that needs to be halved, or even quartered! The grilled lemon chicken with satay dip is divinely yummy; but, once again, there's enough satay left over for 3-4 more batches of grilled chicken. I made the maple-oatmeal scones for a surprise birthday brunch for a friend. We all loved the scones (no - don't count the calories, it'll spoil the joy!!), even thinking them superior to the ones Starbucks offers ... AND I had enough leftovers to serve to my visiting in-laws the next day! Conclusion? Great food, but huge proportions. I will definitely be buying Barefoot as gifts for my cooking friends...
Rating: 
Summary: Basic Cuisine
Review: If you are at all a foody, you will find this book has very little to offer. I'm sure the restarant is an experience, but I was disappointed in the span of recipes. Not much there that you can't find in your current home library.
Rating:
Summary: It's Delicious!
Review: Attention Somersizers and other low-carb devotees--REAL good food in this book, and much of it low-carb! Who can resist sugar snap peas in a bit of sesame oil? I can't. (I also can't get them washed fast enough to get them into the oil.) Since you eat the whole pod, they're veggies. I've always been a veggie eater, but I HATE Brussels Sprouts. Ina Garten roasts them, and they are absolutely incredible as well as low carb. The Grilled Salmon Salad and Lemon Chicken Salad will hold you up for a while--all low carb, too. Granted the scones are anything but low-carb. If you're doing an office party, or another kind of gathering, trust me--there won't be a crumb left of those cheddar-dill scones.
Rating:
Summary: Simple and Delicious
Review: I thought this book was great. I have made several of the recipes out of it and have had rave reviews when I served them to my guests. The Pan Fried Onion Dip is delicious. I had people that don't normally like dip rave about it. I loved it so much that I got her new cookbook also and loved it just as much if not more. I think this book is a must have.
Rating:
Summary: A cookbook collector's dream!
Review: This is my favorite cookbook. I have tried several of the recipes in this book and the Grilled Lemon Chicken has become a staple in our home. For those that collect cookbooks, this one is a must have! I'm the type that reads cookbooks from cover to cover and I found this one an enjoyable read! The pictures are beautiful, and the recipes are great--basically really good food based on simple, fresh ingredients. A truly well-rounded cookbook. I can't wait to get Ina's new book!
Rating:
Summary: She has a new book: Barefoot Contessa Parties!
Review: I purchased this book and was immediately looking forward to the next book I knew Ina Garten would be writing. If you want to make a friend very happy, you could buy them both books and wrap them up for a wonderful gift. While this cookbook is equally comfortable on the coffee table as it will be in the kitchen, I can tell you the recipes are wonderful. While it won't stay on the coffee table for long - you will want to read it from cover to cover. I always love the fact that a cookbook has so much life energy poured into it. You will love both cookbooks. I just finished making the chicken chili in her second book: Barefoot Contessa Parties. We have another winner! So, don't miss out on her second cookbook. I highly recommend both cookbooks.
Rating:
Summary: A Staple
Review: This book came to me by word-of-mouth and I've told two friends and they've told two friends and so on and so on... I have nothing but love for Ina and this book, which should be a staple in every homechef's collection, right next to "The New Basics". I make the roast chicken EVERY WEEK now: my boyfriend simply is not happy without this new ritual. My only alteration is that I have the butcher cut the chicken up for me. I also highly highly highly recommend the roasted brussel sprouts: sheer earthy green heaven.
Rating:
Summary: Not worth purchasing...
Review: As a private chef who used to work in homes in East Hampton, I was not impressed with the selections described in this book. I was expecting more Entree salads such as those which I used to purchase at the Barefoot Contessa... instead, this book contained almost common sense recipes with no educational value... Great for a novice cook... not worth the time for a chef.
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