Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Ina never disappoints. As always, the book is beautifully written and photographed, and the "Tips" are, for the most part, instructive. I've made many Ina recipes, and their hallmarks are always well-tested, intelligently simplified recipes. These are dishes that you'll want to cook and eat. I love that the editors permitted this celebrated author leeway in using more than six ingredients and more than one page to which many editors restrict recipes. This is a pet peeve of mine: I WANT to know how it should look and feel and smell, even if it takes more than one page and if a recipe is best with more herbs and spices than salt and pepper, I want to know what they are. So, thank you, Clarkson Potter! Every ingredient is accessible to the vast majority of home cooks, and the recipes are simple and straightforward. Moreover, Ina makes intelligent use of store-bought ingredients. She'll sometimes tell us where she buys them. Finally, I'm ancient, and I did have fun making a quiz for another senior friend from Ina's tips. We passed with flying colors! In other words, if you're already a pretty darn good home cook, you won't learn much from the tips (I think my only takeaway was to calibrate my instant-read thermometer--something that had never occurred to me). However, I think this is a superb gift for less-experienced home cooks, especially because of the recipe testing. I'm addicted to cookbooks, and, thanks to Amazon, own zillions and, thanks to my public library, have read hundreds. I count in the dozens the number of serious errors I've found in "celebrity chef" and even "celebrity cookbook author" cookbooks. In fact, after photocopying quite a few recipes from my copy of "Pro," I gave the book to a thirty-something who was thrilled. Giving a delightful cookbook such as this one, with recipes that will not fail (thereby wasting precious ingredients and possibly an entire party), to a young home cook is truly a gift that will bring many blessings to the lucky recipient and his or her friends and family.

Having a blast cooking my way through this book! Although I'm not a meat-eater (and this book has a fair amount of meat-centric recipes), there are plenty of terrific recipes here for me to make and enjoy. I'm finding this book to be especially useful as a late-summer/early autumn book, with many recipes to help me use up my garden tomatoes, eggplants, basil and other items I've been receiving from my CSA, such as Shishito peppers. I've thoroughly enjoyed the Tomato and Eggplant soup, Baked Pasta with Tomato and Eggplant, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (I subbed blueberries for the fresh figs), and Sauteed Shishito peppers (excellent, easy appetizer - healthy like edamame, but different, and just as simple). And I made the Tuscan Tomato and Bread Salad today for lunch -easy and SO delicious-great way to use your late-season cherry tomatoes!! I don't know why so many reviews complain about the "Pro" aspect of the book- I don't think Ina's intent was to turn the reader of this book into a culinary professional, just someone who is confident and comfortable in their kitchen, equipped with good, basic techniques that are used by the pros in order to make delicious food for themselves, their families and friends. Reading and cooking from her books always make me feel better, and I can't wait for her next one to arrive!

I have most -if not all- of Ina Garten’s cookbooks and I love her recipes (my only issue is that they are too salty for us low-sodium people, so I simply halve the salt). A lovely standby for company is her "1770 house lamb and chickpea curry", I love this easy recipe and it easily serves a crowd...and can be made ahead! I think it would freeze well but there is never enough leftover to freeze. This year (2019) I looked to ‘Cook Like A Pro” for several family gatherings...my new favorite chickens recipe is "chicken thighs with creamy mustard sauce". Yum! But we are a ‘saucy’ family and always like more sauce than is normally part of a recipe, so I doubled the sauce, but would triple it next time (and there will be a next time!). Her killer "potato galette" left us swooning for more. We’ve never met a potato we didn’t like, but this is really amazing- crispy on the outside and soft and luscious on the inside, and easy to make (easier if you have a mandolin etc cut the potatoes). Yum, yum, yum. I love Ina Garten and love, love, love her recipes! I highly recommend this book, takes the stress off entertaining because she’s got you covered.

Just received this new book of Ina's and right out of the box I chose her recipe for Filet of Beef. OMG! Fabulous. Ina never disappoints. Can't wait to dive into Shrimp and Grits this weekend! Please take note of something concerning kosher salt. If you have any other brand besides Diamond Crystal, reduce the amount you use.

As always Ina has produced another great cook book. The recipes are clear and easy to follow perfect for a home cook. I only wish measurements and temperatures were given in both metric and imperial as being in Australia everything needs to be converted before starting to cook. However the results are delicious.

Me gusta mucho cocinar y disfruto muchísimo las recetas de Ina Garten

Ótimo, adorei, como esperava. Atendendo expectativas.

Amazing cookbook, it’s an easy read, recipes are easy to follow, tips are actually useful in so many situations. With so many other cookbooks I find myself thinking about how I would tweak a recipe if I made it again because it was missing something but no need with Ina’s recipes! So many of my go to meals are from Ina now. Great addition to my collection. Thanks Ina!