Customer Reviews

Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family

5 star:		(114)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I absolutely love this book! The recipes are entirely in keeping with the title... these aren't fancy or earth-shattering innovations, so people who thrive on that may be disappointed (I seem to notice a trend among some of the reviewers who have posted). They're just really wonderful versions of honest, straightforward food. The recipe for chicken and biscuits is the best I've ever made, the chicken soup is outstanding, the roasted winter vegetables are lovely, and the mashed potatoes and gravy are absolutely sinful versions of old favorites.

As I'm sure you can gather from the previous list, these are recipes for things that you probably already know how to make... it's just that they're absolutely superlative versions of those things. (Much like the chocolate pudding from her Parties! book, if anyone has tried making that: it's just chocolate pudding, after all, but it's heavenly).

So here's my advice: if you're convinced that you already have the perfect recipe for every standard dish under the sun, this book isn't for you. If, however, you love good food and are willing to contemplate the idea that classic dishes could be even better, give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Furthermore, I think that this would be a wonderful wedding gift or gift to someone who's just starting out: why not begin life with a collection of wonderful recipes for comfort foods?

I don't normally write in to review books, particulary cook books, but this one is an exception. I am an avid gourmet cook and I'm always looking for new cookbooks. However, I hate investing in them because I usually only end up making one or two recipes out of each book and it feels like a waste of money. Within two weeks of getting the Barefoot Contessa book, I had made almost half of the recipes - to raving reviews from family and friends.

The recipes are easy and fabulous and they can easily be served for a low-key family dinner or a special dinner with company. While they could be considered gourmet, none of the recipes call for exotic ingredients which means everything is already in your pantry or readily available at the grocery store. What I particularly like is that Ina offers menu suggestions in the back of the book so all of the planning is already done for you.

Most importantly, this book is family friendly. There is a section devoted to children's food including favorites like Mac and Cheese and Chicken Fingers. However, my girlfriend's 2-year old couldn't get enough of the Shrimp Scampi (one of the "adult" recipes) and that was enough to get her to buy the book too.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for easy, delicious recipes for all kinds of occassions.

I loved this book's theme/subtitle: to make all your guests feel like family. The beautiful format and layout, as well as the photos, makes this a cookbook to be treasured. Many of the recipes are simple, basic ones that many of us already have, which is why I gave this four stars instead of five.

As usual, every recipe I have tried has been a success (Turkey Lasagna, Banana Sour Cream Pancakes, Shrimp Scampi, Rice Pudding, Mustard Vinagrette). I especially love the simple ingredients and the non-fussy style of the cooking. The recipes please my family and myself and keep my time in the kitchen at a minimum, which makes me very happy.

Although I did not garner as many new recipes from this cookbook as I did her other two, I would not hesitate to give this as a wedding shower gift to a novice cook.

Looking forward to Ina's next cookbook.

Another wonderful book from the "Barefoot Contessa" lady!!! And this book seems to be her best yet because family is the center of this idea.

Everything within the covers of her latest cooking effort stresses the point of having "family" be the reason for enjoying a good meal and for making great memories. She gave an interesting comment in the opening of this book that families have changed just a wee bit from the "Ozzie and Harriet" years, but that regardless, being with people we love is family enough. And so she helps us to prepare meals that are fun and delicious and easy to make. Plus, the pages of this book are the delicious glossy look, so the absolutely wonderful photography of her dishes just jump out at you with color and desire.

Here is how the book breaks down:

WELCOME HOME:
This addresses the general points of family entertaining from setting the table and the mood, to how to incorporate traditions without getting it too complicated for simple meals.

PLANNING THE MEALS:
This deals with schedules, picky eaters, and sudden problems.

STARTERS:
East Hampton Clam Chowder
Chicken Noodle Soup
Roasted Vegetable Soup
Brioche Croutons
Smoked Salmon Spread
Buffalo Chicken Wings
Tuna Tartare
Arugala with Parmesan
Green Salad with Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette
Endive, Stilton, and Walnuts (absolutely DEE-lish!)
Parmesan Roasated Asparagus

SALAD FOR LUNCH:
Chicken with Tabbouleh
Montauk Seafood Salad
Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Lobster Cobb Salad
Curried Chicken Salad
Brown Rice, Tomatoes, and Basil
Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil
Wheatberry Salad
Herbal Iced Tea

DINNERS:
Herb-Roasted Lamb
Sunday Rib Roast
Oven-Fried Chicken
Tequila Lime Chicken
Saffron Risotto
Penne Pasta with 5 Cheeses
Chicken Stew with Biscuits
Short Ribs
Fish and Chips
Lasagna with Turkey Sausage
Real Meatballs and Spaghetti
Linguine with Schrimp Scampi

VEGETABLES:
Roasted Winter Vegetables
Mashed Yellow Turnips
String Beans
Provencal Tomatoes
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Zucchini with Parmesan
Sauteed Carrots
Garlic Sauteed Spinach
Mashed Butternut Squash
Sagaponack Corn Pudding
Wild Rice Pilaf
Rosemary Polenta

DESSERTS: (always my favorite part of any book):
Raspberry Cheesecake
Frozen Key Lime Pie
Espresso Ice Cream
Oorange Pound Cake
Raspberry Orange Trifle
Rum Raisin Rice Pudding
Stewed Berries and Ice Cream
Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart
Flag Cake
Deep-Dish Apple Pie
Coconut Macaroons
Lemon Angel Food Cake
Chocolate Mousse
Summer Pudding
Tiramisu

BREAKFAST:
Blueberry Coffe Cake Muffins
Banana Sour Cream Pancakes
Scrambles Eggs, 3 Ways
Potato Basil Frittata
Smoked Salmon Frittata
Challah French Toast
Hashed Browns
Bagels with Flavored Cream Cheese
Chive Biscuits
Fresh Fruit with Honey Vanilla Yogurt

KIDS:
Parmesan Chicken Sticks
Mac and Cheese (defintitely very kid-friendly!)
Broccoli and Bow Ties
Fruit Juice Shapes
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Whipped Hot Chocolate
Homemade Marshmallows
Toasted Coconut Marshmallows (you'll have SOOO much fun w/ this)
Birthday Sheet Cake

NINE INGREDIENTS:
Ina's basic recommended kitchen staples

TEN KITCHEN TOOLS:
The equipment she feels are your basic needs

MENU'S:
Menu's for all kinds of events, parties, themes, etc

CREDITS
INDEX
RECIPE INDEX

Like many of the other reviewers have already said, the recipes are delicious and easy, and everyone will have a great time if they want to help out. I myself, haven't quite gotten to the seafood recipes yet, in that I am not much of a seafood person, but I have family and friends who are, so they won't be too far down the track. But as for the rest of the dishes, they really are tasty, satisfying and wonderful; you won't be disappointed.

Another note about what I enjoy seeing, that really doesn't have alot to do directly with the book itself, is the caring and emotion behind her love for her husband Jeffrey. In both her show and in her books, you can feel that beautiful and endearing feeling between the two of them when she either speaks of him or he is in the segment. It's a nice testament to marriage to see in this day and age. Oh well, I digress.

Enjoy the dishes and the sense of bonding that cooking with family and friends can bring, courtesy of our Ina.

I've had this book for over a year and have only cooked a few recipes from it. Today I stopped and asked myself why, considering I use her other two books almost religiously! A couple things I figured out

1) many of the recipes while they are simple, they require last minute sauteing or preparation while your guests are there. I think that's why her other books are great for entertaining -- the recipes allow you to spend time with your guests.

2) much of the book is taken up by recipes which you probably already know how to make (sauteed carrots, tomato mozzarella and basil salad, sauteed spinach, mashed potatoes, rosemary polenta, roasted winter vegetables, mashed butternut squash).

3) I'm a vegetarian, and many of the recipes are not vegetarian friendly.

There are DEFINITELY great recipes in this cookbook, and if you own Ina's other two books, definitely get this one. If you are buying your first Ina Garten cookbook, go for one of the other two.

This is a fantastic book, as are all of Ina's books. True, this one is easier, but the title indicates family style, which means delicious and simple to me. However, there are some exotic recipes, like Tequila Lime Chicken, Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash, Espresso ice Cream, and a few others, but mainly it's updated classics. And there are many in here that I would make again. The Penne with Five Cheeses is delicious (you can substitue light cream for all of that heavy cream in a pinch and make sure your oven is completely clean to avoid smoke from the 500 degree temperature. We cleaned ours and we had no problem), the chocolate mousse was what my mother described as 'just like mothers.' And my grandmother was famous for her chocolate mousse. All of my friends love the jam thumprints, and my brother's favorite kind of pancakes is now is Banana Sour Cream (the lemon zest in it makes a great addition). The French toast has a great addition of fresh orange zest, and makes a quick breakfast. My dad's favorite is the Orange Pound Cake. He can't get enough. He brought a slice to a friend at work and she said that she wouldn't mind one bit if I made that cake every day. It is our favorite cake to bring to new neighbors, new babies, and the sick. A friend of my mom's just had a baby and we brought her this cake, in which she and her husband literally ate in two days. But my favorite would have to be the Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash. My mom and I both agree that it is just such a comforting and delicious meal. It's just so good. All in all, a great book.

For all you complainers out there who claim this book is too 'easy' and not 'gourmet', THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT!!!!! The cover even says 'Easy ideas and recipes to make everyone feel like family.' To me that indicates that there will not be difficult and challenging food that guests can't even pronounce the name. It's the kind of book that you can depend on when friends and family come over to always be good. It's comfort food and food that you're familiar with while kicking it up a notch. And it's very good comfort food. My father loves the Orange Pound Cake, which can then be turned into a Raspberry Orange Trifle. My mom says the Sagaponack Corn Pudding is better than her own, and my brother can't get enough of the raspberry cheesecake. The Tequila Lime Chicken was enjoyed by everyone. I can't wait to try more recipes for this book. (PS I may only be 12 years old, but I'm still a very good cook, or so people tell me.)

First off, let me say that I use this book often and, for the most part, I absolutely LOVE it. The first recipe I tried, Sagaponack Corn Pudding, was truly different from other corn pudding recipes I'd tried, living up to Garten's promise that it would not be bland - and it wasn't - nor was it too spicy. It had some added flavor thanks to cheddar cheese and fresh basil but those with less experimental tastes could leave out the basil (as I did when we had small children at dinner one evening) and it would still be delicious.
Another plus to this cookbook: Many of the recipes are not only family-friendly but easy to throw together. There are also plenty of dishes for vegetarians as well as meat eaters, making meal planning easy. Nearly every recipe I tried was wonderful, with the minor exception of the Chicken Noodle Soup (I prefer my recipe).
Now the caveat: If you like extremely exotic or unusual foods, this may not be the ideal cookbook for you. While there ARE recipes which are new and different (like the Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash or a truly different and yummy Espresso Ice cream, better than any I've had thus far), MOST of the recipes are updated versions of familiar favorites..Rice Pilaf, Hashed Browns, Fried Chicken, etc. Professional or gourmet cooks may want something more challenging.
But I've had a hard time finding cookbooks which contain tasty recipes I can serve, night after night, and still keep my family happy and well-fed while minimizing my kitchen time. For those purposes, this one fits the bill. And if you happen to have any guests drop in at meal time, you can bet they'll be happy too!

Sure some of Family Style's recipes are basic-- but that's Ina's style. A direct quote from one of her books states that her food is " familiar, but better than you remember". Her first two cookbooks contain the most basic of basic recipes-- things like Roast Chicken, Lemonade, Apple Crisp, Chocolate Cake, Apple Cider, and even a cup of Coffee are all included. How is that so different from Iced Tea, French Toast and Blueberry Muffins? The answer is, it's not. Ina's recipes are hardly, if ever, outlandish. She works at writing recipes for good tasting, approachable, cook-friendly food. That's the point of her work. The food isn't poles apart from food most of us grew up with (other than the fact that it's a hundred times tastier)-- but should she put goat's cheese in her fish and chips, so that she could claim her recipes "different"?

I personally think Ina to be a terrific cookbook author. I've tried several recipes from her newest book-- Thumbprint Cookies, Banana Sour Cream Pancakes, and Chicken and Biscuit Stew to name a few-- and, as I expected, all were terrific. And when it comes down to it, that's all I expect from a cookbook.

Every recipe that I have tried from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa cookbooks has been a success (and I really mean this). The Apple Crisp and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk cookies from "Parties" are so requested that every family member has learned to make them. The cookies have been named the best cookies ever made by more than one friend. Her newest cookbook "Barefoot Contessa. Family Sytle" has arrived!!! With the same clear, simple instructions, beautiful pictures, and easy layout, this cookbook is full of so many favorite & potentially favorite foods (from a hearty chicken soup to a sophisicated lobster cobb salad - which looks very doable & delicious) that I predict it will be THE favorite cookbook in my kitchen.I have never found a cookbook in which there are so many recipes that I know I will be trying. If her prior cookbooks are an indication, all recipes will turn out to be delicious ( and actually the way they are pictured)! I have a group of teenage girls to feed tonight (including a few vegetarians). Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes or penne with five cheeses? That is the question. Thank you to "the barefoot contessa;" you have made me look forward to cooking again!