Rum Raisin Tiramisu Pg 220

I checked the reviews on Food Network for this recipe, and at least half of the reviewers said there was way too much rum for their taste. With this in mind, I cut the amount of rum I used to half of what was called for in the recipe. I still used the 2 tablespoons for the raisins, but cut the rest from 1 cup to 1/2 cup. I had Myers Dark Rum on hand, so that is what I used. Even with the adjustment in the amount of rum, the flavor remained overpowering. This is disappointing because there are so many other delicious flavors here that get lost. Also in the reviews, many people were concerned about the uncooked egg yolks. I used pasteurized eggs to eliminate any concern. Most large grocery stores carry them, the brand is Davidson's. I will give this another try, replacing the raisins with nuts and the rum with Kahlua, and see if we like it better. This was very easy to make, I saw Ina make it on her show and one thing that she stressed was not to soak the ladyfingers, just dip them lightly on both sides.

Fresh Peach Cake Pg 216

This cake is certainly a keeper. I made it using frozen peach slices, because it's March, and Ina gave permission to make this substitution. I can only imagine how much better it will taste in sumer with the fresh fruit. This was very easy to put together. However, I did not read the instructions carefully enough, and put the cinnamon in the batter that was supposed to go in the topping, so I added another teaspoon of cinnamon for the topping. I think I will always make it this way, it's hard to have too much good quality cinnamon, and it made the cake taste even more delicious and coffee cake like. My husband liked it so much, he asked if he could take some to work and share with his co-workers.

Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake Pg 206

WOW!!! This cake was so easy to put together and so luscious. I followed Ina's recipe exactly except I made the Tate's Bake Shop cookies. You can get the recipe if you Google - Tate's bake shop chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have purchased these cookies before and was not impressed with them especially considering the price. They were $5.49 per package, and this recipe calls for 3 packs. The homemade ones were very easy to make, and had a much better flavor, maybe because they were fresher. This recipe calls for an 8" springform pan, it will probably work just fine in a 9" if that's what you have. I can remember thinking that it didn't seem like I would be able to get all five layers in the 8" pan, but I lost count so I don't know if I did or not (ya gotta love the golden years). Four layers or five, this cake is certainly one that will be repeated often at our house. Also, the tip Ina gives about heating your block of chocolate in the microwave will allow you to make great curls for the garnish. Now get baking and you'll be sure to get raves about this cake from family and friends.

French Toast Bread Pudding Pg 18

Do you enjoy a challenge? Just try finding a loaf of Challah in South County! We finally found one at Schnucks in Frontenac. Another challenge you say? Well, try making this recipe after work... because how difficult can French Toast be? But it was partly my fault for not reading the directions carefully. Ina has you cut the Challah in slices and stack double in a 13X9" pan, then pour the liquid over & let set for 10 minutes-- that seemed like a time improvement on most egg bakes that require overnight soaks. What I didn't notice was the baking directions that made our easy French Toast evening a long one. She has you put the 13x9" pan inside a roasting pan full of hot water (my pan didn't fit in my roaster so I used a Wilton half-sheet) , then you are tenting the whole contraption in foil being careful not to let the foil touch the pudding, cutting vents to allow the steam to escape, baking for 45 minutes, removing foil and then baking for another 45 minutes! It takes a good 30 min. to make, bakes for 90 min., then has to set for at least 15 min.---definitely not a good choice for a quick dinner after work so I disagree with Ina that this recipe is a good example of saving time and reducing stress. This recipe calls for 5 cups of half-&-half (or milk) so considering the rich bread and the 8 EXTRA-LARGE eggs I decided to do half skim milk & half-&-half. The tablespoon of orange zest was a nice touch but I also decided to add 1 tsp. of our Vietnamese Cinnamon.

The toast puffed up like a champ. I served it with maple syrup & a side of fresh fruit. The texture was more "custardy" than we like, the taste extremely rich with just "so-so" flavor. I was glad that I had added the cinnamon otherwise it would have been bland even with the orange zest. I have a recipe for a fresh blueberry French Toast that we like much better so this was a one-timer.

Roasted Pear & Apple Sauce Pg 192

When I was in the middle of peeling 6 pounds of fruit I was wondering if it was going to be worth it. My grandkids were visiting and would be perfectly fine with a jar of store bought applesauce. I was unable to find Ina’s choice of Macoun or Empire apples so I picked the kind my grandma always used and that was Golden Delicious. So it was probably sweeter than what Ina makes even with the lemon & orange juice/zest. I baked it in a covered roasting pan.

I used the whisk and the apples fell apart and the pears stayed chunky just like Ina said they would. I used our Vietnamese cinnamon & this applesauce turned out absolutely delicious. The kids loved it and asked for more.
I served it with stew and corn muffins but the next time I think I’ll make a pork roast. Try this one…even with all the peeling---you’ll be glad you did and your house will smell wonderful!

Onion & Fennel Soup Gratin Pg 57

Ina has another winner here! Over the years, I have probably tried 10 different onion soup recipes and this is the best by far. Maybe the sherry, brandy AND white wine have something to do with it, but I'm sure it's just the addition of the fennel. This was easy to make, but does require some time. By the time you caramelize the onions and fennel, simmer after each addition of spirits, broth and seasonings, this soup took about 90 minutes to make, but it's well worth the time. Ina says to remove the crusts from the bread, but that's my favorite part, so I disobeyed. Also, 6 oz of Gruyere wasn't enough for the whole recipe (we are cheese lovers). If you have a well stocked liquor cabinet - go for it. This was so good to have on hand during the blizzard.

Sliders Pg 141 & New York Egg Cream Pg 230

These were made in the middle of a St. Louis "Blizzard" so I had a couple of substitutions. I used the broil pan inside rather than the Weber outside & unlike brave KM, I didn't go outside & scrape off ice and snow to get Thyme--instead I used our shop's dried Thyme. Also, I used freeze-dried garlic in place of fresh. I reconstituted it in the olive oil the recipe called for & it worked fine. I did wonder about adding olive oil to a 80/20 beef blend but that plus the Dijon seemed to bind it together. These little sliders were tasty---the thyme, garlic & Dijon gave them good flavor. Ina knows her stuff & I will make them again.

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New York Egg Cream
Finding the "Fox's U-Bet" was the most difficult part of this recipe. I tried several local grocers plus made a few calls---no luck, so I ordered it online (around $11 with shipping!). Then Liz ended up finding it right here in St. Louis for less than $4, so Recipe Gals check with her for location or just ask at comments & we'll respond. U-Bet has great chocolate flavor.
Since this doesn't have eggs or cream I'm not sure why it is called "Egg Cream"...must be a New York thing. I used club-soda & stirred with a fork just like Ina suggested. I actually had more foam on top when finished but lost some by the time the picture was taken.
These were great & would I make them again? U-BET!----probably when the grandkids are around. They are easy enough for kids to make & it would be fun.

Chipotle & Rosemary Roasted Nuts Pg 35

We really enjoyed these nuts. They are sweet, salty and spicy - a very good combination. They were very easy to make. The hardest part was chopping up the rosemary. They would be great to whip up for the Super Bowl, or any other get-together. Also, they would make nice Christmas gifts. I only used half of the salt called for in the recipe. The recipe calls for unsalted cashews, the ones I had were salted. If you're not a lover of hot and spicy, just cut back on the chipotle, or replace it with chili powder. The recipe says to serve them warm or cool completely and store in an airtight container. When warm, they are soft and kind of mushy, so we liked them better cooled which made them a little more crunchy.

I took some of the nuts to work to share with co-workers and while having lunch I added some to my salad. This turned out to be another good use for these tasty morsels.

Roasted Vegetable Frittata Pg 90

This dish is very light, fluffy and tasty. I would definitely make this again. The vegetables are so much more flavorful when they're roasted. You could change the vegetables and the cheese for some variety, or just to use what you have on hand. The next time I will cut the recipe in half, which would be plenty for two or three people. Pull this one out the next time you have a brunch.

Panko-Crusted Salmon p.153

This was very good.  There was just the right amount of lemon peel in the crust and I liked the faint taste of the mustard with the fish.  Because there is no oil in the crust you should only use panko and not bread crumbs in the crust.  The panko is what gives it it's crunch.
There are several things I would do differently the next time I make this dish, not because it needs it but because I love playing with recipes and this is an easy recipe to play with.  I would not brown the bottom of the salmon, I would just put it in the oven and add 3-4 minutes to the baking time.  We don't eat the skin and I don't see a need to brown it.  I would also add a little olive oil and parmesan cheese to the topping.  I think that might give even more crunch to the topping.
I will definitely make this again.  It just may be my new favorite way to make salmon.

Kathy M.

Scalloped Tomatoes p. 170

This dish was delicious.  I would not change a thing.  Ina has you cook the tomatoes in a pan and then again in the oven.  Doing this took bland winter tomatoes, it concentrated the flavor, and gave you a brightly flavored tomato dish.   You'd never know that I started with pale plum tomatoes.  
Kathy M. 

Tarragon Potato Salad p.112

I love tarragon so I was looking forward to this dish.  It was a good potato salad but not the best I've ever had.  You need to use all the tarragon and dill this dish calls for.  Most of the flavor comes from those herbs.  I have a recipe very similar to this dish that I like much better.  The recipe is the same as this except you also add 1/4 c. chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons mustard, and 1/4 tsp. powdered garlic.  
Kathy M.

Chicken with shallots p.124

I had the same problem with this chicken dish I had with the chicken with lemon dish.  I couldn't find boneless, skin on chicken breast.  I went to two different stores without success so I deboned the breast myself.  The up side of this is that I'm getting really good at deboning chicken breast.  The chicken was very good cooked this way.  It was moist and perfectly cooked.  The sauce was way too sour.  I served the sauce on the side and am glad I did.  We ended up throwing the sauce away.
I would prepare chicken breast this way again but I would not use this sauce.  Ina must like things tart.
Kathy M.

Red Velvet Cupcakes Page 218

I baked these before work this morning & had a glitch with the frosting so I didn't finish them until after work this evening---maybe that is why they seemed to take forever.
The instructions were clear until Ina's suggestion to use a 2-1/4" ice cream scoop which seemed better suited to "Texas-sized" cupcakes. That amount filled my standard size muffin tins almost to the top---they puffed up but didn't overflow as they baked. Ina knows her scoops.
Next came the frosting fiasco. When I finished mixing the frosting it was full of tiny lumps. I'd followed the steps---ingredients at room temp,sift the powdered sugar, don't whip--etc. Then I looked closer at my cream cheese wrapper and saw that it was "Fat Free" cream cheese. Apparently when it met up with the butter it went into shock and CURDLED...down the garbage disposal with that mess! This evening I came home with regular Philly, made the frosting with no problems. In fact the frosting was my favorite thing about this recipe. I found the cake just so-so, kind of heavy textured and not the "rich chocolate" cake as Ina mentions in her introduction. I'm thinking 1/4 cup of cocoa,( even our good cocoa) just isn't enough. So would I make it again? I think the frosting is a keeper but I'll pass on the cake.

Old Fashioned Banana Cake Pg 222

I have the same problem Ina had at Barefoot Contessa, too many overripe bananas on the counter. So I am always looking for ways to use them. This cake has been the best option so far. It has the texture of banana bread with the added flavor of the orange zest and the cream cheese frosting. It was very easy to put together and we thought very tasty. I appreciated the tip on how to quickly bring the eggs to room temperature. Also, in the frosting recipe it says to mix at low speed, and DON'T WHIP! In the past I have had a problem with this type of frosting being too runny. By following her instructions, this problem was eliminated. So I learned two helpful things from Ina while making this cake, which I will definitely make again. Maybe next time I'll try adding some Grand Marnier, it couldn't hurt. The only downside I see here is that I won't be encouraging my husband to eat so many bananas for his leg cramps, so we can enjoy this cake more often.

Couscous With Toasted Pine Nuts

I'm finally getting a recipe posted! I made Ina's "Couscous With Roasted Pine Nuts" on pg. 195.
I sent my patient husband to the grocery store after explaining the difference between curly or flat leaf parsley as opposed to CILANTRO & the good man brought back the right stuff. Ina doesn't specify between curly or flat so I opted for Italian Flat parsley since I've heard it has more flavor.
I followed the recipe to a 'T' except for the chicken stock. Since I didn't have any homemade stock on hand I used low-sodium canned instead.
The ingredients went together fine. I did wonder about the 2 cups of chopped onion--it seemed a great amount but Ina knows her stuff & since my onion was relatively sweet & mild it was the perfect amount.
This recipe filled up my round French White casserole dish--I think it is over 2 quarts. Anyway, it makes a lot. It would be a perfect side to make when entertaining & as Ina suggests you can have everything ready in advance, heat the stock and add the couscous and fillers at the last minute. Would I make it again? In a heartbeat! It is EASY & delicious. I might add craisins or maybe some tiny diced carrots next time.

Chocolate Pudding Cream Tart

For a chocolate lover this is bliss. I feel that if I find one recipe in a cookbook that I will use over and over again, it has been money well spent. Well, this is THE ONE. My family requests chocolate pudding pie for every gathering. This recipe will replace the one I have been using for about 10 years. It was not hard to make, but made for a lot of clean up; food processor, mixer, 2 pots, measuring cup and utensils, but who's counting? Ina suggests using Lindt bittersweet chocolate, which I didn't have, so I used Bissinger's Dark Chocolate. I have to go now and have a piece of this for breakfast.

Potato Basil Puree

This is a good recipe if you are looking for a variation for your mashed potatoes. I would make it again using about half the basil and maybe some butter. I did miss the butter, it's the best part of mashed potatoes. The only place that I know of to affordably get this much basil in the winter is Trader Joe's. This will be a good recipe for summer, when you can use the basil from your garden.

Roasted Summer Vegetables

This recipe was very good. Fast, easy and tasty. I wanted to try this because I have never had fennel before. The fennel had a very strong licorice flavor when raw, but the roasting made it mellow and good. I would definitely make this again. I am finding that I want to add more seasoning to these recipes, because we're used to highly seasoned food in this household, (being lucky enough to have access to so many delicious seasoning options at work).

I used the leftovers from Jeffery's Roast Chicken and this recipe with some southwestern flavored seasonings to make very good fajitas.

Jeffrey's Roast Chicken

I have made Ina's " Perfect Roast Chicken " recipe from her first cookbook. She says that this recipe is very much like the original one with a few tweaks to make it even more delicious.

I got an organic free range chicken from Trader Joe's, because I figured that is what she would use. The chicken was very moist and tasty. I was unsure about roasting it at 425, usually I do 325 for roasting poultry. This temperature worked great and didn't dry out the finished product. However, I found the same issue with this recipe as the original. The flavor was too lemony. I like lemon, but this was just overpowering. The pan sauce would have been very good, except for the strong lemon flavor. I would make this recipe again, using only one lemon and putting it inside the bird. I don't keep track of how long it takes me to make a recipe, because I am very slow, especially when making something for the first time. Also this was made on Tuesday with many interruptions from a little one.

Roasted Shrimp with Feta p.146

This was excellent.  It took about 45 minutes, starting with frozen shrimp, to prepare. I easily made this after work.  It calls for wine so I measured what I needed and then my husband and I drank the rest of the wine and talked while I cooked this dish.  I felt very sophisticated drinking wine while I cooked a gourmet shrimp dish.  You could easily do some of the prep work the night before and then it should only take 20-30 minutes.  I would not change anything in this dish.  I might try making it with salmon or tilapia. The cost of this dish with the shrimp was expensive.  It cost $13 not counting the wine.  I did not use the Pernod in this dish because of the cost.  I served this with snap peas with pancetta and apple tart.
Kathy M

Snap Peas wirh Pancetta p.106

This was just okay.  It was quick and easy to make.  It only took about 15 minutes.  I served it at room temp. and I didn't really like it.  I warmed it and it was better.  I don't think I'll make it again.  I did like Ina's method of cooking the pancetta.  She had you add a T. of water to the pan that you cooked the pancetta in.  I don't know what it did but the pancetta cooked very nicely using this method.
Kathy M

Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

This cake was very good. It was a tart dessert, but the cake batter topping was delicious. The cinnamon sugar that is sprinkled on top adds a nice flavor and crunch. We had it with Ted Drews Vanilla Frozen Custard on top. I will definitely make this again. Do use the 10 inch pie plate. I only had a 9 inch and it spilled over. I think the flavor even improves the next day.

Weeknight Bolognese

This dish was OK. I followed the recipe exactly. I tasted it before adding the final few ingredients and it tasted good. At the end you add nutmeg, basil, cream and the remaining 1/4 cup of wine, and simmer for 8-10 minutes. The recipe called for dry red wine, I used Cabernet Sauvignon. I am not a wine drinker, so perhaps a better choice of wine or a longer simmer after the final addition would have made for a better tasting dish. I asked my husband his opinion, and he said he wouldn't ask me to make it again, because the wine flavor was overpowering. So I guess this makes 3 out of over 100 of Ina's recipes that I wouldn't repeat, at least not without adjusting the type or amount of wine.,

Green Salad Vinaigrette

I have been a fan of Ina Garten's recipes for many years. I use all of her cookbooks and of the many recipes I have tried there have only been two that I wouldn't repeat.

The Green Salad Vinaigrette was good. I have learned to use 1/2 of the amount of salt that Ina uses and it is just right for us. I used a spring mix for the greens and it was good with the lemon

vinaigrette. The only change I would make the next time is to add a teaspoon of honey to cut the tartness of the lemon.