Herbed Ricotta Bruschettas

Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake

Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake Recipe below

For a detailed description and pricing information
click here.

Ina Garten, the beloved star of Barefoot Contessa on Food Network and the creator of six New York Times bestselling cookbooks, is back with her easiest recipes ever.

For Ina's millions of devoted fans, here is her new must-have cookbook that is all about saving time and avoiding stress while having fun in the kitchen. These are not recipes with three ingredients thrown together in five minutes; instead, home cooks will find fabulous Barefoot Contessa recipes that are easy to make but still have all that deep, delicious flavor that Ina is known for--and that makes a meal so satisfying. More...

From the Introduction

I get enormous pleasure from cooking and entertaining, but as much as I love good food and recipes that have interesting, complex flavors, there are two real secrets to my cooking. First, probably like you, I’m not a trained professional chef so the recipes need to be easy enough for me to make. Second, I have a very short attention span, and if a recipe goes on for pages and pages, using lots of complicated techniques and special equipment--forget about it! (If anyone asked me to make spun sugar, I’d have a meltdown!) When you get right down to it, I cook pretty much the same way you do; it’s just that after thirty years in the food business, I may have a little more experience. Frankly, all of us are so busy these days with jobs, families, friends, and houses to take care of that we don’t really have the luxury of cooking all day anymore, and even if we did, who would want to?? Personally, I’m good for about two hours making a dinner party and thirty minutes for a weeknight meal; more than that and I have better things to do. But I’m still not willing to sacrifice any of the pleasure of making a delicious dinner for my husband, Jeffrey, and my friends. This book is all about saving you time and avoiding stress. These aren’t recipes with three ingredients that you can throw together in five minutes before dinner. These are tried-and-true Barefoot Contessa recipes that are easy enough to make but still have all that deep, delicious flavor that makes a meal so satisfying. I’ve tested the recipes endlessly, so I know they work; I’ve anticipated the kinds of problems you might encounter at home--and I’ve solved them before the recipe even gets into the book. These are recipes you’ll make over and over again and you’ll feel confident that they’ll turn out perfectly every time. If you think that’s easy, it’s not!

Rich Celery Root Puree Recipe below

Roasted Salmon with Green Herbs

White Chocolate Bark

Easy Cranberry & Apple Cake

This recipe is inspired by a cranberry pie from Sarah Chase’s book Cold Weather Cooking. My friend Barbara Liberman calls it “easy cake”--I call it delicious. It’s even better served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1⁄8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325°

Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1⁄8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Copyright © 2010 by Ina Garten. Reprinted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? with permission from Clarkson Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc.

Rich Celery Root Purée

This is the essence of simplicity, celery root enriched with chicken stock and cream so that all you taste is that fresh celery root flavor. I serve this with a simple roast pork and a bottle of full-bodied Chardonnay; I’m in heaven. You can easily make this a day in advance and reheat it before dinner.

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

• 5 pounds celery root (2 large)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Peel the celery roots with a large chef’s knife and cut each one in half. With the cut side down, cut it in 1/2-inch dice, removing any brown spots. Be careful—keep your fingers out of the way of the knife!

Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery root and saute for 3 minutes, stirring to coat with the butter. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cream, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once, until the celery root is very tender. In batches, transfer the mixture to a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Return the puree to the pot and reheat gently over low heat. Check the seasonings--it should be very highly seasoned--and serve hot.

Copyright © 2010 by Ina Garten. Reprinted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? with permission from Clarkson Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc.

About Ina Garten

Ina Garten is the author of six bestselling cookbooks and host of the popular Barefoot Contessa television show on Food Network. She has a line of Barefoot Contessa baking mixes available nationwide and writes a monthly column for House Beautiful. Ina lives in East Hampton, New York, with her hustband, Jeffrey.

To purchase Ina Garten's newest book Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? click here.

Other cookbooks by Ina Garten: