Ina Makes it Easy!

This week was filled with dreary!! days and 3:30 started to feel like bedtime!  As the days grow bleak and the colors start to turn to yuck...I guess it is finally time to come inside... and find my kitchen again!

 I think Fall and Winter are the best kitchen seasons---is there anything better than crisp days outside and warm cinnamon days inside?  Apples, spices, squash, a little caramel...Yum!

Ina Garten's Pumpkin Cupcakes

I admit to not paying a whole lot of attention to my kitchen of late--I tend to walk through on the way somewhere else...November,however, is the perfect time to dust off the pans and baking sheets...and Ina makes it easy!  The Barefoot Contessa has a new book-reason enough to celebrate!

 Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips

I am a cookbook lover, a passionate Recipe Reader, even when I don't have time to reach for the measuring spoons. One of my all time favorite kitchen muses is Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa. Once upon a time Ina Garten was working in the White House Office of Management and Budget thinking she should be doing something more creative with her life.  She saw an ad for a food shop for sale in the Hamptons and before she knew it...she was The Barefoot Contessa which has become a brand featuring not only her cookbooks, but also specialty food products and mixes,and the television series that is a cornerstone of the Food Network's programming.  The Barefoot Contessa books  for me are the "Go To" source whenever I am planning for company be it lunch, brunch a casual supper, a gift from my kitchen or an elegant evening.   Ina defines "gracious comfort" and  it is tempting to just curl up with her books,become transported to her home and table and spend a lovely afternoon in Ina's kitchen!

 One of the many  things I love about Ina Garten is that she embraces you, takes you by the hand and invites you into her comfy Hampton's lifestyle-no stress, nothing intimidating, just a warm friendly visit in one of the country's yummiest kitchens. Ina's new book is filled with her signature easy elegance- recipes that are all about the flavor and nothing about fuss-- whether it is a dinner party or supper for two by the fire Ina makes it easy!

"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."Ina Garten

Mmmm... Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake, Roasted Figs with Caramel Sauce, Herb Roasted Turkey Breast, Apple Cranberry Cake, Fleur de sel Caramels, Provencal Lamb, French Toast Bread Pudding... just some of the recipes already marked with sticky notes!

Ina of course also  includes great planning tips to stagger your schedule and make entertaining scrumptiously simple. Ina creates recipes that are  filled with divine flavor and don't make you frazzled, all with the best ingredients that you do not have to fly to France to buy.

Other favorite Barefoot Contessa books ...curl up with one this weekend and plan your next visit back to your kitchen!