Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

What’s Cookin’?

IMG_2011 

I am a huge Ina Garten fan.  Not so much of her TV show on Food Network, but of her cookbooks.  On TV, she seems  a bit smug and pretty sure that her friends must be a heck of a lot cooler than mine.  However, her recipes never fail and her cookbooks are total eye candy for me.  She is probably one of those people who just doesn't come off all that well through the camera.  God love me, I would not want to be in front of the camera for all and sundry to judge.  I would last about five minutes.  Nicole the Nattering Nincompoop.  But I digress.  (Or maybe natter?)

I have all of Ina's cookbooks and love them one and all.  This new one is no disappointment, and her theme of "back to basics" is right on.  If you see this in your local bookstore, take a minute and look through it.  You just may agree with me and want to add it to your library as well. 

Both books pictured above I purchased through Amazon and got a wonderful price for them.  The green book to the right of Ina's is the latest Bon Appetit offering–Fast, Easy, Fresh.  No pictures, which I know is a turn off for a lot of you, but if you are an experienced cook, you can use your imagination to determine that this huge book is full of recipes you can use on an every day basis.  DH and I had Tortellini with Pesto Cream Sauce and are still licking our chops!  This is the sort of book where without a doubt, you will NOT have all the ingredients on hand.  However, with a little advance planning when you go shopping, the dishes can be thrown together in no time.

30 responses to “What’s Cookin’?”

  1. Mmmmmm, sounds yummy! I have a little leftover pesto sauce that I made from our home grown basil. I might just have to mix up a cream sauce and some tortellini tonight!

  2. Mmmmmm, sounds yummy! I have a little leftover pesto sauce that I made from our home grown basil. I might just have to mix up a cream sauce and some tortellini tonight!

  3. I feel the exact same way about Ina Garten – her cookbooks and recipes are amazing, but she seems a little bit too pleased with herself when I watch her on TV. And the new Bon Appetit cookbook was just added to my Christmas wishlist 🙂 Thanks for the hot tip!

  4. I feel the exact same way about Ina Garten – her cookbooks and recipes are amazing, but she seems a little bit too pleased with herself when I watch her on TV. And the new Bon Appetit cookbook was just added to my Christmas wishlist 🙂 Thanks for the hot tip!

  7. I’m an Ina fan myself. Thanks for the Back to Basics cookbook recommendation. I will look into it for sure and will probably add it to my ever growing cookbook collection.

  8. I’m an Ina fan myself. Thanks for the Back to Basics cookbook recommendation. I will look into it for sure and will probably add it to my ever growing cookbook collection.

  15. I love her show and am so glad she’s not “silly” and has to “show more of herself” than necessary. She is who she is. Love your blog.

  16. I love her show and am so glad she’s not “silly” and has to “show more of herself” than necessary. She is who she is. Love your blog.

  17. I bought Ina’s book at Borders (members 40% off!) and it is great, I agree. If you go to their web site (www.borders.com) you can still see an interview with her and watch her make Easy Sticky Buns. I made them and they are wonderful. I agree with you on her show, although I’m drawn to watch it. It’s funny, as like you said, she seems a big smug but that’s ok. Maybe I would be too if I could actually cook and pull off a dinner party without having a nervous breakdown.

  18. I bought Ina’s book at Borders (members 40% off!) and it is great, I agree. If you go to their web site (www.borders.com) you can still see an interview with her and watch her make Easy Sticky Buns. I made them and they are wonderful. I agree with you on her show, although I’m drawn to watch it. It’s funny, as like you said, she seems a big smug but that’s ok. Maybe I would be too if I could actually cook and pull off a dinner party without having a nervous breakdown.

  19. I love the Barefoot Contesa. I will check out the new book, thanks for sharing. It’s always the dilemma: great food/recipies or diet.

  20. I love the Barefoot Contesa. I will check out the new book, thanks for sharing. It’s always the dilemma: great food/recipies or diet.

  21. You shouldn’t be buying cookbooks so close to Christmas Missy! What is dad going to give you now??
    I do love Ina. She’s my go to cookbook author.

  22. You shouldn’t be buying cookbooks so close to Christmas Missy! What is dad going to give you now??
    I do love Ina. She’s my go to cookbook author.

  23. I love watching her show but your right. I feel like she may be a bit snooty!! Of she’s probably not, no I’m sure she’s not. LOL!! Gotta check out those books.

  24. I love watching her show but your right. I feel like she may be a bit snooty!! Of she’s probably not, no I’m sure she’s not. LOL!! Gotta check out those books.

  25. you think she’s smug? i’ve never gotten that vibe. mostly that she’s sort of shy, really. love her show and cookbooks. i’ve ordered this one already, too. so i can’t wait to see what you make from her book first.

  26. you think she’s smug? i’ve never gotten that vibe. mostly that she’s sort of shy, really. love her show and cookbooks. i’ve ordered this one already, too. so i can’t wait to see what you make from her book first.

  29. I got the new Ina cookbook for Christmas and have read it cover to cover already…can’t wait to get started. I have her other books as well, and I truly think I have made almost every dish in each one of them. How are you finding it…are you loving the book?

  30. I got the new Ina cookbook for Christmas and have read it cover to cover already…can’t wait to get started. I have her other books as well, and I truly think I have made almost every dish in each one of them. How are you finding it…are you loving the book?