Customer Reviews

Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

As Ina Garten points out, "there is ahead of time and there is WAY ahead of time." That's why she's included recipes that cover a wide range of "make ahead" schedules. Some of them, especially soups (one example is Zucchini Basil Soup) and gravy (Make Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions and Sage) can be completely cooked and frozen for months. Others can only be made a few hours - or perhaps a few days- ahead of time.

This includes Thanksgiving turkey. Although it seems obvious now that she's suggested it, I like the idea of cooking and slicing the turkey well before guests arrive....just have to make sure it stays warm.I bought this book primarily to streamline our Thanksgiving and other holiday menus - especially since we have both meat lovers and vegetarians in the family.

UPDATE: I tested two recipes on October 30th. See info below.

I plan to make Roasted Vegetable Lasagna for the vegetarian option, and freeze it and that solves the main course situation. There are also some side dishes and desserts in here that I'll be contemplating, perhaps the Cauliflower and Carrot Puree (can be prepped ahead of time but not frozen).

UPDATE: I tested both and they're delicious. I've made an extra lasagne for the freezer, following the freezer instructions, and plan to defrost and test how it works after being in the freezer. Will update again then. I don't like to use any untested recipes although Ina's are reliable.

The majority of these recipes are NOT frozen ahead of time so if you're looking for a freezer cookbook this isn't the one. You might want to keep this in mind but it didn't bother me. I'm happy to simply save time and not be a frazzled host. The main sections are cocktails, To Start (primarily appetizers), Lunch, Dinner, Vegetables, Dessert, and Breakfast.

Here's the major pros of this cookbook:

1. Lots of vegetarian options: Warm Fig and Arugula Salad, Tomatoes and Burrata (a type of cheese), Quinoa Tabbouleh with Feta, Zucchini and Goat Cheese Tart and plenty more.

2. Minimal to no last minute prep. When guests arrive, relax and have dinner ready to serve in minutes. No messy kitchen.

3. A complete menu and a schedule for cooking and prepping Thanksgiving dinner. This includes making 2-3 dishes a day, starting on Monday with the Carrot and Cauliflower Puree, then seasoning the turkey on Tuesday and taking out the gravy base out of the freezer to defrost (or making it that day), cutting the brussels sprouts for roasting, etc. There is also a timetable for cooking everything.

If you're a traditional sort when it comes to Thanksgiving, there isn't a recipe for cranberry sauce or traditional mashed potatoes in here. No pumpkin pie either. There is, however, a make ahead mashed potato recipe that - although it deviates from traditional - is yummy and stays creamy even when prepared in advance. I'm excited about trying a variation on old-fashioned mashed potatoes. And of course, pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce can be made well ahead of time. We do both at least a day ahead.

Points worth considering:

1. Many of the recipes are very heavy on cheese, especially the vegetarian options. You might want to consider this factor if you're watching your dairy consumption.

2. Make ahead does not generally mean freezer recipes in this book. Depending on your expectations, this may be a disappointment. As noted, however, this didn't bother me.

3. A fair amount of the recipes may not be kid friendly or they use relatively exotic ingredients. We've always encouraged our kids to "push the envelope" and experiment with different foods - sometimes successfully and sometimes not.

Also includes a list of Make-Ahead menus for various occasions as well as a complete recipe index.

This is exactly the type of book I needed. I want something that: First of all, uses healthy recipes; Second, is easy to do; Third, has precise instructions (sorry, engineers are like that.) I also appreciate the various tips and high-quality photos that are customary in this series of books.

Each recipe includes: Number of servings, Ingredients, Specific preparation instructions, and very important--the "MAKE IT AHEAD" note--what you do ahead of time, and what you do just before serving.

√ This book meets my expectations of everything I needed--all provided in a simple, clear format. If an engineer like me can follow these recipes, you can too. Highly Recommend!

I love the Barefoot Contessa, but I find her cookbooks repetitive. This "make it ahead" concept seemed like a good idea, but it is really just a one or two sentence footnote at the bottom of the page.

Like others who have already posted their review, I too own all of Ina's cookbooks so I eagerly await her new ones. 'Make It Ahead' is a major disappointment. It reminds me of long time authors who merely churn out another novel because it is expected of them, so they use other writers to help do the research and writing. The recipes seem stale and a rehash of many others she has done over the years. The 'make ahead' part is only a minor theme of the book, one or two sentences tucked at the bottom of some of the pages. I have made one recipe from the book, Salty Cranberry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and was disappointed by the taste. Sadly I will not be buying any more of Ina's books.

What a disappointment. I own all of her cookbooks and I had really high hopes for this new one. Many recipes are found in her other books to start with and then the rest are boring or old hat and unimaginative. Obviously, there was very little thought put into this book. Her first books were so good and they have gone way downhill the last few. Next time I will wait and look it over in a bookstore. Not worth the money.

I feel bad being less than enthusiastic about one of Ina's books. I have several of the earlier ones and really like them. This one arrived today and I leafed through it 3 or 4 times and came away very disappointed. Fewer than half the recipes appeal to me, and the majority of those that do involve much too much work. The food porn photography and design are great as usual, but I find little else to like about this book. I'm also a bit concerned that one of the recipes, which has aired on her TV show many times, is presented without any attribution or acknowledgment even though on TV the owner of the restaurant showed her how to make it. She passes it off as merely her own. It may be slightly different, but it's really from a well-known NYC restaurant. Just google for pancetta and peas and Rao's. Also, I don't understand why the cover photo was (apparently) so heavily Photoshopped. I watch Ina on TV all the time and have seen her in person and that photo looks like a young Sally Fields. I guess I'll keep it since I have no alternative but I feel like I've been taken advantage of and am glad I got it from Amazon and didn't pay full price. I won't be so quick so order any of her future books and I won't be buying any more of her frozen dinners which are basically enough sodium to kill a person.

good, but these recipes hit the TV the same day the book hit the stores, can print them for free. I love all her books but this has much less recipes and several of the older ones are much better--a little let down.

I just read this book from cover to cover, and I'm itching to get into the kitchen and make a lot of these recipes. This book delivered more than I had hoped for. The first thing that makes me fall in-love with a cookbook are pictures. This book has them, as in a gorgeous photo of each and every recipe. The reason I'm such a fan of Ina Garten is that she makes fancy looking food, that is actually quite simple. Of course, it's not processed meals, that you microwave. She's cooking from scratch, but I find her recipes to be user-friendly, and always successful. I say that her recipes work, with confidence, because I own all of her cookbooks and have made (and blogged) over a dozen of them. Not one recipe of hers, that I've made, has flopped.

Sure, some of her ingredients might be on the pricey side (like a 4-5 pound beef tenderloin), but not all of her recipes are super expensive. What appeals to me about Ina's recipes is that many of them look healthy, colorful and I want to dive right into a dish of whatever the recipe photo looks like. This book gives great tips on how to prepare recipes ahead of time. We're not talking spending two days of making freezer meals. Ina's approach is how to prepare dishes just enough so that when company arrives, it's a matter of heating, baking or serving some dishes at room temperature. Some recipes taste even better, when left for a few hours (or a day) for all the flavors to marry. We enjoy entertaining, but sometimes I wear myself out (yes, I am can be a perfectionist), and I know this book will become my new best cooking/baking friend.

In the cocktail section, my eyes locked onto a beautiful Greeke mezze Thyme Roasted Red Pepper plate. It's totally doable and a whole lot more impressive than chip and dip.
The Summer Rose' Sangria looks like something I'd be proud to serve guests.
For starters, I zeroed in on making the Caesar Salad with Blue Cheese & Bacon (a deconstructed version, if you will)
The Cauliflower and Celery Root soup looks awesome.
I want to make practically all of the starters, such as Spanish Tapas & Peppers, Tomatoes and Burrata, Zucchini Basil Soup.

For lunch, I'll take two servings of the Ham & Leek Empenadas. They look simple to prepare and undoubtedly they are very flavorful.

The dinner recipes made me so hungry and I've bookmarked many of them. The first one I'm making for a small dinner party will be the Easy Coquilles Saint Jacques, because I adore scallops. The French Chicken Pot Pies will be a perfect way to use my garden tarragon herbs.
There's so much! Grilled New York Strip steaks, Herbed Pork Tenderloins with Apple Chutney, Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and Gravy, Moroccan Lamb Tagine, Pastitsio and that mouth-watering photo of the Summer Filet of Beef with Bearnaise Sauce... be still my heart. (Well, not literally, from high cholesterol.)

The sides dishes are awesome, and I already see a couple that will be part of my Thanksgiving feast:
Carrot & Cauliflower Puree, Leek & Artichoke Bread Pudding (instead of stuffing, which I don't like), Peas & Pancetta, Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes. The Spinach & Ricotta Noodle Pudding looks fabulous.

The desserts look decadent and mouth-watering, included a gluten free chocolate cake. I'll take two slices of the chocolate cake with Mocha frosting, please. For Fall, I must make the fresh Apple Spice Cake. There's Fresh Blueberry Pie, Lemon Poppy Seed cake, and whoa, a Make-Ahead Zabaglione with Amaretti. I'm so there! There's so much more, like Skillet brownies and Tri-Berry crumbles.

The breakfast section didn't disappoint, either. The Mini Italian Frittatas look fabulous, and I'd love to try the Overnight Belgian Waffles. Raspberry Baked French toast... and more.

Yes, I did read the whole book, and now I need to prioritize where to start. Ina Garten, you did it again. I have no doubt I'll cook and bake my way through here, and I look forward to sitting down with my dinner guests feeling as relaxed as she says her tips will help me to be.

Great cookbook!

This is not a family friendly book for a busy mother or grandmother who loves to cook. It is a chef's dream book who enjoys experimenting with a wide variety of unusual ingredients, many found in specialty stores. I was looking for delicious, real life, uncomplicated, make-ahead recipes with ingredients easily found. I love watching the Barefoot Contessa cooking show as she is so down to earth with wonderful recipes. Therefore, I am really surprised this book is so complicated, fore-going the "Make Ahead" objective and purpose of the book..

Ina Garten writes the most perfect, wonderful cookbooks. I have every one, and I think this is the 9th.This one might be the most helpful cookbook of all. Who doesn't want to know how to plan and make meals ahead?

Ina talks about her history of planning and making meals ahead. When she had her own store, The Barefoot Contessa, she made most of the food ahead,so that customers could take it home and pop it in the oven. She talks about cooking and baking ahead, entertaining and prepping ahead. And, then, there is a short paragraph about using the book. She writes the recipes so that they can be used that day, and then gives instructions on how to make it ahead.

Her first recipe is whole wheat peanut butter dog biscuits, so she includes most of the family. At the start of each chapter, Ina talks about her experiences or gives us some advice. Chapters include Cocktails, To Start, Luncheon, Dinner, Vegetables, Dessert, Breakfast, Make Ahead Menus, Index, and then Recipe Index. There are 272 pages, packed full of the most delicious looking food. Photos accompany each recipe, and if you are an Ina follower, you know how gorgeous her cookbook photography is.

Pear and parsnip gratin is my first recipe. This is just luscious. And, since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, we now have ideas on how to plan and make our meal ahead. No more anxiety about the food. Now, if you could only control the family, that would be the best Thanksgiving feast!

Recommended. prisrob 10-30-14