I enjoy Ina Garten

[JBailey]

Over the years, I have enjoyed watching Ina Garten's show. If I recall, the original (and maybe still) the producers were the people who had done 'Two Fat Ladies' for the BBC. Of all the shows on her network, Ina's happens to be one of the few I will sit down and focus on.

When they first came out, I did not add her cookbooks to my collection. However, over the last couple years I have found her books helpful and with nice recipes that actually work.

[Jaymes]

I must say that following the links for the current flap, I came across a video wherein she demonstrates a really quick and easy recipe for cinnamon sticky buns - something that you could get up at 8am, think to yourself "sticky buns would sure be nice this morning," and have them on the table by 8:30 or so.

You use frozen puff pastry dough. She recommended Pepperidge Farm.

I'm laying in a supply for the freezer this very afternoon.

[andiesenji]

I've always liked her, her methods and her enthusiasm for cooking.

There are many of her show demos that have certainly shown me a thing or to.

Speaking of the puff pastry "tricks," on a show several years ago she did baked apples with rounds of the puff pastry in the bottom of a baking dish with the cored apples, filled with a cinnamon/sugar/butter/pecan mixture sitting on top of the PP rounds.

The addition of the pastry to the baked apples is brilliant.

I have modified the mixture from time to time, adding some chopped candied ginger or some dried cranberries, etc.

[GwennP]

I too enjoy Ina. Her recipes are simple, she has no attitude, and, as you say they work.

[Lisa Shock]

I too have enjoyed her show. I love her enthusiasm for honest ingredients and good technique. She doesn't dumb-down recipes; she's willing to use more than 5 ingredients and can spend more than ten minutes on a dish. Her occasional shortcuts are generally solid, intelligent work-arounds that still produce food of high caliber.

The only thing I'd change would be that occasionally, there's too many fingers in the food for me. -This is a personal pet-peeve, I know, I know. But, I'd prefer more tool use and fewer fingers.

[runwestierun]

Me too. I have never been disappointed in one of her recipes. I make her fleur de sel caramels monthly. I also like that she talks in a normal tone on her show. I am not screamed at by some coked-up food cheerleader trying to desperately transfer enthusiasm about god knows what. She talks to me like an adult. That's rare on the food network. When I hear things on the FN like "I can't believe I am about to try sushi pizza!!!" my brain superimposes my mother's tone of voice when she was potty training me. Ina's a refreshing respite from that.

[eldereno]

I have found most of Ina's recipes that I have tried have been very successful. I am happy when I get home early enough to catch her show...even if it is a repeat. I own, I think, 4 or 5 of her cookbooks (which I use) and one of them is autographed (thanks to my good friend, Betsy, who lives in Boston).

[gfweb]

She is the last sensible adult voice on FN. She has authority too, which is important. The toothy and big-haired tele-cooks reek of inexperience...even though a couple of them are easy to look at.

[EatNopales]

How bad can sheee be?

[Jeffery C]

The only thing I'd change would be that occasionally, there's too many fingers in the food for me. -This is a personal pet-peeve, I know, I know. But, I'd prefer more tool use and fewer fingers.

besides a heart, the cook's next best set of tools are a pair of hands and some fingers.

I too have always enjoyed her warmth and soul she brings to her cuisine and the screen. One of my favorite episodes has her preparing a picnic for her and her husband whom you can tell she adores and is an inspiration for her love of cooking. I have always believed to be a great cook, you must have someone great to cook for, and what better person to be great than someone you love.

Thanks Ina!

[Pierogi]

As I was saying before the Interwebs ate my post..... ...

I too am a huge fan of Ina's. I have 5 of her cookbooks, and I cook from them regularly. Like eldereno, one is autographed thanks to a good friend. As a matter of fact, I'm making her lasagna from "Family Style" on Sunday.

She writes good recipes. They work. They're thorough and involved, but not restaurant-level complex. Some are dead-bang simple, you can do them with your eyes closed, after a bad day at work. Her "Chicken Bouillabaise" from "Back to Basics" is one of my favorite recipes, EVER. Her bouef bourginionne from the French cookbook rivals Julia's, and is easier to make.

I love her shows. Yeah....her giggle is a little off-putting, and yes, Ina, I know I should use *GOOD* ingredients, but she isn't constantly trying to take me to "flavah-town" with "EVOO on your sammies and stoups" and her chocolate mousse contains eggs, whipped cream and real chocolate, not "semi-homemade Jell-o pudding and Kool Whip".

This whole hoooo-haaaahhhh in the trash media was a bad rap. I lost no respect for her, and no affection. She is, with Lidia, and Jacques, and Rick and *maybe* Ming, the best we've got out there now in terms of cooking teachers. She rocks.

[GwennP]

She is, with Lidia, and Jacques, and Rick and *maybe* Ming, the best we've got out there now in terms of cooking teachers. She rocks.

So right. Don't forget Anne Burrell though.

Edited April 2, 2011 by heidih
Fix quote tags (log)

[annachan]

I like her recipes as well. The crumb topping on one of her crumble recipes is just amazing. I also enjoy the simplicity of her recipes, especially since they produce great results.

I only have one of her cookbooks, but I often look for her recipes online.

[Jaymes]

I like her recipes as well. The crumb topping on one of her crumble recipes is just amazing.

With praise like that, I can't help but wonder which recipe it is.

Is it one in the book you have, or is it online?

[BeeZee]

What I like about her, aside from her recipes being quite "do-able", is when I'm trying to figure out how in the world to prepare a nice meal for some guests coming over when I'm just up to my eyeballs...her experience as a caterer is brought up to demonstrate how to plan ahead and prepare ahead to allow you some time to relax and enjoy your guests.

[annachan]

I like her recipes as well. The crumb topping on one of her crumble recipes is just amazing.

With praise like that, I can't help but wonder which recipe it is.

Is it one in the book you have, or is it online?

It is this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/old-fashioned-apple-crisp-recipe/index.html

I haven't tried the filling but have used that topping on a apple rhubarb crumble. It's so good!

[Jaymes]

I like her recipes as well. The crumb topping on one of her crumble recipes is just amazing.

With praise like that, I can't help but wonder which recipe it is.

Is it one in the book you have, or is it online?

It is this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/old-fashioned-apple-crisp-recipe/index.html

I haven't tried the filling but have used that topping on a apple rhubarb crumble. It's so good!

Thanks for that link. I must say, that whole thing looks really good and really easy. Not only am I going to try it post haste, I also ordered the book that it comes from.

[Jaymes]

I like her recipes as well. The crumb topping on one of her crumble recipes is just amazing.

With praise like that, I can't help but wonder which recipe it is.

Is it one in the book you have, or is it online?

It is this recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/old-fashioned-apple-crisp-recipe/index.html

I haven't tried the filling but have used that topping on a apple rhubarb crumble. It's so good!

Thanks for that link. I must say, that whole thing looks really good and really easy. Not only am I going to try it post haste, I also ordered the book that it comes from.

Anna -

Want to tell you that I did make that Apple Crisp. You're right - that topping is wonderful. I'll definitely be using it again and again.

The entire recipe was really, really good. I didn't have the kind of apples she recommended - McIntosh or Macoun - so I used Granny Smith. I think it would have been better had I held out until I could get the right kind of apples. Granny Smith was too tart for this, and I don't think they cooked up quite right.

But the recipe is a real winner, and I'll definitely make it again.

And that topping is glorious.

Thanks again.

[annachan]

Jaymes - glad you like the recipe. The last time I made an apple filling, I used a mixed of Gala and Golden Delicious and that came out nicely. I think you would need to add more sugar if using Granny Smith.

I can just eat that crumb topping! I can imagine just baking a batch of that and sprinkle it on ice cream! YUM!