Reviews of Barefoot Contessa at Home?

[testkitchen45]

Anyone make recipes from this new book yet? I just saw a recent BContessa show, presumably with the new recipes, and Ina's pecan bars have NINE STICKS OF BUTTER! :eek: She was talking about how it makes a lot of servings, but a half-sheet pan isn't big enough to make enough servings to justify that excess. I know not every cookbook out there is light, but is this new book as over-the-top as it looks?

[Krysia1031]

I don't have that specific BB cookbook, but I do have 2 of her other cookbooks. Overall, I like her recipes. They are pretty easy and the recipes have always tasted great, but...they are definitely not comparable to anything remotely "light"! There is a recipe for pecan bars in another one of her cookbooks (not sure if its the same one) and I have made them. They came out wonderful and everyone loved them. I had enough to make 2 large pans, but I do rememebr there was alot of butter and sugar! I try to save her recipes for special occaisions or holidays when I might not feel so guilty about splurging on the extra calories! :D

[DCook]

I might die of anticipation waiting for this cookbook. Its on my Christmas list...we'll see if I can wait that long.....

[PamN]

The recipe for Pecan Squares is from her first cookbook, not the new one. The recipe says it makes 20 squares, but they are huge and could (should) be at least halved. That would make them more the size of a pie wedge. Once you do that, I don't think they are that different, calorically speaking, than other non-light pecan squares or pies.

[testkitchen45]

Sorry for the brain freeze. I have all the BContessa cookbooks, and I didn't realize the Pecan Bars were in one of them; guess I missed it.

For those of you who cook from BContessa books, have you had good luck with lower-fat substitutions (less butter, egg substitute, less olive oil, & so on)? Ina adds butter with glee, but we can't do that & get away with it. :) Thanks.

[kcmo727]

I just bought this book and I do like it, but I was disappointed that there are a few recycled recipes in here, or very similar variations on previous recipes. For example, there is a lightened version of her lemon pound cake and also a layer cake version of her coconut cupcakes. But it is still a beautiful book and I will probably use it more than her Paris book, which I still haven't made anything out of.

[seeteekay]

I am pretty disappointed in the new book. When I went through it I wasn't really excited about the recipes and didn't see anything that I had to make right away. I am going to go back through it and see what I think again, but from first looks, disappointment. Maybe my expectations were too high.

Cindy

[nanco]

Costco has the best price on it. I had it in my hand so excited and put it back. It seemed there were lots of breakfast stuff. That is my least home made meal I make. I really do not need another cookbook anyways!

[cumulus]

I LOVE the personal touches she put in this cookbook- a long introduction, great tips/tricks at the beginning of each chapter. Makes you feel right at home.

Only downside I've come across so far is that alot of the recipes are very "summer-y". Summer fruit, avacado, burgers, etc are things I think about for just about any time of the year BUT November :) Never-the-less, I can't wait to try a few of the recipes!

[DCook]

For those of you who cook from BContessa books, have you had good luck with lower-fat substitutions (less butter, egg substitute, less olive oil, & so on)? Ina adds butter with glee, but we can't do that & get away with it.

I find her baking stuff is much worse than her savory stuff. I don't bake very often at all (maybe once every two months) so I don't bother substituting, if I'm baking, its a treat and I will enjoy it


Only downside I've come across so far is that alot of the recipes are very "summer-y".

Shoot, thats one thing I love about Family Style - its all fall/winter foods, and since I live in a climate that only gets about 5 months of spring/summer weather, I definitely need more cool weather recipes!

[Krysia1031]

I have improvised on several of her recipes. One of my favorites BB recipes is the orange chocolate chunk cake, which also has alot of butter & sugar! The recipe calls for 1/2 lb. of butter & 2 cups sugar. :eek: I only used 1 stick of butter and added a few tablespoons of apple sauce as a substitutue. I only added one cup of sugar and my husband never tasted the difference. It still came out moist and delicious! :D