I am always amazed when I meet people who don't know who Ina Garten is, akaThe Barefoot Contessa. She has influenced my life so much these past 15 years. I have almost all of her cookbooks, watch her cooking shows and talk about her like I know her. She is my cooking mentor!

I have shared so many of her recipes here on my blog. Her cookbooks are so gorgeous, filled with loads of helpful photos and little tips written in the margins to teach us the ways.

She often lists what her favorite salt is or the mayonnaise she uses or tells us where she purchased her plates or glasses that sit on her table. A generous woman with her wisdom. You feel like she is your friend by the end of a cooking episode or cookbook reading.

Her cooking show is always peppered with easy recipes that taste delish and she walks us step by step through her thinking process as she slices, stirs and plates her meals. She often gives more ways to use the recipe and teaches little basics as she goes along. But, and this is important, she does not talk too much, which I appreciate.

I almost always learn something from her when I watch an episode. If you don't have the Food Network on your TV, you can often find her helpful videos online under the Food Network address with lots of her recipes.

I often find myself talking to her on the screen and answering her often repeated question, "How easy is that?" with a, "So easy, Ina! " Or nodding my head when she says, "This so delicious." or "This is fabulous". She is soft spoken and her later shows are mostly cooking and menu planning, leaving out the guests who distract from the business at hand.

People often ask which is my favorite cookbook, and I really cannot answer that because each book has favorite recipes in it.

The recipes are easy to follow and because she has tested them so much, they are foolproof and use ingredients that you have on hand or that are easy to find. A win in my mind.

Often, I will make the whole meal that she puts together because it is usually perfection.

My mom holding our place while I document!

I stood in a long line to meet her once with my mama and when I finally got up to Ina, I goofily introduced myself and asked her to invite some people from Texas to come eat at her house. She just chuckled her famous heh, heh laugh and the handler moved me along. Next.

waiting....

Ina! I am tongue-tied...

I was then shuffled along with my mom as the next Barefoot Contessa fan girl swished up.

That was my brush with fame.

Another way to connect with Ina is to sign up for her blog and get one email a week with a special thought or recipe. This might be a welcome note to glide into your inbox each week. Or you can wait for me to taste and test through them all and let ya know!

The other thing I love about the Barefoot Contessa is her Jeffrey, her sweet husband of 50 years. He is often on the show and their love for each other is palpable and rich. I love seeing his sparkly eyes light up when he sees her.

True love.

What a delightful man she picked out and how she loves him. Very beautiful.

I recently heard her at a book talk in Dallas promoting her most recent cookbook, Cook Like a Pro. She was delightful in person and my only critique is the moderator didn't let Ina talk enough. Ina was encouraging and had some great tips when she got a word in.

Here are some of my takeaways from her book talk in Dallas.

1. The simpler the meal, the better. It makes people feel wonderful when you are taking care of them.

2. Good knives and 1/2 sheet pan pans are very important to her.

3. When she decided to leave her job with the government, Jeffrey told her to pick something that she thought sounded fun to pursue. She chose the storefront, The Barefoot Contessa, in the Hamptons and started running that. She loved the idea of Earthy and Elegant that the name suggested, so she kept it.

4. She loves writing cookbooks. The process, the colors, the writing, the testing--so she keeps doing it. (Yay, I am so glad!)

5. She makes an exact schedule for her dinner parties, and she sticks to it. Loves really good organization. Assigns times for each component of her party so she won't forget what comes next or comes out of the oven.

I would heartily agree to all of the above and just nodded my head and thought, Ina, you are just the Best!

I am going to link here to a few of my favorites that I have made recently. You really can't go wrong with her recipes. I hope that Ina becomes one of your trusted mentors, too.

Lemon mousse. So light and fresh and not hard to make. Has a video you can watch, too.

Parker's Beef Stew. Perfect comfort food and perfect for your Sunday lunch.

Charlie Bird Farro salad. Delightful flavors, healthy and super yum.

Fresh Pea Soup. I have mentioned this before, but with spring right around the corner this is a perfect soup recipe to have at the ready.

Practicing Hospitality is one thing I love. You know that. I am hoping as I have highlighted The Barefoot Contessa it encourages you to get out there and invite someone over or that you might try one of these recipes. Or maybe you might pick a mentor chef who can walk along this journey with you, like I have with Ina. Let me now who your cooking mentor is. After your mom, of course.

I would love to hear if you try one of these recipes or if you have a favorite Barefoot Contessa recipe. I also suggest that you buy one of her cookbooks for your kitchen. You won't be sorry.

xoxox