Ina Reveals the One Thing That Intimidates Her About Entertaining

You won't believe it.

Surprise, even Ina gets intimidated throwing a dinner party!

“After all these years of cooking, even I find it daunting,” Ina confesses. Her solution is to make an all-in-one dish like her Lamb Shanks and Orzo. To serve she recommends keeping it super casual. “Place a folded kitchen towel in the middle of the table, put the pot of lamb shanks and orzo right on the towel,” she advises. “Everyone helps themselves and dinner is served!”

Another tip Ina gives for being a good host is to ask guests if there is something they can’t eat. "Although, there’s always some smart aleck who says squirrel,” Ina laughs, "I think it's important if some people are vegetarian, that everybody gets exactly the same dinner." Focus the meal around foods that everyone can enjoy. For a party with vegetarians, make a hearty dish like Baked Polenta with Mushrooms and Blue Cheese which can satisfy all types of palates.  

Get more easy entertaining tips from Ina on a new episodes of Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro Sundays at 12|11c.