Ina's good friend Dick Baxter restores listed buildings in East Hampton in exchange for a tour around the sights. Ina makes lunch on the porch for his team of builders. To keep these builders strong Ina makes Mini Meatloaves, Buttercream Mashed Potatoes, Brussels sprouts and lardons, and Brownie Pie.
Ina is testing the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for two for a magazine article. Her husband Jeffrey is the chief taste tester and her friend Miguel is designing a table where the decoration doubles as dessert. On the menu are savory Palmiers - puff pastry with sundried tomato pesto - then golden Cornish Hens filled with Cornbread Stuffing, Mashed Turnips with delicious crispy shallots and sauteed Broccolini. Who says you need a crowd to have a party?
Ina demonstrates the versatility of pasta. Starting with lasagne great for a party, Pea pesto salad a delicious portable feast, penne with 5 cheeses really comforting make ahead dish, a super fast shrimp linguine and lunchtime favourite pasta with sun dried tomato salad
Running a store’s no mean feat. Ina should know--she ran a deli for 20 years. When a local store manager asks her to help with a thank you meal for his staff, she says yes right away. It’s a French inspired menu of Provencal soup with spoonfuls of pungent green pistou, seafood platters with two zesty sauces sauces and for dessert–coconut madeleines--tiny morsels of light as air sponge. The party will be held right in the middle of the shop and the staff just has to set the table.
Even man's best friend deserves a treat on his birthday and as it's Ina's friends' dogs' special day she decides to throw a party for her favorite pooch and his mistress at the beach. They'll be a beach BBQ for the dog owners with chicken sausages, homemade relish, potato salad, sea breezes at sundown and a fabulous sheet cake with chocolate frosting!
TR is having house guest’s for the weekend and Ina is helping him stock up his fridge. In return he has promised to run a foody errand for her in NYC at Eli’s tomato factory. While TR shops in NYC Ina stocks up his fridge with weekend meals including Chicken Pot Pie, Wheatberry salad and split pea soup and a tasty tomato sandwich for herself.
Ina’s friends from Los Angeles are coming to town, which gives her the perfect excuse to whip up a classy supper. And while she jokes that they’ll be dinning on boiled water soup and undressed baby greens, she'll really be whipping up a fabulous feast.
Truman Capote wowed society with his Black and White Ball, and now Ina's wowing her friends with a Black and White Supper for the author of a new book about this renowned character and high-profile event. On the menu, Capote's favorite Chicken Hash, Pain Perdu, and White Truffles to finish off the meal.
Ina’s invited her editor and old friend Stephen Drucker over for dinner with a bunch of her new colleagues. To break the ice, she's planning an Italian-American dinner with spaghetti & meatballs and make your own ice cream sodas. Recipes include: Spaghetti & Meatballs, Garlic Bread, Ice Cream Sodas, Chocolate Sauce and Raspberry Sauce.
What do you give people who have everything? Ina's got the answer a holiday surprise. T.R. is setting the table, Michael is decorating the tree, and Ina is preparing a basket of goodies to eat throughout the holidays. There's Cranberry Harvest Muffins, Cherry, Almond, and Cinnamon Granola, melt-in-the-mouth Hazelnut Truffles and a steaming thermos of White Hot Chocolate laced with orange liqueur