It’s a perfect late summer dish. In the late '90s, I started a private chef business. To get some ideas for my upscale clients, I picked up a copy of Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa ...

From her iconic engagement roast chicken to outrageous brownies and rich lemon bars, Ina Garten’s recipes stand the test of time. The Barefoot Contessa ... alcohol and farm-fresh produce.

These spuds are all dolled up with half-and-half, butter, sour cream and Parmesan cheese. Ina Garten's Fresh Crab Nachos ... Ina Garten's Tomato and Eggplant Soup by Ina Garten Think of this ...

Remove from the heat and, using a hand blender, blend the soup in the pan. Stir in the milk and cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper before heating through on the hob.

I've been making my way through Ina Garten's dessert recipes. Her blueberry-ricotta breakfast cake is bright and light, and her brownies are outrageously good. But my favorite is her mocha icebox cake ...

Although Garten makes her butternut squash soup with fresh apples and relies on water ... the dish with your own special flair. The Barefoot Contessa adds just 2 tablespoons of curry powder ...