Cooking for Jeffrey is Ina’s love letter to her husband of more than five decades and a delightful look at the couple many of us consider the ultimate #relationshipgoals.
Throughout the book, Ina shares tidbits on her and Jeffrey’s life together – my favorite of which may be their first date, where a 16-year-old Ina tries to take Jeffrey to a bar and is promptly denied entry. 😂 She talks about their camping trip through France (jealous!), shares adorable personal photos, and reveals that Jeffrey was the first to encourage her to pursue her passion for cooking – I’ve always admired their unwavering support of each other.
Ina sums up exactly how I feel about cooking in one line in the book: “cooking is more gratifying and, frankly, more fun when I’m cooking for people I love.”
This was the first book that was released after starting this project – and the book Ina signed for me after winning a photo contest on Instagram (Oh, my disbelief when I received the first DM from her.)
It also happens to contain the recipe I most often cite as my all-time favorite: Rigatoni with Sausage & Fennel – if you haven’t made it yet, run out and do so!
There are so many standouts in this book, from the Butternut Squash & Ricotta Bruschettas that are part of my regular rotation and the crowd-pleasing Anna’s Tomato Tart to the Irish Guinness Brown Bread that was so good I made it twice in three days.
Ina also has you covered with delicious mains like Roasted Italian Meatballs with Creamy Parmesan Polenta (I only want my meatballs served on polenta now) and mouthwatering Filet Mignon with Mustard & Mushrooms and, because this is a book dedicated to Jeffrey, there are a few chicken recipes, including Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken and Roasted Chicken with Radishes.
My Top 10 Favorite Recipes from
Cooking for Jeffrey
Rigatoni with Sausage & Fennel, page 114 (Recipe)
This is the recipe I most often cite as my all-time favorite Ina recipe, and for good reason: sweet sausage, fennel, wine, cream, and pasta somehow become so much more than the sum of their parts.
Butternut Squash & Ricotta Bruschettas, page 57 (Recipe)
Creamy ricotta, sweet roasted squash, maple-vinegar onions, and a little heat piled onto toast. Fall appetizer perfection and very much part of the regular rotation.
Roasted Italian Meatballs with Creamy Parmesan Polenta, page 110 (Recipe)
Ina roasting meatballs instead of frying them is exactly the kind of practical magic I love. And once you serve them over creamy Parmesan polenta, you may never go back.
English Oat Crackers, page 189 (Recipe)
These are the sleeper hit of the appetizer table: rustic, buttery, just hearty enough, and perfect with Ina’s Fig Preserves.
Anna’s Tomato Tart, page 79 (Recipe)
Buttery crust, mustard, herbs, Gruyère, and ripe tomatoes: basically everything I want in a savory tart.
Lamb Stew with Spring Vegetables, page 99 (Recipe)
A cozy, hearty lamb stew that feels bright thanks to all the spring vegetables. It’s the perfect comfort food, for late winter/early spring when there is still a chill in the air.
Irish Guinness Brown Bread, page 186 (Recipe)
This bread was so good I made it twice in three days, which tells you everything you need to know. Dense, lightly sweet, and made for salted butter.
Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata, page 205 (Recipe)
Tart rhubarb, sweet raspberries, orange zest, and Ina’s buttery pastry are exactly why crostatas are the lazy baker’s best friend. Imperfect edges, perfect dessert.
Frozen Mocha Mousse, page 218 (Recipe)
Chocolate, coffee, and cream in frozen mousse form. It’s make-ahead, dinner-party friendly, and exactly the kind of dessert that makes people go quiet for a minute.
Fiesta Corn & Avocado Salad, page 76 (Recipe)
This is peak summer Ina: corn, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeño, lime, and just enough chipotle to wake everything up. It’s fresh, colorful, and very easy to keep eating straight from the bowl.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Filet Mignon with Mustard & Mushrooms, page 104 (Recipe)
A very classic Ina steak: perfectly seared filet, mushrooms, Cognac, cream, and mustard. Not exactly an everyday dinner, but absolutely worth pulling out when you want to impress someone.
Fish & Lobster Cakes, page 121 (Recipe)
Packed with cod and lobster, these crispy golden disks are my dream appetizer, or paired with a salad, a very excellent dinner.
More Best of Ina here – including my top ten picks from each cookbook!
Honestly I was kind of disappointed in how little chicken recipes this book had. Knowing how much he loves chicken.
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