Whenever I tune in to Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network, Ina Garten’s whipping up some over-the-top masterpiece of a meal with whole roasted chickens and enormous platters of smoked salmon. Most of the time, episodes revolve around recreating a romantic feast Ina once cooked for her husband Jeffery (aka that lucky bastard).

Taking a note from the jolly couple, we nominated the Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks for our monthly Parties That Cook staff Cookbook Club. Not to anyone’s surprise, all of Ina’s recipes were nearly flawless with all the right amounts of heavy cream and butter duly noted and clearly instructed. With no recipe changes to review at the dining table, we resigned happily to feasting:

• Warm Duck Salad
• Lemon Fusilli with Arugula
• Spinach Gratin
• Guacamole Salad
• Cheddar Corn Chowder
• Zucchini Vichyssoise
• Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing