‘Go-to Dinners’: 7 of the Simplest Dishes to Make From Ina Garten’s Latest Cookbook

Inspired by Ina Garten’s own lockdown experience Go-To Dinners is brimming with simple dishes. Ahead, find a selection of no-frills eats from the newest Barefoot Contessa cookbook, from oatmeal to hot dogs. 

1. ‘Go-To Dinners’: Hot Dogs in Puff Pastry

This light dinner from Garten is a great starting point for trying out dishes in Go-To Dinners. There aren’t many ingredients, seven in all. Plus, the hot dogs in puff pastry don’t take long to make.

Garten called them “fancy pigs in blanket” in her cookbook, sharing they came about during the pandemic when she challenged herself to make something from ingredients she had at home. 

2. Simple dishes from ‘Go-To Dinners’: Overnight Irish Oatmeal

Next up on the list of simple dishes from Go-To Dinners is a classic breakfast. Garten’s Overnight Irish Oatmeal is the latest take on her “ultimate comfort food,” which she’s known to eat daily. 

This “crunchy and delicious” version calls for only a few things: oatmeal, nuts, cranberries or raisins, milk, butter, brown sugar, and/or maple syrup. The simple part isn’t just the short list of ingredients. It’s also the steps (basically, heat up the oatmeal and let it cool) before putting it in the fridge. 

3. ‘Go-To Dinners’ simple dishes: Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Want sweet potatoes without the lengthy cooking time? Garten’s Glazed Sweet Potatoes are the answer. “Dicing them up and cooking them in a saute pan takes no time at all,” she wrote in Go-To Dinners. 

Simply saute the sweet potatoes and drizzle them with maple syrup and balsamic vinegar before serving. Find the instructions on page 186 of Go-To Dinners. 

4. Simple dishes from ‘Go-To Dinners’: Melon and Prosciutto 

These dishes from Go-To Dinners are simple but Garten’s Melon and Prosciutto just might be the simplest. Case in point, the Food Network star called it a “non-recipe” in her cookbook. 

All that’s needed to make it at home is cantaloupe, Italian prosciutto di Parma, coarse sea salt, black pepper, and lemons. The most time-consuming part is slicing the melon. After that, it’s a drizzle here, a sprinkle there, and it’s done. 

5. Ina Garten’s Gruyère Omelet from ‘Go-To Dinners’ takes less than 3 minutes to prep and cook

Dubbed the “ultimate go-to dinner” by Garten, her Gruyère Omelet is, no surprise here, simple. Have eggs, salt, pepper, butter, and Gruyère cheese in the kitchen? That’s all it takes to make it at home, save for a “good” non-stick pan.  No Gruyère? Cheddar works too.

As for the time, Garten clocked the omelet at taking “30 seconds to prep and about two minutes to cook.” 

6. ‘Go-To Dinners’ simple dishes: Maple-Roasted Honey Nut Squash

Roasted vegetables come up again and again in Go-To Dinners. However, it’s Garten’s Maple-Roasted Honey Nut Squash that’s among the simplest. While the oven’s heating, halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. 

After some butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper the squash is ready for the oven. One drizzle of maple syrup before serving and the squash is done. As Garten says, how easy is that? 

7. Combine fresh fruit and storebought gelato come together for Ina Garten’s roasted pineapple dessert

Garten has plenty of simple desserts and her Roasted Pineapple With Coconut Gelato is no exception. Found on page 236 of Go-To Dinners, it looks elegant and doesn’t take much to make. 

Roast pineapple on a sheet pan before tossing it in a bowl with lime zest and agave syrup. Finally, serve it with coconut gelato.