Ok, so raise your hand if you’re an Ina Garten fan. Anyone? I’m a big Ina fan — I don’t think I’ve ever made one of her recipes that I didn’t like. And over the years, I’ve collected all of her books except the last one, Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? As much as I love her books though, I can’t ever remember which book contains the specific recipe I’m looking for, and it drives me crazy. So, when I just have to make her Blueberry Coffee Cake, for example, I have to drag all the books out and check the indexes. The recipe I want is almost always in the last book I check. Murphy’s Law.
About a year ago, I started thinking that I needed a master index. Ina has an index but the reviews weren’t the greatest. There’s this funny poster on Pinterest that says “Pinterest – when your husband is watching something dumb.” We have a lot of dumb tv around here and I discovered that it’s also good for making an index to Ina’s cookbooks. I worked at it slowly over time, and it’s finally done. Finally, no more searching – Yipee! Just in case you’re an Ina fan too, you can download a copy of the index HERE. I’m not a professional indexer ( ;-) ) so, keep that in mind. It’s not perfect — I didn’t index everything the way Ina does and I added some of my own links. I’m sure there are typos and remember that the recipes in How Easy Is That? aren’t included.
In other news, I managed to get a little garden planted in the new space created by the retaining wall that I built last fall. The next day, as if to laugh at me, the local chippies convened a convention on the edge of the wall. I’m pretty sure they’re plotting what to eat first when the seeds come up. I’m thinking that the chippies are going to be moved to luxury condos when I return from quilt market.
Speaking of market, I leave in just a few days, so I’m going to take a break for a few weeks. Hopefully, when I return there will be lots of fun market news. If you’re going to market, please stop by and say hi — I’ll be in the Don’t Look Now booth with Kellie.
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day Weekend!
XOXO,
Anna
Enjoy your trip to quilt market! I’ve always enjoyed reading about your quilt market adventures!
have a great trip Anna. glad you got in your garden…did you catch any of the rain this week? what are your shopping plans for market??
Chipmunks in your garden? OK, that’s just not fair. We have mice and the occasional hedgehog. Pout.
Congrats on the index – I need one of those for Nigella’s books if you’re feeling at a loose end …
Gorgeous picture of the chippies! Have a wonderful time at Market!
Heh heh heh, here in the UK (and also Australia I think) ‘chippie’ is slang for a carpenter. I scrolled down expecting to see a whole bunch of tool-belted men standing around discussing your magnificent hard gardening.
OMG — an Ina index!! How wonderful! Love it. You’re the best.
I love Ina too, but I only have one book — Back to Basics. Which is your favorite? You are SO nice to share your index. Maybe one day I’ll have all of her books. Have a happy Market Time.
You are awesome!!! I have the same problem but I put little stickys on my absolute faves. IG’s brownies are like crack and we love her roast pork w. fennel!
Have a great time at fair , you and kelly together again, can’t wait for the blogposts to follow.
I am dead jealous of your little visitors, we have nothing exotic in our garden…
OK…this is officially scary. We are for sure twins and someone has played a trick on us. I have all of the same Ina books (except the last one). I can’t wait to download your index. Have fun at market. I’m so jealous.
You know I love Ina too! I have all of her books and I do the same thing when I want to make something of hers. Thanks for the index. As for the Chippie’s the picture is soooooo cute Kirb and I love it when we see (our chipmunk, I think we only have one boohoo) Have a wonderful time at market can’t wait to hear all the news. Loving…..
Nice idea. I too like Ina but I don’t have any of her books. Enjoy market and happy mother’s day!!!
Ooh those chipmunks look adorable, although I am sure they are like rabbits here eating all your garden goodies. Sounds like a great idea with your cookbooks too by doing the index. Goodluck at the market.
Love Ina, too funny about the TV, the chippies are definitely conspiring, and most importantly have a blast at market!!!!!
I am a huge Ina fan. When I watch the show and like what she is making I go to http://www.foodnetwork.com and print the yummy item she just showed me how to make.
I have tabs in my books of some of my favorites. Otherwise yes I too have to go thru books. It ends up being a fun event, when I am not in a hurry.
A “mother-index.” I love it! Can’t wait to see you in KC!!!
I know what you mean about searching for a recipe in a series of books. I had the same problem with my cooking books which all belong to the same series (more then 20 books). In the end, I photo copied the recipes I usually make and put them in a separate folder. In a way it makes the books redundant, but I still like to look through them from time to time. Have a great time at market and I can’t wait to see what Kellie has been up to during the last few month. It has been very quiet at her end.
How neat to have Chip and Dale and a spare on your wall. Probably to you that sounds about like when people tell me how “cute” the squirrels are in our neck of the woods. (HATE them, by the way.) Have fun at Market and pick up lots of fun things to tell us when you get back.
Have fun at market!
I haven’t seen Ina’s books here before, but congratulations on creating that index!!
Those chippies are another thing I haven’t seen before! Very cute.
Have loads of fun with Kellie and the rest of the “gulls”!!! :)
Enjoy your break. Looking forward to hearing all about it when you get back.
Happy Mother’s Day!!
Hi Anna,
Love Ina and only have one of her books but I would love to do this with all the recipes I “collect”. I do have most of them in binders though so it’s a start … and I don’t have as many as your Mom…lol. Have a wonderful Mothers Day and enjoy market!!!
have a great time at market and share the “news” when you return.
Your critters are cute, I have them too, but don’t appreciate the holes they make all over my garden, lol.
Oh yeah, I’m a Barefoot Contessa fan! I pull out her recipes whenever I’m having company. My complaint? Her recipes are sooooo unhealthy! But, they never fail and then are not labor heavy. I LOVE the warm onion dip! I haven’t made that in AGES!!
Gee, if you were on twitter you could tweet from market…just a thought. ;p
Can’t wait to see Kellie’s new patterns.
Market will be so much fun! Happy Mother’s Day!
OMG – are they baby chipmunks? I haven’t ever seen one, they are sooooo cute….
Well, how funny- the only Ina Garten cookbook I have is How Easy Is That? I usually just go to her website. Love your little chippes! They are so cute for such destructive things.
Don’t forget, take lots of pics at market!
Cute picture – they look so harmless. But squirrels look harmless too, but they can sure do the damage. Nice idea about the index. I don’t have any of her books, but now I want to try that blueberry coffeecake.
I’m late reading this post, but hope you have a wonderful time at market! I have just been getting a condo that my husband and I own ready for sale (my mother had lived in it for 12 years and has just moved). I think every joint and muscle in my body hurts, including my fingertips. I hope it doesn’t take terribly long to sell. I can think of a few stitchy things I would love to treat myself to!
Have a great time!
I love Ina! And like you, I wind up having to look through every one of her books to find the recipe I’m looking for. So a huge, huge thank you for the Index! Brilliant!
But what about the recipes published in House Beautiful? Will you include those? (Yes, I’m kidding.)(Mostly.)
I’m also sorry that I will miss you at Market! Mom-duty called ~ she’s having a surgery next week ~ so I had to cancel. Next time, right? Take good care and have a terrific, safe trip!
Those chippies are so cute! Enjoy market!!
I’m an Ina fanatic. I have printed out your index and it is going in front of Ina’s first book. I have them all, including “How Easy is that”? I just had it out on Mother’s Day looking at a recipe. This is perfect for me. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. Very engineer of you.
Quilt Market? Drooool! Don’t have TOO much fun!
Hi gorgeous, hope you are having lots of fun at market (but that you are missing me heaps too!!!!) Can’t wait to hear all about it. x
I always envy you when you’re at Market…by the time you get back I’ll be moved into my new condo. It’s only about 5 miles from where I live now (a little farther away from The Back Door). My house sold in 4 showings on the THIRD DAY! Isn’t that fantastic. I get my condo right away because it was empty but the new people that are buying my house don’t want custody till JULY 15! I don’t like being responsible for it till then but I would have been if it hadn’t sold so fast any way. I can plant flowers in the gardens round my place but don’t have to cut grass. WooPee… I don’t think I could do this again – mentally or physically. I’ve felt very close to the EDGE several times. The physical pain and being by myself now has about done me in. So hopefully this will be my last (house) move. ;-) you know what I mean, jelly bean? You have a wonderful times now and have fun for me. Unfortunately my moving has prevented me from keeping up with my quilting class – if I wouldn’t have known this was going to happen I wouldn’t have taken one now. I feel like the remedial student. Take care and be safe lovey. robin
It was nice seeing you and Joni. Wish we would have had more time.
Those cute little critters you have there……….want a few more? They are destroying our yard! And they move sooooo fast!
Thanks so much for the Ina index. I have used her recipes for years.
Hate to tell you, but the chipmunks don’t wait for the plants to come up. I had some eat the seeds before they came up.
Greetings from Manti.
Oh!! I love Ina and have all the books too but the last one. I will try again, my first download didn’t want to behave and open. Have fun at market, maybe someday I will convince someone to let me tag along..lol!
It was so good to meet you in person at market!
I love Ina’s recipes but surprisingly do not have any of her cookbooks. I actually think I will go and pick up some this weekend because your post reminded me that I have wanted to do that for years!!