Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics Season 1 Episode 22 Pack and Go Party

In the twenty-second episode of season one of Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics, titled "Pack and Go Party," host and renowned chef Ina Garten shares some of her favorite recipes and tips for easy and delicious picnic foods that are perfect for an outdoor party or get-together.

The episode begins with Ina talking about the importance of planning and preparing for a successful picnic, including choosing the right ingredients and packing them in a way that will keep them fresh and flavorful. She suggests making a few different dishes that can be served cold or at room temperature, such as a vegetable quiche, a pasta salad, and a fruit crisp.

First up, Ina prepares her recipe for vegetable quiche, made with a buttery crust and a filling of sautéed leeks, scallions, spinach, and Gruyere cheese. She emphasizes the importance of blind baking the crust to prevent it from getting soggy, and adds a touch of grated nutmeg to the filling for extra flavor. The finished quiche can be sliced and served cold or at room temperature, making it a perfect addition to any picnic spread.

Next, Ina demonstrates how to make her pasta salad, which features colorful veggies like roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, and arugula, as well as chunks of salty feta cheese and plenty of herbs. She cooks the pasta until al dente and then rinses it with cold water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch. Ina notes that the key to a good pasta salad is using a flavorful dressing, such as her homemade lemon vinaigrette, which she whisks together with Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil.

For dessert, Ina switches things up by making a fruit crisp instead of the usual cookies or brownies. She uses a combination of fresh berries, peaches, and nectarines, tossing them with cornstarch, sugar, and lemon zest. Ina makes a simple topping of oats, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon, which she sprinkles over the fruit mixture and bakes until golden and bubbly. She serves the crisp in individual jars, which are perfect for packing up and taking on the go.

Finally, Ina offers some helpful tips for packing and transporting all of the picnic dishes, including using a sturdy cooler with ice packs to keep things cold, packing the quiche and pasta salad in containers with tight-fitting lids, and packing the fruit crisp separately to prevent it from getting soggy. She also suggests bringing a few extra essentials, like paper plates, napkins, and plastic cups, as well as a blanket or some chairs to sit on.

Overall, "Pack and Go Party" is a fun and informative episode that showcases Ina's expertise as a chef and hostess. Her recipes for vegetable quiche, pasta salad, and fruit crisp are all easy to follow and sure to be crowd-pleasers, making this episode a great resource for anyone looking to host a successful and enjoyable picnic or outdoor gathering.