'I Can Make It In My Sleep:' Ina Garten's Easy Menu For A Party

With nearly 50 years of experience, Ina Garten has plenty of tips and tricks for entertaining. The Food Network star and bestselling cookbook author is known for her hosting skills, which she honed while running her specialty food and catering store, Barefoot Contessa, in New York from 1978 to 1996. From small home-based gatherings to lavish celebrity parties, Garten has done it all. Yet when it comes to her menu, she likes to keep things simple. In fact, her favorite meal to serve to a crowd couldn't be easier: A rack of lamb, orzo, and roasted vegetables.

Garten's recipe for what she calls her "Getting to Know You" menu comes from her 2001 cookbook "Barefoot Contessa Parties." In a recent Instagram video, the Food Network star said, "I can make it in my sleep," as she described the meal as "absolutely delicious" and really easy to prepare.

To prepare the meat, per Garten's recipe, you'll need two frenched racks of lamb. Frenching simply means removing the meat and fat from the end of the bones before cooking, which your butcher can take care of. You'll also need some salt, fresh rosemary, garlic, mustard, and balsamic vinegar, which are blended together in a food processor to create a mixture.

Once blended, place the lamb racks rib side down in a roasting pan and cover them with the mixture. Allow it to marinate at room temperature for an hour and then roast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. For her orzo with roasted vegetables recipe, Garten dices eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic and roasts them for 45 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. She boils the orzo in salted water for seven to nine minutes, then mixes everything with a dressing made of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil are added to finish it off. 

The most important thing to keep in mind when planning a stress-free dinner party, according to Garten, is to have a plan. Don't overcomplicate things; stick with what you know and spend time with your guests. Another thing to keep in mind is to follow a recipe exactly the first time you make it, which is one entertaining rule Garten never breaks. An easy recipe like this should help you do all of that, while still enjoying yourself and your delicious meal.