Ina Garten Shares a Rare Glimpse Inside Her Upcoming Cookbook, 'Simply Ina'

New cooks, time-starved cooks, people who are convinced they can't cook—Ina Garten's latest cookbook is for you. Titled Simply Ina, the book hits at the core of the Barefoot Contessa's culinary philosophy: how to achieve "the best flavor with the least amount of effort." It makes sense, given the Food Network star has become known for two catchphrases—"how easy is that?" and "store-bought is fine"—but given this is her 14th cookbook, you may be wondering, what's new? What makes it different than, say, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor From Simple Ingredients, or Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips?

While Amazon's pre-order page offers little more than the cover image ahead of its Oct. 20 launch, Garten recently shared behind-the-scenes footage and photos of the dishes, offering a sneak peek of what to expect. And, the more that's revealed, the more is becomes clear that this is less of a cookbook and more of a guide to analog living at its Ina-est.

A carousel of images featured photos pulled directly from the book, shot by her longtime photographer, Quentin Bacon. Simplicity and freshness is underscored in every image, from several pics of citrus to ready-in-minutes recipes, like chicken and vegetable kabobs, juicy heirloom tomatoes and basil on toast, and beautifully medium-rare steaks crowned with melty knobs of herb butter. Nothing appears complex or intimidating; they're everyday staples where the star ingredient (the aforementioned tomatoes, oranges, steak and so on) shine.

"I was looking through the first copy the other day and I was surprised to think, 'Oh! I have to make that this weekend!' And 'I forgot how good that recipe is!'” Garten shared in the caption. "It made me smile because of course, I’ve made every recipe so many times."

Simply Ina is slated to feature 85 recipes spanning all mealtimes and snacks in between, and based on the photos, at least a few cocktails. (Promotions for the book include mentions of Mashed Potato and Leek Soup, Irish Coffee Affogato and what Garten's called "barely cooking" lunch recipes, like Fig, Blue Cheese and Prosciutto Tartines.)

As the cookbook's name implies, simplicity is key: "Each recipe in this book has a secret that makes preparing it easier than you thought," the book blurb reveals, before sharing the broader through line that runs throughout its recipes. "Simple food shouldn’t just save you time; it should let you enjoy the people you love."

Ultimately, Simply Ina marks a subtle shift in Garten's world. It's been gradually happening since 2014, as the Barefoot Contessa brand has gotten smaller billing and Garten has taken more of the spotlight, with a subheading stating "a Barefoot Contessa cookbook" rather than making BC part of the main title. (As Garten told Delish in their Cooking Together issue, on newsstands Sept. 1, "[My friend and cookbook editor] Kate Tyler said, ‘The thing about you is you’re an introvert parading around as an extrovert, and it’s exhausting.’")

This book—coming off the heels of her memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens—feels a bit more personal. While the recipes are there, it's more of a tool for connection. Her goal is to get people out of the kitchen, so they can spend more time connecting. It's an invitation to be present and a guide to get there.

"I hope you invite people over to dinner, make something simple, and surround yourself with people you love, because at the end of the day, it's really the only thing that matters," she shared in a Reel.