De Laurentiis - Happy cooking: make every meal count ... without stressing out

As I sat down to start compiling material for this, my eighth cookbook, I couldnt help thinking about all the significant milestones reflected in the pages of each book Ive published, starting with Everyday Italian. Every few years my life takes a big turngetting married, making my debut on Food Network, publishing my first cookbook, and, of course, becoming a mother to my amazing daughter, Jadeand all those changes and transitions inevitably impact the way I think about food, cooking, and entertaining. And its reflected in the food that ends up between the covers of my books.

This one is no different. The past year has been a particularly big time of change for me, and on so many levels Im starting a new chapter in my life, one that is exciting in some waysand challenging in others. The sadness that comes with ending my marriage of more than twenty years is balanced by the joy I take in watching Jade come into her own as a strong and creative young lady and the adrenaline rush of launching my restaurant in Las Vegas as well as a digital magazine, a bold new venture that allows me to connect to my readers every week, in real time.

All of these factors have made me take another look at how I want to live and eat on a daily basis, and how the food I cook fits into an overall approach to wellness that works for me. I dont have all the answers, but the questions fascinate me, and I happen to think a lot of people are on the same journey that I am. These life passages have also encouraged me to take a good, hard look at whats important to me and how I want to spend my time, as well as what truly makes me happy. And eight cookbooks and countless episodes of television later I realized there is no place I feel more at ease, more grounded, and more completely myself than in the kitchen. Its where I can express my creativity, make important memories (and share life skills) with my daughter, and quiet all the noise of the outside world as I lose myself in the pure pleasure of making something beautiful and delicious. I am, quite simply, happy cooking.

For me, cooking is also a way of being good to myself and the people I cook for. Of course this will mean different things to different people, or even different things on different days, and thats fine. For me, being good to myself means eating clean and healthy as often as I can, but making sure that I enjoy every bite. And when I do indulge in something that tips the scales in the other direction, then it had most definitely better be worth it. Im not the first to say it, but eating well truly is about balance, not sacrifice. Living without the foods that I love, that make me happy, is not something Im willing to do. That said, Ive learned there are some foods that I love that just dont love me back. In those cases, eliminating those foods from my diet, as well as the bloating or discomfort that results when I eat them, is another way Im good to myself. No doubt your daily menus wont look exactly like mine and thats okay. Life is not one size fits all; Im here to give you options, all of them delicious. And speaking of size, being good to yourself is not about achieving some elusive perfect weight, and eating healthy for me is not, and never has been, about dropping pounds. Its about fueling my high-performance life efficiently and beautifully with meals that respect the traditions of my Italian heritage and the tried-and-true flavor combinations that I have learned people love. After all, food can be powerful medicine, but eating shouldnt be reduced to science.

As a single mom, Im now also more focused than ever before on simplicity and convenience and finding ways to ensure as much of the time I spend with my daughter is filled with fun and happy memories. Sometimes that means planning ahead so there are leftovers ready to repurpose into virtually instant meals on busy weeknights; other times that means standing side by side at the kitchen counter as we make an over-the-top dessert. Either way, knowing that the food Jade is eating is home-cooked, wholesome, and gives her the fuel she needs to grow and thrivewell, nothing makes me happier than that.

Its my hope that this book, like Giada Weekly, my digital magazine (in which many of these recipes appeared originally), is more like a conversation, one that provides practical solutions for the everyday situationsor big eventsthat arise throughout the year and help you to navigate them with ease and without stress. Whether youre packing a lunch for yourself or a child, making a quiet dinner for one, looking to eat a bit cleaner to get your digestion back on track, or hosting a holiday gathering, youll find ideas here to get you through without feeling like a short order cook. With luck youll come across a new ingredient, technique, or shortcut that will expand your horizons and help you get more satisfaction out of the time you spend in the kitchen. Ive also been fortunate to have many exceptional people in my life who have helped and influenced me over the years, from my dear aunt Raffy to fellow chefs and food purveyors, and Im thrilled to have a way to shine a spotlight on some of them as well.

With nearly 200 recipes here to choose from and plenty of hard-won advice on entertaining and choosing ingredients that deliver flavor without fuss, this is my biggest book yet. And its my hope that the recipes and information Ive gathered will help make feeding yourself and your dear ones as pleasurable as possible. Happy cooking!