Giada De Laurentiis - Giadas Kitchen: New Italian Favorites

Few things in life give me more pleasure than food, whether eating or cooking for the people I love. And Ive always known that somehow, some way, I would find my calling in the food world. For obvious reasons, I felt most comfortable around Italian food; its what I grew up loving. But I never (ever!) imagined that this love would lead to an opportunity to share my passion for Italian cooking, and my ideas about what Italian food can and should be, with so many people. When I made my earliest appearances on Food Network, there were plenty of well-established authorities who had already made their marks on the culinary landscape. I wondered at first what on earth I could bring to the table. Where would I fit in? What new message did I have to share? When I thought about my roots, though, the way my family has always cooked, and the places and people whose food continues to inspire me today, the recipes and ideas began to come. And they havent stopped since.

For the past five years I have been on a wonderful journey. On my Food Network shows and in my cookbooks Ive had the chance to explore every facet of Italian cooking: traditional, seasonal, regional, contemporary, whimsical, and much more. All the while, my own style of cooking has been evolving. From the old recipes of my grandmothers that I still adore, like her verdure al forno and hearty lamb stew with cipollini onions and potatoes, to some of the more updated dishes youll find in this book, Ive found the things that make a recipe just taste right to me.

These days, my palate responds most to clean, vibrant, simple flavors, and my eyes cant resist the undeniable freshness of great ingredients and bursts of bright colors. The recipes youll find in this book represent a nice balance of exciting and healthy dishes; theyre hearty but not overwhelming (and a few are moderately sinful because everyone needs a treat once in a while). And because we eat first with our eyes, I made sure that every dish is as beautiful on the plate as it is delicious.

In response to the countless requests I have received from parents who enjoy cooking with their children (or whose kids love to cook themselves), I have also included a chapter just for kids, with easier recipes full of the flavors kids cant resist. The Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs is one of my favorites (and the recipe makes about seventy of the little meatballs, so youll have plenty of leftovers and happy campers).

These recipes reflect what my readers and viewers have told me they are looking for in the meals they prepare, dishes I know will always be well received. They represent five years of lessons Ive learned as well as those I have shared since beginning my Everyday Italian journey. Ive never forgotten that cooking and eating are a shared experience, and my goal as a chef is to ensure that each everyday experience is a memorable one for you and your family. I hope you will find some new favorites here, as well as a few shining moments that will linger in your memory.

For some reason, many people find appetizers the most intimidating course of the meal to put together. Most simply resort to store-bought cocktail nibbles or perhaps a plate of fruit and cheese or crudits with dips, but the possibilities are so much more interesting than those tired standbys. Both in America and in Italy, the purpose of an appetizer or a first course is the same: to whet the appetite for the meal to come without being too heavy or filling. In Italy, of course, the antipasto is generally the first of five courses, but few Americans subscribe to this kind of drawn-out meal unless its a very special occasion. That doesnt mean, though, that you cant take a page out of the Italians book. I like to blend Italian and American traditions with appetizers that can work either as the first course of a more formal meal or be passed at a cocktail party as an hors doeuvre. They are uniformly simple to make (many of them in advance) but they look very impressive, and their vibrant colors and flavors will have everyone eager for the meal to come.

For entertaining I usually prefer dishes that can be made ahead of time, but I make an exception for this one. It does need to be assembled at the last minute; but when you want something particularly beautiful to start a small dinner party, its worth the extra effort. The flavor of mint really shines through and the colors are stunning together, especially if you use a mix of heirloom tomato varieties.