Teresa Giudice - Fabulicious!: Fast & Fit: Teresas Low-Fat, Super-Easy Italian Recipes

F irst I want to thank my familymy wonderful husband, Joe, my beautiful daughters Gia, Gabriella, Milania, and Audriana, and my parents Antonia and Giacinto Gorga. You mean everything to me. You inspire me, you make me happy, you give me more love than anyone deserves. Thank you too to my extended family, and all of my friends and fansyour support means the world to me.

A million hugs to Heather Maclean for taking this journey with me. We started out as writing partners and ended up as friends. Thank you to my agent Susan Ginsburg and all the amazing people at Writers House for taking a chance on me, encouraging me, and being so wonderful.

And a giant thank you to: the entire team at Running Press, especially Chris Navratil, Jennifer Kasius, Craig Herman, and Frances Soo Ping Chow for your incredible talent; to Rick Rodgers for your culinary genius; to Sheri Giblin for your gifted eye; and to my beautiful friends Priscilla DiStasio and Edyta Keska for joining me in the photos.

I love love love you all! xx

I get a lot of people wondering how I can be so upbeat all the time, even when things look grim. They ask me if its just an act orif theyre super direct or drunkif Im just too stupid to realize bad things are happening to me. Um, how do I put this kindly? No and no. [Smiling while making obscene gesture under my laptop.] Of course I know when bad things are going on. Im just like everyone else, and difficult times fall on everyone. I choose to smile anyway. My smile doesnt mean Im ignoring the issue. It means Im refusing to let it get me down.

Yes, Ive had days when I felt like staying in bed and crying all day. Everyone does. But I dont give in. I get up, I smile, and I work toward what I know will be a better day. I do it for two reasons: my dad taught me to never give up, and Im now teaching the same lesson to my daughters.

In Italy theres a proverbQuesto mondo fatto a scale, chi le scende e chi le salethat basically means the world is a ladder. Sometimes youre going up. Sometimes youre going down. The important thing is, you keep moving! Theres a Japanese saying that football coaches like to use over here: Success is falling down seven times, and getting up eight.

Thinking positively and having a good attitude is so, so, so important. Its not only great for your mood, it can also help correct your situation, set a good example for others, and its actually good for your health. I may be feisty on TV, but if you really watch, I only react; Im not an attacker. If youve met me at a book signing or even just in an elevator, if you read my blog (teresagiudice.com) or follow me on Twitter (@Teresa_Giudice), you know that in real life Im a happy person who loves her life, her family, and her fans!

I cannot thank you all enough for welcoming me into your homes. It has been such an honor to share my familys recipes with you all. Nothing gives me more pleasure or inspiration than hearing your own family stories and seeing photos of your beautiful babies. I have to say, I have the most gorgeous, loving fans in the world. Im extremely blessed by you all.

And with that, I say Arrivederci! In Italian, its literally a toast of optimism: Until we see each other again.

Tanti Baci,
Teresa xx

When in Rome...

Arrivederci = ah-ree-vah-DARE-chee

Chapter 2:

Live It UpI-Cant-Believe-Its-Not-Fattening Food

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Chapter 3:

Serve It UpAmazing Antipasti

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Chapter 4:

Soup It UpHot & Cold Comfort Food

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