Giada's Family Dinners: A Cookbook

Wonderful!! Absolutely wonderful!! This sophomore effort of one of the cooking world's fastest-rising chefs who has worked hard for her title the rewards of accolades. Once again, she has given us fresh, delicious, and satisfying recipes that give us a thoroughly enjoyable experience in the kitchen. This latest effort has all you need to prepare meals that will give you pleasure and joy in their preparation, as well as using the experience to have your guests help you. Through the use of staples, other everyday foods, and directions that are clear and crisp, you will be most satisfied within your stomach and soul. The book is also full of photos of family, friends, and food that share this part of her life, as well as glorious photo presentations of the finished dishes; all of them styled to make you feel as comfortable as she in their preparation. The book is divided as such: SOUPS AND SANDWICHES: beef and lentil soup/ tomato soup with pancetta/ pasta e fagioli/ winter minestrone/ escarole and bean soup/ italian wedding soup/ stracciatella soup/ tuna and artichoke panini/ venetiano panini/ vegetable panini with mozzarella/ prosciutto and lemon panini/ open-faced PLT (that's prosciutto instead of bacon--very delicious!)/ italian muffuletta ITALIAN SALADS AND SIDES: roasated beet and arugula salad with goat cheese and avacado/ italian caesar salad/ arugula and orange salad with basil vinaigrette/ broccoli florets with Meyer lemon olive oil/ marinated zucchini and summer squash/ butternut squash gratin with pesto/ roasted eggplant and tomatoes/ sauteed green beans with tomatoes and basil/ roasted fennel with parmesan/ orzo with garbanzo beans, red onion, basil, and mint/ cannellinin beans with herbs and prosciutto/ stuffed artichokes/ braised swiss chard/ basic polenta (the food of the gods!)/ herbed cheese polenta FAMILIY ENTREES: pepperoncini shrimp/ broiled salmon with garlic, mustard, and herbs/ tilapia with citrus bagna cauda/ swordfish milanese/ sea bass with beans and radicchio/ chicken marsala with mustard and mascarpone/ pollo frito/ chicken tetrazzini/ garlic and citrus chicken/ chicken vesuvio/ chicken florentine/ flank steak with red wine sauce/ filet mignon with balsamic syrup/ rack of lamb with mint-basil pesto/ veal scaloppine with saffron cream sauce/ parmesan-crusted pork chops (the best)/ pork chops alla pizzaiola/ lasagna rolls/ stuffed zucchini and red bell peppers (who knew? what a great recipe for zucchini) THE ITALIAN GRILL: pane alla grillia/ grilled portobello mushrooms with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella/ grilled lettuces (very different but very good)/ grilled artichokes with parsley and garlic/ grilled steak sandwiches/ grilled chicken with gremolata (a delicious paste of garlic, herbs and citrus)/grilled chicken with basil dressing/ grilled lamb with salsa verde/ grilled tuna burgers with tapenade/ swordfish spiedini/ grilled tuna steaks with roasted cipollini onions/ grilled summer fruit/ italian s'mores FAMIL

I absolutely love Giada's food; the dishes are absolutely wonderful, with inventive combinations (who knew mustard, mascarpone and marsala would work together in a chicken pasta dish!) I love the concept of the book even more; to me, there is nothing better than serving good food to family and friends. Gathering at the table is truly a bonding experience that seems to be a disappearing trend in our society today. I would definitely buy this book and start traditions in your own family and groups of friends and enjoy life over good food, good wine, and good company; you will most assuredly get inspired by this book. Oh, and by the way, if you are a stuffy, pompous arse (i.e. Marold's review), please understand this isn't about high-brow, stuffy uber-gourmet food that have to remain exactly true to their national roots (wherever they're from). In fact, don't even bother commenting on the book - no one is ever going to invite you to a family dinner ANYWAY!

If you're looking for easy-to-make and relatively fast meals that taste great, you're in for a treat once again with Miss De Laurentiis' newest book. Of course, there are more refined, elaborate, and challeging Italian cookbooks out there, but if you don't want to spend all day in the kitchen yet turn out beautiful and delicious meals, try this. In my opinion, food for dinner with friends or family shouldn't be either demanding for the cook to create or intimidating for the guests to eat. Therefore, it's great for family meals as well as for entertaining. If you're looking to WOW your guests with all of the hours of work you put into a meal, try Charlie Trotter instead. If you're looking for time to spend enjoying your guests and diners who beg for your recipe, buy Giada's book.