Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Cookbook Review: Weeknights with Giada

Weeknights with Giada:
Quick and Simple Recipes to Revamp Dinner
Hardcover
240 pages

Eight Chapters:  Soups & Salads; Bruschettas, Sandwiches, & Pizzas; Pasta & Grains; Meat, Poultry & Fish; Change of Pace; Breakfast for Dinner; Veggies & Sides; and Desserts

When I heard that Giada was coming out with a new cookbook I preordered it.  I knew I would love it and I was right.  Weeknights with Giada is full of family-friendly, super easy, inventive and fun recipes for the weeknights.  There are lots of days where I love to spend all day in the kitchen, but then there are also days where I need quick and easy and this book delivers.  On top of all that, the book is absolutely gorgeous, full of both family photos and gorgeous food.  You will find lots of Italian-inspired recipes in this book, but you'll also find that Giada branches out with recipes like Sweet and Spicy Greek Meatballs, Chicken Adobo, Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups, and Chicken with Peruvian Chile Sauce.  But most importantly, everything I tried was delicious!

**The recipes for each of the dishes below can be found by clicking on the recipe name.  The link will take you to the recipe on the Food Network.
Just for fun let's start where it counts.....DESSERT!!  Giada's Peanut Butter Cookies with Blackberry Jam.  These are no everyday peanut butter cookie.  These cookies have cocoa powder added to them, which is perfect for those of us who are addicted to the combo of peanut butter and chocolate.  I made some of the cookies with the blackberry jam and some without any jam at all.  Both were a huge success!  The recipe makes 10 huge cookies and believe me, they were gone in no time at all!
 From the Veggies & Sides chapter is probably my favorite recipe of the bunch, Giada's Scallion and Mozzarella Cornbread.  Holy cow is this stuff good!  The buttermilk in this recipe makes for an extremely tender and incredibly moist cornbread.  You can actually see the mozzarella in the cornbread....it is so cheesy.  And, we just loved the studs of olives and scallions running throughout.   I'm gonna go out on a limb here and tell you that this is probably the best cornbread I've ever had.  In fact, I'm making another version of it today.
If you're a potato lover, then you will fall in love for these Baked Potatoes with Sausage and Arugula.  A fluffy baked potato is topped with Italian sausage and a very cheesy creamy tomato sauce.  Since there is quite a bit of arugula mixed into the sauce I've deemed these healthy.  My family absolutely loved these and asked for more so I went ahead and made them again (twice in the same week).  This is a recipe that I can see myself making again and again, which is the mark of a very successful recipe.  Food bloggers rarely make the same thing twice, right?

All in all, this is a fabulous book and one that I am very happy to have in my collection.  In fact, I'll be sharing more recipes soon!

Recipes tagged to make: Literally everything...Shrimp and Sausage Cioppino; Burgers a la Pizzaiola; Ricotta, Lentil & Rice Rolls; Herbed Lamb Chops with Homemade BBQ Sauce; California-Style Chopped Salad with Shrimp; Sweet Corn & Basil Lasagna; Chicken with Tarragon & White Wine; Black Forbidden Rice with Shrimp, Peaches & Snap Peas; and Grilled Creamed Corn with Spinach and Parmesan....just to name a few!

12 comments:

  1. Wonderful review! I like Giada quite a bit. That baked potato is calling to me.

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  2. Everything loos delicious. I look forward to more :)

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  3. Fabulous review Kim. We love Giada at our house. She seems be able to initiate so much fun and enthusiasm into everything she does.
    Sam

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  4. It was the mozzarella cornbread that sent me over the top! I think the cookies too. Okay, the cookbook is on my list.

    Awesome.
    Velva

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  5. I love the book so far too!

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  6. I've been wondering about that exact cookbook as I have never made any of her things but they always look good. I can't wait to try the recipes you pointed out and if they're as good as you say they are...I think we'll have "lift off" and I'll have to buy the book! Thank you! Now I'm hungry...

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  7. I love Giada! Everything sounds amazing!

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  8. in my mind I give Giada a lot of crap for not looking like she eats anything she makes (but maybe that's just a bit of jealousy), but I've never made anything of hers that I didn't love. sounds like an awesome cookbook!

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  9. I have 3 of her cookbooks and use them often - might have to add this - she always has surprises and always makes it easy. Right now, those cookies are begging to be made.

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  10. Love Giada, her recipes are always a hit.

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  11. I have a few of her cookbooks - looks like I need to add this one to my collection!!

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  12. I just love Giada's recipes and for some reason I only own one of her cookbooks, but it's one of my favourites. Thanks for reviewing this one Kim, another cookbook to add to my wish list!!

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