Giada De Laurentis, Easy Secret Italian Recipes

Giada De Laurentis seems to be everywhere these days. She graced the cover of the June issue of Redbook, smiles sweetly from her kitchen on the Food Network, as well as works as a guest co-hosts on the NBC today show on occasion.

Giada is a trained Chef that studied at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Paris. (GDL) She is well known as an Italian Chef, and many people look to her recipes as inspiration for an Italian food adventure.

Giada reccomends that every Italian kitchen should be well stocked with fresh ingredients. She lists her favorite essential cooking elements on her website. They include: "extra-virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, assorted dry pasta in various shapes, canned cannelloni beans, canned Italian tuna packed in olive oil, marinara sauce (if you choose not to make your own - but make sure the first ingredient is tomatoes and not sugar!), dried herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme and herbes de Provence), vinegars (balsamic, red and white), onions (red, Spanish, Vidalia), and capers." (GDL)

Eating fresh ingredients can have huge health benefits. Giada says that eating fresh foods can really help you lead a healthy life, and credits fresh food and small meals with keeping her fit and trim. (GDL)

Recently Giada shared a few recipes with Redbook. They included Sautéed Shrimp Cocktail, and a Skewered Greek Salad. These recipes are fabulous, as well as easy to make!

"Sauteed Shrimp Cocktail" (Redbook)
By: Giada De Laurentis

For 4 to 6 servings you will need:

2 TBS olive oil
1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined. Leave the tail on.
1 TBS herbes de Provevnce (adaptation: Italian Seasoning)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 ¼ cups plain yogurt
2 TBS mayonnaise
2 TBS whole-grain mustard
1 ½ TBS maple syrup
1 tsp ground tumeric
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Use a large skillet. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and herbs. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp until it turns pink. This should take about three minutes. In a bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until smooth. This mixture is used to dip the shrimp in.

"Skewered Greek Salad" (Redbook)
By: Giada De Laurentis

For 4-6 servings you will need:

For the Skewers:
12 (six inch) wooden skewers
24 grape or small cherry tomatoes
3 oz feta cheese, cut into 12 (1/2) inch cubes
12 pitted kalamata olives
½ small red onion, cut into twelve (½) inch cubes

Vinaigrette:
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
4 tsp chopped fresh oregano
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Thread the skewers starting with the tomato, alternating the other ingredients, and end with the tomato. Mix the vinaigrette together and then brush it over the skewers. Sprinkle a little more oregano over the skewers.

References:

Giada De Laurentis at: http://www.giadadelaurentiis.com/. Retrieved from the world wide web on 7/13/09.

Redbook, June 2009, "Giada's Summer Magic."
Giada De Laurentis at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giada_De_Laurentiis. Retrieved from the world wide web on 7/13/09.