Giada de Laurentiis | Cooking In Stilettos

Cozy Up With A Bowl of Winter Minestrone

January 23, 2012 By Aly M. 2 Comments

Philly got a bit of a present over the weekend in the form of freezing rain and snow galore. With the freezing rain that turns the hills of Manayunk into skid central, it was a weekend in for this gal. The Sous Pug didn’t fare well with the snow as he is now officially completely blind and could only slide down the sidewalks and stand bewildered on the freezing snow banks that he bravely attempted to climb. He pretty much was ready to pack his toys and head back to Florida.The good thing about being a food blogger held captive during a snowfall is that one can play in the pantry for a bit.

One of my new favorites for winter is this comforting Winter Minestrone Soup from Giada de Laurentiis. It was lightening quick to make and perfect to take off that icy chill. The one step you can’t skip is the parmesan rind – it’s definitely one of those secret weapons. I buy them from Whole Foods and keep them in the freezer for soups like this. Grab a bowl of this soul soothing soup and curl up on the couch. It’s a recipe that you will find yourself making again and again.

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Filed Under: Comfort Food, Cooking In Stilettos, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Soup, Tried and True Tagged With: Comfort Food, Cooking in Stilettos, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipes, Soup, Tried and True

Recipe Redo — Panettone Bread Pudding With A Dash Of Cherries and Rum

January 19, 2012 By Aly M. Leave a Comment

Panettone Bread Pudding Fresh From The Oven

One of my goals for 2012 is to go through some of the utterly “food blogging newbie” posts when I first started and redo the recipe with new photos and, occasionally, play with the recipe a bit. Hard to believe that it will be 4 years for Cooking In Stilettos this March.

For the holidays, one of the desserts that is often requested is Giada’s Panettone Bread Pudding with Warm Cinnamon Syrup. I originally wrote about it in 2008 and decided to document it again but add my own little twist to it.

At the beginning of the holidays, I often head to Philly’s Italian Market and pick up a box or two of some amazing Panettone Bread. This year, I decided to add to my tried and true recipe with the addition of some rum soaked cherries. In my humble opinion – this was my best panettone bread pudding that I have ever made! Friends were asking for the recipe, family headed back for seconds and thirds and, well, that bad boy didn’t last too long. A word of caution is necessary however – this dessert is rich so consider yourself advised before you dive into its puffy gloriousness with a spoon.

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Filed Under: Baking In Stilettos, Desserts, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Recipe Redo, Seasonal, Tried and True Tagged With: Baking In Stilettos, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Recipe Redo, Tried and True

Tried and True: Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Risotto

December 13, 2011 By Aly M. Leave a Comment

I have a habit of thinking some recipes are overcomplicated and tend to think “I can never make that” even though it might be somewhat simple. Risotto is one of those recipes. I have seen it made time and time again on various shows and never had the urge to try it until I saw this Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Risotto recipe from Giada de Laurentiis and decided to give it a whirl.

For the record, the most effort is stirring the rice constantly. I have a habit of making “crispy toasty rice” and not in a good way. I loved how the flavors came together and decided to make it in one pot, using some of the bacon fat to caramelize the onions and it really did add some great flavor. Plus – everything is better with bacon, right? When I went to gather the ingredients, I noticed that I was out of thyme and parsley but didn’t let that stop me. Another point – I rarely drink white wine in my house – just ask SL. White wine might lead to someone dancin’ on tables – I’m just sayin’… However, when I do cook with it, I tend to keep the little bottles of Pinot Grigio in the wine fridge just in case for those moments when I don’t want to open a bottle of white and have it go to waste. Don’t judge

This pumpkin goat cheese risotto is a tried and true recipe in this household. Plus, I am happy to report that I have conquered my fear of risotto – beef wellington, however – well that will take some time.

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Filed Under: Cooking In Stilettos, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Tried and True Tagged With: Cooking in Stilettos, Food Network, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Tried and True

It’s All About The Stuffing – Ciabatta Chestnut Stuffing That Is

December 7, 2011 By Aly M. 2 Comments

Holiday time always meant that when I visited my Bampa’s house, there was a strong likelihood that in addition to the typical stuffing you might find, overflowing with celery, onions, raisins, etc., there would be a small dish of chestnut stuffing for those that might enjoy it. Now, I was a snotty little kid who liked all things processed – Cool Whip, Stove Top and god knows what else and, if I had a time machine, I would go back in time and tell my Bampa I was sorry for not appreciating his culinary wisdom. I’m sure he must have shaken his head a few times at my turned up nose and exclamations along the line of “Chestnut stuffing – YUCK!” Like I said – I was a brat.

I attempted to give Chestnut stuffing a try over the holiday and, guess what, Giada had a recipe for Ciabatta Chestnut Stuffing that rocked! It’s a stuffing that even my Bampa would thoroughly enjoy. Giada’s recipe called for pancetta but I wound up using some bacon I had in the fridge. Also, as I didn’t have a 15 x 10 x 2 dish, I used two of my Le Creuset bakers. Coupled that with some great ciabatta from Whole Paychex, roasted chestnuts from Williams Sonoma and some turkey stock – it was a dish that was not only great with dinner, but better the next day. Chestnut stuffing will become a family tradition, once again.

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Filed Under: Cooking In Stilettos, From Bampas Kitchen, Giada de Laurentiis, Holiday, Recipe, Tried and True Tagged With: Cooking in Stilettos, Giada de Laurentiis, Holiday, Recipe, Tried and True

Tried and True: Creamy Cheesy Corn Polenta

October 27, 2011 By Aly M. 3 Comments

Remember that Short Rib Chili I yammered on about earlier this week – well, the one side that you must try – at least once in your lifetime – is this Creamy Cheesy Corn Polenta. In my house, short ribs are often served with polenta. It’s quick, easy and with the right additions, is so much better than potatoes. Don’t get me wrong, I adore a good mashed potato (I am Irish after all) but polenta just has that chic unexpected vibe.

When I was looking at Giada’s short rib and polenta recipe from Food Network, I realized that I might have to make a few changes. Not only did I only have the quick cooking polenta in the pantry (which I often get at one of my favorite spots at Philly’s Italian Market – Claudios), but I wanted to add flavors of asiago and ricotta to it. Granted it was a bit rich but coupled with the sweet corn puree and additional texture from the fresh corn – love! When you want to deviate from the typical sides, try this one for a bit of a change.

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Filed Under: Cooking In Stilettos, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Tried and True Tagged With: Cooking in Stilettos, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Tried and True

Tried and True: Short Rib Chili

October 24, 2011 By Aly M. 3 Comments

When I’m looking for comfort food, one of the first things that comes to mind is short ribs. As I joked this weekend, when people are prepping for hurricanes and blizzards and stocking up on eggs, milk and bread, I’m looking for shortribs and other fab ingredients for the slow cooker.

Recently, after a fabulous Philly Food & Drink Writers meetup at Daniel Stern’s R2L with Philly Homegrown and La Phemme Phoodie, I ventured down to the Philadelphia’s 9th Street Italian Market for a little “culinary retail therapy.” I was browsing in Espositos and saw these gorgeous short ribs that were just begging to be made and I knew the perfect recipe – Giada de Laurentiis’ Short Rib Chili.

I’m still mastering the “perfect” chili recipe but I figured that a short rib chili might be a nice variation from the norm. This recipe does not disappoint – the complex flavors hit all the right notes. I did not have New Mexico chilis on hand but since I wasn’t a fan of super spicy foods I figured I would play with the fruitier Ancho chili which I have come to love and add a bit of chipotle sauce that I keep in the freezer. The short ribs were meaty and I don’t think I could ever go the way of a supermarket short rib again after what I got from Espositos. The distinct hit of espresso in the background just added to the flavor and coupled with some shavings of bittersweet chocolate on top and my own take on a creamy asiago corn polenta, it was comfort food at its finest. Add a nice glass of merlot and this was perfect for cozying up on the couch to watch the premiere of ABC’s new drama “Once Upon A Time.” (Did anyone watch or was it just me?)

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Filed Under: Cooking In Stilettos, Food Network, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipe, Tried and True Tagged With: Comfort Food, Giada de Laurentiis, Recipes, Tried and True

Fall Flavors –Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

October 10, 2011 By Aly M. 1 Comment

Not only is Fall my favorite fashion season, but it’s also my favorite season for cooking and entertaining. I am a sucker for all things butternut squash, pumpkin, short ribs, stews, and other various comfort dishes.

This weekend, I decided to play with one of Giada de Laurentiis’ recipes for Beef & Butternut Squash Stew. I added some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat which played nicely with sweetness from the squash. Another change I made is to omit the Marsala wine as I never seem to have that on hand. After cooking “Sous Pug” friendly meals for a while, I’ve learned that a swift substitution of beef broth works out well. Finally, one frugal tip – if you see “Poultry Blend” in the store when you are going to buy fresh herbs, grab it. It often has the rosemary and thyme along with some sage. Such a great idea to combine the three! Plus, you are paying $2.99 for three herbs, not $2.99 for each package, right?

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