December 20th, 2010
A Giveaway from Giada! Plus Her Holiday Cheese Stuffed Dates
I recently had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Giada De Laurentiis at a holiday event showcasing the new additions to her line of cookware, foods, kitchen tools and appliances for Target (coming in Jan ’11). Because I only accept invites and products from companies that I’ll consider writing about, I go to a relatively small number of these events. And I was really excited about this one. Giada is, after all, the genius behind Honey Ricotta Cheesecake, a favorite Christmas dessert that is fast becoming a tradition on my Christmas menu.
Let me start by answering what is surely your most burning question: yes, Giada is even more gorgeous in person than she is on television. I mean… seriously:
But, more impressive that that, Giada is a warm, smart, thoughtful cook. Her deep knowledge of food, strong connection to family tradition and respect for simple cooking with whole ingredients is evident in everything from her recipes to the designs of her cookware, a piece of which I’m giving away. Happy holidays to you!
Giada showcased her product line for Target while making some of her favorite holiday goodies including her Cheese Stuffed Dates with Proscuitto (recipe below). She asked folks attending the event—including me—to help. Look!
(Note to self: learn how to use the photoshop airbrush tool.)
Giada really wanted us to get up close to her products. To give them our own test run.
The verdict? I’m totally impressed with the intention and thoughtfulness of the designs. Giada takes cookware seriously. She refers to kitchen tools as jewels because you should care for them as such. (Amen!) It’s because of this seriousness that Giada used to use Le Creuset, the gold standard, on set. The only problem is that Le Creuset is super pricey. So, Giada is on a mission to offer quality, attractive cookware at affordable prices.
The line has a lot of nice touches that come from Giada’s mission and also her personal kitchen experience. The engines of her coffee maker and food processor are made by the same company that make motors for Cuisinart. She offers a super handy pasta scoop because Giada once watched her mother scald her arm while straining pasta.
And—the best detail—Giada designed the handles for her cookware with women’s smaller hands in mind. Unlike most cookware, designed for male cooks, the handles feel just right and have little divets to give grip. Because god knows that I need a good grip while cooking with two rambunctious little boys running around.
I’m a lucky girl and got to go home with a few products. One in particular, her 2 QT ceramic baker, has become an instant favorite. I’m a sucker for monochromatic color schemes and instantly fell for the look of this off-white-on-the-outside, stark-white-on-the-inside piece. Very sleek and pretty, it can easily go from oven to table. I love it, and know that you will, too. That’s why I’m giving one away!
TO ENTER:
To win your very own Giada for Target 2 QT ceramic baker:
1. Leave a comment telling me one of the many things you’d like to cook in your new baking dish.
2. Tweet the following message and come back and let me know you’ve done so.
Enter to win!! @OneHungryMama is giving away bakeware from the new line by @GDeLaurentiis for @Target #GDLbakewaregiveaway
The giveaway ends on Monday Dec 27th at 11:59 pm EST
While you wait to find out if you’ve won the big holiday gift from Giada, accept this small one: a killer app recipe that’ll surely get your holiday meal off to the right start. You can also get an amazing holiday breakfast recipe from Giada over at The Family Kitchen: Pancetta and Cinnamon Waffles. O. M. G!
Cheese Stuffed Dates with Proscuitto*
recipe by Giada De Laurentiis
serves 4-61/4 c (2 oz) goat cheese, room temp
1/4 c (2 oz) mascarpone cheese, room temp
1/4 c finely chopped basil leaves
salt and freshly ground pepper
16 Medjool dates
8 thin slices of prosciutto, halved lengthwise1. In a small bowl, mix together the cheeses and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. With a knife, make a lengthwise incision in each date, gently open the dates slightly and remove the pits. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon cheese mixture inside each one. Close the dates around the filling. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each date and secure with a toothpick. Arrange on a platter and serve!
*Note from OHM: If you would like to share these bites with young eaters, please be sure to use pasteurized goat cheese. Also keep in mind that dates are quite high in sugar and very sticky. Be sure to cut into age appropriate bite sizes and know that prosciutto might be stringy and hard to manage for small teeth.
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I love Giada and have an amazing Huntington Chicken casserole that would be a PERFECT fit for her new 2 quart casserole dish. I’d love it. Also I don’t have twitter but will try and find a way to tweet your message! Deb In Nebraska
I would love to make my favorite sweet potato casserole in this dish!
I’m a big fan of Giada!
I also tweeted the message — I’m @learnedlife on Twitter!
Mmm roasted meats of many sorts.
I’d love to make some smothered pork chops!
I’m actually in the market for a coffee machine (my first ever, thank you 8 month old early riser) so I’ll have to check her offerings out!
I love Giada! I would cook pineapple stuffing in this dish!
I tweeted for you ; )
I <3 Giada! We're vegetarian and I would LOVE to make Giada's Swiss Chard & Sweet Pea Manicotti in this dish!
I also tweeted. (Mz_Cariss)
Bread pudding. Obsessed with making it right now.
I’m seeing baked mac and cheese in my future…
You look gorge too. Love the shirt! I tweeted!!!
xoxo
C
I’d make cauliflower and pancetta gratinata!
I tweeted your message. Love Giada, btw!
I would love to try making osso bucco in this!
Mac and cheese. But, I don’t twitter so please don’t ask us to do so in order to be eligible to win.
I’d make cinnamon buns, a Christmas family tradition! (unfortunately I don’t tweet)
I would make my tofu mac and cheese. Great giveaway!
I would make baked mac & cheese.
tshaw6580@yahoo.com
chicken casserole! Yummy!
I would make spinach lasagna in that beautiful dish!
I started reading everyone else’s comments- yep, Mac and cheese would be fab!
I am a huge Giada fan! I would love to cook a recipe that I have for a penne bake with zucchini, corn, and basil. Thanks! Happy Holidays!
This is BEAUTIFUL! I’ve just seen this line at Target and I love the prices! I would make roasted butternut squash in this gorgeous piece!
>>I TWEETED<<< notstilettoshy
I’m thinking something savory like a ham and potato gratin or ratatouillie would be perfect . . . or maybe a berry cobbler? Would love this and it would fit perfectly in my kitchen!
Thanks for the opportunity!
Best,
Sarah
It has been tweeted (I’m @heartlandSarah)
Thanks again!
Best,
Sarah
I would make either cinnamon rolls or a pear/bittersweet chocolate cake or, maybe both!
I tweeted!
Thank you and happy holidays–
For starters I would make Shepards Pie, then Mac and Cheese…
I’m so glad to have met you last week at Eataly…this is a great article, without airbrushing. And I love your website. I am a new devotee. Tanti AUGURI!!!!…that’s Italian for “Congratulations” but you can use it as a generic and PC “Happy Holidays” too.
I totally see me making some vegi lasagne in that fab pan!
thanks for the chance to win!
I tweeted your giveaway verbatim!
I would make scalloped potatoes in that pan. And baked macaroni and cheese. And spoon bread. And shepherd’s pie. I would also display it with great pride
I’d make my yam casserole with lots of brown sugar and pecans. It’s gorgeous!
I tweeted! http://twitter.com/rusthawk/status/17480413010206720
I watch Giada all the time when I go to the gym during my lunch break. However, seeing as I am from MN, I would be SO excited to make a classic hotdish (like tater tot hotdish) for my family!
I’d love to make the Finnish version of macaroni and cheese that I’ve become so fond of since I started studying Finnish – and that dish would be perfect for it! (It’s awesome: http://www.upyourflavor.com/recipe/makaronilaatikko-finnish-macaroni-and-cheese/) And some of your other commenters have great ideas as well… I’m sure I’d put their ideas to use as well!
Thanks for the giveaway!
How fun to meet Giada! The first thing I would make in this baking dish would most likely be mac & cheese
Tuna Casserole, Pizza Pasta, Cheesy Potatoes – I make a lot of stuff that would fit perfectly into this dish.
susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
http://twitter.com/susitravl/status/18770601959227393
susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
I would cook a boneless leg of lamb in it! It’d be perfect. I have a wonderful recipe that I adapted from The Gold Cookbook that is to die for, especially with the madeira wine sauce on it. Yumm! Thanks for a chance to win!
Tweeted!
http://twitter.com/#!/monstergirlee/status/19601029007937537
The first thing would have to be pecan cinnamon rolls. Love Giada and would love to win.
Hmm, from the picture it looks like a low sided dish, so I think I’d make some more of my newly created recipe (needs a better name): stuffed acorn squash with orzo, goat cheese and cranberries.
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/SonyaJMills/status/19604601485402112
Would love to win!
I tweeted
I would definitely be cooking gluten free in this beautiful cookware. I think my first recipe would be gluten and dairy free chicken pot pie.
Tweeted as well
Lasagne or Roasted Chicken with Potatoes & Artichoke Hearts