Happy Cooking

I am a HUGE fan of Giada De Laurentiis.  I think that she is just about as fantastic as a chef can get.  She has an effortless style and I love how her Italian heritage comes out in her food.  Oh how I wish to be Italiana!

I already own three of Giada’s cookbooks, but you can never have too many I say!  This book is her first since splitting with her husband, and so I was intrigued by the title, “Happy Cooking.”  In the introduction, Giada talks about how she has taken a step back to reevaluate and has realized that she is “…quite simply, happy cooking.”  I think many of us can relate to that.  I love to be in the kitchen cooking or baking with some music on and a glass of wine.  Cooking is a little more stressful for me now that I have an eager sous chef that isn’t the neatest, but I still love to cook.

The variety in this cookbook is amazing.  She has recipes for sweets and cocktails, like the Prosecco Float, but also includes recipes that she uses to cleanse her body using simple, real ingredients.

The very first recipe I tried was the Ricotta Toast with Strawberries.  Let me just say that if we could taste happiness, it would taste just like this toast!  The orange zest gives a freshness paired with the strawberries, but the cinnamon-sugar mixture on the toast takes you back to being a kid.  I’ve been trying to eat more in-season, but I couldn’t resist trying this even though it is not strawberry season.

I have several other recipes that I CANNOT wait to try next summer when the garden is in full swing, like her Grilled Caprese Salad or the Grilled Stone Fruit Salad with Orange-Herb Vinaigrette.  If, like Giada, you are happy cooking, you will want to get your hands on this cookbook!

Read more about the cookbook here.

Ricotta Toast with Strawberries

From Happy Cooking by Giada De Laurentiis

• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ¼ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
• ½ teaspoon grated orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 thick slices rustic bread (*I used Italian bread)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 strawberries, hulled and sliced thin

Preheat the broiler to high.  In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. IN a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta, orange zest, and salt.  Brush both sides of each slice of bread with the olive oil. Sprinkle the tops of the slices evenly with half of the sugar mixture.  Place on rimmed baking sheet, sugar side up, and broil on high for 3 minutes.

Flip the slices, sprinkle evenly with another quarter of the sugar mixture, and continue to toast until golden brown and caramelized on both sides.  Remove from the oven and spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the tops.  Arrange the sliced berries decoratively over the ricotta.  Sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and serve.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  This post may contain affiliate links.