Giada makes three of her favorite recipes that she learned as a student at Cordon Bleu in Paris. While at Cordon Bleu, Giada and her fellow students had to do everything by hand...no mixing tools or short-cuts. In this episode, Giada simplifies the recipes for the home chef, whipping up three French inspired desserts.
Giada invites some friends over for a signature cocktail, fun appetizers AND a blank canvas. Each guest gets their own easel and blank canvas to create a masterpiece while they enjoy Giada's deliciously creative menu. An artist friend is on hand to offer tips, encouragement and creative inspiration.
Giada visits LA's Original Farmer's Market, an historic hotspot with every kind of food purveyor under the California sun. She picks up a selection of meat and fish, along with seasonal veggies. Then, Giada returns to her kitchen, where she comes up with a variety of marinades and sauces. Then, friends gather around a backyard BBQ pit to grill the meat and fish to their own personal specifications.
Giada hosts a backyard party for her friends and their kids. The menu appeals to grown-ups but offers a kid friendly twist with Grilled Cheese With Spinach and Pancetta, Fish Sticks With Marinara Sauce and Berry Lemonade. The party culminates with a cake decorating contest that gives each kid the chance to transform an ordinary pound cake into a spectacular, sweet, multi-tiered, out of this world dessert.
Giada and some of her girlfriends walk a 5K race in Los Angeles to benefit cancer research. The night before the race, Giada prepares a nutritious and energizing meal of Beef and Cannellini Bean Minestrone and Farro With Cheese and Herbs for her team to enjoy. She also makes Apricot Oat Bars, a delicious snack for the group to munch on during the walk.
Giada invites friends over for a pizza party. She makes the dough by scratch and comes up with three delicious pizzas recipes. Friends munch on the homemade pizzas while they make their own individual pies. Giada supplies custom "To Go" boxes so each guest can take home his pizza creation to cook and enjoy later.
Giada hosts a dinner party at her house with a menu that focuses on Northern Italian cuisine. She makes Trenette With Eggplant and Basil Pesto, Ligurian Fish Stew and Crostata With Dried Apricots and Taleggio. The dinner includes a sampling of full-bodied red wines from the northern region of Italy.
Giada loves lemons. In fact, a few months ago she hosted a lunch at her house and one of her guests, Julie, brought Giada a lemon tree as a gift. Well...Giada planted that tree in her backyard. It's grown considerably since then and now bares big, healthy, beautiful lemons. So...Giada decides to use the lemons from her tree to create a lemon themed meal. See Tune-In Times
It's the annual Firefighter's Pancake Breakfast and, this year, the local department is asking for Giada's help. Instead of serving the usual boring pancakes, scrambled eggs and greasy bacon, firefighters want to impress neighbors with an upgraded menu. So, Giada helps them create the best pancake breakfast of all time. Then, Giada, Todd and Jade join their fellow neighbors to enjoy the community feast.
Giada invites her yoga instructor, and some other friends, over to the house for a day of rejuvenation. Giada's instructor leads a poolside yoga class, showing guests some simple poses that they can do anytime...anywhere...to relieve stress and tension. Giada prepares a healthy menu to be enjoyed after the class.
It's Halloween, so 'tis the season for a major sugar fix. Giada prepares decadent dessert with the kids in mind. She spins the chocolate turtle to perfection, turns truffles into lollipops and creates the ultimate marshmallows for trick or treaters to enjoy in a little sugar rush before heading out into the neighborhood for an evening of Halloween fun.
Giada and Todd invites some friends over to watch the big football game. Instead of the usual chips and dip, Giada takes traditional "game food" and gives it the gourmet treatment. The food is filling, but doesn't skimp on creativity and taste with Deep-Fried Bocconcini With Spicy Tomato and Garlic Chutney, Twice-Baked Potatoes With Mushrooms and Proscuitto and Fudge with a cinnamon touch.