Review: Holiday Entertaining with Giada De Laurentiis for Target

Chef Giada De Laurentiis, star of the Food Network’s Everyday Italian, has a new line of professional-quality cookware that’s designed specifically for Target, and thanks to Mom Central, I had the chance to try some of it out.

My set contained two pieces of baking stoneware – the 2-Quart Ceramic Oval Baker and 9” Ceramic Pie Pan;

A 3-Piece Plastic Bowl Set with Pour;

A Silicone Spoonula with Stainless Steel Handle, a Stainless Steel Balloon Whisk, and Stainless Steel Measuring Cups;

I also received a variety of Giada’s food products, including Black Olive Tapenade, Giada Blend Coffee, Marinated Sun Dried Tomatoes, Marinated Roasted Red Peppers, Marinated Mushrooms, Genovese Basil Pesto, and Eggplant & Pepper Pesto.

I know it’s hard to believe, but I actually enjoy cooking and baking now, and I was SO excited to see this package waiting on my porch one day. The first thing that I noticed when I unpacked the pieces is that they were solid and sturdy construction. They felt like they were quality products, that they weren’t cheap (although with prices ranging from $2.99 to $19.99, they certainly are inexpensive).

Kate and I decided to put them to the test and make chocolate chip cookies.

I love the bowl set – prior to this, I didn’t have mixing bowls other than that came with various hand mixers I’d had over the years. I love that these are light and that they have rubber on the bottom to prevent slipping. Kate’s also holding the Spoonula in that picture, and it is just what it sounds like – a spoon mixed with a spatula. I love the stainless steel construction of this, the whisk and the measuring cups – they are all sturdy and just feel nice.

I was really impressed with the stoneware, as well. It is heavy and high-quality, but is much, much less expensive than the stoneware I’ve bought before. The 2-quart cooker will come in very handy for casseroles and side dishes.

Finally, the grocery products are perfect to keep around the house during the holiday season. Here’s what Giada says about them:
For guests who pop-in unexpectedly, keep ready-to-serve delights in the pantry such as Giada De Laurentiis for Target Marinated Sun Dried Tomatoes, Marinated Roasted Red Peppers and Marinated Mushrooms for quick entertaining options. The Giada De Laurentiis for Target Genovese Basil Pesto and Eggplant & Pepper Pesto are also easy and delicious treats. Serve with toasted bread or crackers and display on a festive serving platter.

Serve a few of those things with prosecco, or try Giada’s recipe for Spiced Coffee.

Spiced Coffee with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp of ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup brewed Giada De Laurentiis for Target Giada Blend Coffee
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

1. In a small sauce pan combine the granulated sugar and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and reduce heat to low.
2. Add allspice, cinnamon and ginger. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.
3. Take the pan off the heat and set aside.
4. In a heat proof pitcher or measuring cup add the boiling water to the coffee /espresso. Divide it among four 6 to 8 oz cups.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of the spiced syrup to each cup and stir to combine.
6. Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until stiff.
7. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream – dust with cinnamon and add cinnamon stick.
Yield: 4 servings/ 4 (6-8 oz) cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes

I loved Giada De Laurentiis for Target’s cookware and I’m sure you will too. It would make a great last-minute gift for someone you love… or for yourself!

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I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Giada De Laurentiis for Target and received product samples to facilitate my review.

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Warming up Winter

Cold

photo by RachelEllen on flickr

Winter is my least favorite season.  I know I am a total buzzkill, but I hate snow.  Sure, it looks nice, but what it does is keep me and the kids cooped up in the house and make it dangerous to drive anywhere! I hate cold even more.  I really, really, really, hate being cold.

So, every winter, every dang nervewrackingly-cold day, I try to warm things up for myself.   From the practical to the comfortable, I am always trying to keep things above freezing in my life!  Here are a few ways I try to get my warm on:

  • Pre-heat the car.  I cannot stand to put kids or myself in a freezing cold car.  In the winter, I make a mad dash out in the cold ten to fifteen minutes before we have to leave so the van will be nice and toasty and frost-free before we leave!
  • Cloak myself in fleece.  I likes to wear the warm snugglies in winter, and I like my kids to have them on too! I wear fleece-lined clogs in the house, fleece PJ pants, a nice fleece pullover, you get my drift!  The baby lives in fleece PJs all day long, he can get away with it!
  • Cook up some WARM comfort food.  In my house, winter is the season of slow cooked soups and stews.  I have several beloved recipes that I never get sick of and make again and again.  But, they are all really simple.

When I want a warm comfort food that’s more than simple, I turn to the frozen foods department at my grocery store.  I don’t cook lasagna, meatloaf, or pot pies, so I gotta go to the experts!  When I want a creamy, flaky, delicious pot pie, I go with Marie Callender’s.

Now I’ve had Marie Callender’s pot pies dozens of times, but I reviewed one for this post, just to *ahem* remind myself how awesome they are.  It was just as good as ever!  Filled with yummy meat, veggies, and with lots of choices of flavors, they are a great time-saving solution for that busy time of year when it just happens to also be f-f-f-freeezing cold outside.  I especially love the Creamy Parmesan and Cheesy Chicken pot pies.  Mmmmm…they are delish!  Food like that keeps me very warm on the coldest of days.

So, those are some ways that I warm up winter.  I will definitely be employing them again as the cold and snow rush in.  How do YOU warm things up for your friends and family?

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I was compensated for my review of this product by Marie Callender’s and the Motherhood.  All opinions about the product are my own.

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My Favorite Gifts from Lands’ End

Clearly, it’s no secret around here that we LOVE Lands’ End!  And I love giving Lands’ End for Christmas.  One of my very, very, very favorite things to give is a personalized Lands’ End tote.  That’s what I got for Sophie’s teachers and therapists last year.

If you are at a loss for what to give those on your list, you still have TIME and Lands’ End has some great suggestions in their Our Favorite Gifts section.  Lands’ End let me choose a gift from that section to review, and I am giving it to someone special this Christmas who I hope is not reading this post!  It is this amazing Diamond Quilting Wool Down Vest!

This is just so nice, it’s hard to even put into words. Let’s just say I am a SUPER-UNSELFISH person for giving it as a gift!  It’s quilted wool plus the lightweight down fill makes is super-warm as well as super-cute.  And the faux fur hood is adooorrrable.  It’s temperature rated for 5 to 25 degrees so it’s ever-so-functional as well!  I love it!

Here are some other great “favorite gifts” I’d suggest:

Needlepoint iPad case:  you can get this for ME! Because I want it!! Isn’t it cuuute?? And I haven’t gotten a case for mine yet!

Sea Salt Caramels: please put these in my stocking!

Houndstooth CashTouch Scarf: nothing makes me happier than a good scarf, and the softness of CashTouch is to DIE for!  This is a definite sure-to-please!

Lands’ End is pretty much having constant sales these days, and you can have your gifts shipped fast to get here by Christmas!  Hop on over to Lands’ End’s website today and get gifting!

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Lands’ End sent me the Wool QuiltedDiamond Down vest for review. All opinons about it and all the products mentioned are my own.

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