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So I’m Italian, born and raised. (Well, I’m three-quarters Italian, but that’s the same thing, right?) But, I still don’t mind taking a few pointers on cooking Italian food, especially when the chef who’s giving me advice claims that her version is healthier. So, I picked up Real Housewives of New Jersey‘s Teresa Giudice‘s cookbook, Skinny Italian, without hesitation. To test Teresa’s recipes, I invited over a few friends to watch last night’s Real Housewives episode, and picked three simple recipes from her hefty 200+ page book.
Picking the recipes for the evening was a no brainer — I knew I wanted to try an easy appetizer, a simple sauce and some sort of protein dish. However, although the book has a lengthy section on sauce — and another one on making tomato sauce from scratch — there were only a handful of heftier, protein dishes. I guess in keeping with the “lighter” cooking methodology, there is not one meatball in the entire book. Somewhere, an Italian grandmother is turning over in her grave.
Ultimately, I settled on three easy dishes: Bruschetta Classica to start, Milana’s Marinara Sauce (Teresa’s “Quickie” sauce plus some wine, onions, mushrooms and oregano) and spaghetti and “Voluptuous Veal Piccata,” although I substituted chicken for veal in the buttery, lemon sauce with capers. The recipes were quick and simple and very easy for me to replicate. There were only a few ingredients in each dish, and some of the same ingredients were used in every one: extra virgin olive oil, garlic and oregano (in both the bruschetta and sauce). The whole meal took less than hour to prepare and make from start to finish (although I took a break in between to enjoy some bruschetta, wine and conversation with my friends) and all my guests seemed to agree everything was exceptionally tasty.
Our favorite was the bruschetta, though, and it’s really simple to make. Toast up some slices of Italian bread and mix chopped plum tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, one minced garlic clove, oregano, salt and pepper. I let my guests scoop out the tomato mixture themselves. Delish!
Besides the recipes, Skinny Italian has helpful tips for eating healty, looking great (according to Teresa) and in-depth information about Italian spices and herbs and olive oil. There’s also a whole chapter on pizza, which looked tempting but I thought I wouldn’t have enough time to replicate it on the fly. I’m going to try it another time. The book would be great if you’re looking for some ideas for entertaining or easy, healthy cooking, and it’s doubly great if you’re a Housewives fan. If you are, I’d pick up Skinny Italian for Teresa’s jabs at fellow housewife Danielle Staub alone. This is one cookbook that is so hilariously entertaining, you will actually want to read cover to cover.
ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT TERESA IS THE SHIT, LOVE HER VERY MUCH.. SO ALL YOU PEOPLE THAT ARE TALKING CRAP ABOUT HER NEED TO STOP. SHE IS A STRONG WOMEN. SO ALL YOU HATING WOMEN NEED TO STOP THERE IS REALLY NO NEED FOR THAT!
i love the show housewives of new jersey not a big fan of teresa but dont dislike her but this blog is about her book and not the show im hearing great things about her book and i can’t wait to go out and buy quick and healthy recipes thats definetly what i need to karen you should go on bravotv.com to air your feelings of dislike against teresa this blog is for the cookbook and the comments you made about her kids are uncallled for and you need to stop it before you make teresa flip a table on your a** as for the temper italians aren’t the only ones with that im black and i have temper out of this world but with age you learn how to control it and the proper place and time to unleash it so on that note i cant wait to buy the book and prepare soem of the meals, appetizers, and desserts for my family
Ladies Ladies, clearly “her” followers and “she” herself are nuts. But let’s not make this a thing about her. Celebrating the amazing book, it’s success and not to mention the amazing food. Quite honestly, Teresa is your every day Italian, I’m only 1/4 Italian and let me be the 1st to say, THE ITALIAN TEMPER pops up 3/4′s of the time HA HA HA!
No seriously though, congratulations Teresa on taking your talents and sharing them with the rest of us… in many ways you have contributed to what is soon become a healthy “Skinny-Italian” revolution! LOL —– Salute y Bella Vita!
Karen is soooooo Danielle, or somebody she has paid to comment here lol, ‘class’ and Danielle don’t really fit do they?
RIGHT ON MEGAN!!! TOTALLY AGREE…
Obviously Karen is Danielle! get a life you old played out wanna be porn star! you are a old woman act like it! this is about recipes! Do not talk badly about peoples children when yours look miserable! but then again I would be suicidal with a skanky stripper mom! poor girls I pitty them and what they go through having to be so grown up so she can have “freinds” tisk tisk! Teresa thanks for the book!!!! It is very helpful!
One other thing, If you’ve ever been in Italy, there are no obese people that I’ve ever seen. Why? Because they eat their main meals in the afternoon.
Explain the fertility bill of $12,000. they owe?
I’m happy Danielle now has her own show! She left with class and dignity. I don’t judge people for something that happened so many years ago.
I was quite surprised to see Teresa displaying such volatile behavior on the reunion show. If she does leave the show, I will not miss those two screaming spoiled girls Gia and Milania. Have never seen such annoying and obnoxious kids! Thank goodness her book is a cookbook, not a book on child rearing.
If I ever, EVER made sauce from a jar, Nana would turn in her grave. She grew her own tomatoes and canned enough to last an entire winter and that’s where all our sauces came from. Since I don’t grow my own tomatoes, I use whole tomatoes in a can, but everything else in the sauce is from scratch. People who have eaten my Italian food always tell me I should open a restaurant — like there’s not enough of them now.
Wow – Karen why would you say that about her kids….what is wrong with you???
I thought we were talking about her cook book. Teresa’s recipes are delicious! OH and FYI – my parents both have brown eyes and mine are blue….I had a grandfather with blue eyes. Hope that answers your questions!!!
Karen bottled sauce really! RAGU stands for R-aggdy A-ss G-randma is U-gly and if I have to explain PREGO to you well!
Ahhh, Karen,,,A name I despise..A bottled sauce??? really?? you have no taste buds! Italians aren’t known to throw tables or get angry??? again, really???? I don’t know many mild manner Italians..they don’t exist…You apparently live in some sort of bubble to think that this is all news to you…And as far as they eye color comment, please burn your “degree” in genetics..you baffoon!
Two brown eyed people can have a blue eyed child. Two blue eyed people CANNOT have a brown eyed child..fyi. It’s genetics 101. Also, many italians have blue eyes…including me.
True Italian cooking takes hours to prepare just the sauce. My grandma was from Sicily, and that’s the recipe I always followed. Then my Mom told me to buy a bottled sauce and add ingredients to it. It’s delicious!
I feel Tersea is a freud and extremely violent. One never knows what word can set off her temper. The words that come out of her mouth are just foul as is Joe’s. I don’t know any Italian people that throw tables, or curse in front of women and children.
I also find it strange that Tersea and Joe’s eyes are brown, but it seems their girls all have blue eyes? Could that be the fertility bill of $12,000. 00?
GOOD LUCK TERESA, TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. LOVE THAT DANIELLE IS GONE, BRAVO SHOWED CLASS GETTING THAT HO OFF THE AIR. BAD KARMA ALL AROUND HAVING HER ON THE SHOW. WILL LOOK FOR YOUR NEW BOOK.
Really, is Danielle not coming back? I hope not. I hope they bring Dina back.
Will you be doing another cook book any time soon? Just loved,loved the book. You did a great job. I would like to get some other new recipes you can share with us. Love you Teresa
I totally agree with you on wanting to read the book from cover-to-cover. I started paging through as I usually do when and if I am gifted a cookbook as until now, I had never purchased one on my own. I have been told I am a great cook myself by family and friends and tend to cook by taste and feel. I did, however, not only want to purchase this cookbook but drove to at least 3 stores to find it. I started paging through not only for her tips on healthier Italian cooking but the stories about her family, the beautiful photographs and best of all the dishing by both her and Joe on Danielle. I am a RHONJ and Teresa is my all-time favorite housewife with Dina, Jacqueline and Caroline all coming in next in no specific order after Teresa. I enjoyed your review and photograph almost as much as Teresa’s cookbook and believe me, that’s a compliment!