Weeknights with Giada Quick and simple recipes to revamp dinner

In her sixth cookbook, De Laurentiis explains to her readers, "This is what weeknights look like in my house." Motivated by her desire to sit down to dinner with her husband and four-year-old daughter despite her busy schedule, De Laurentiis has "shaken up her weeknight repertoire to include only dishes that can be pulled together after a full day... and be accomplished in under an hour." De Laurentiis delivers on her promise-the book is full of quick, easy dishes that follow her formula-simple and pleasing. A chapter on soups and salads includes jalapeno and cherry tomato gazpacho that requires no cooking at all, and caramelized onion, chicken, and grapefruit salad that calls for shredded rotisserie chicken breasts to save time. Pizza with onion, sausage, and basil and calzone recipes use store-bought pizza dough, and turkey and pancetta pot pies are made with unroll-and-bake pie crust. Though not terribly original or innovative, De Laurentiis's recipes in this book are effective. The dishes are predictable but pleasant. Also included, "Change of Pace," a chapter of internationally inspired dishes like vegetables in red curry and Asian quinoa with salmon, and "Breakfast for Dinner," which includes a tasty spin on eggs Florentine and a peach and cherry frittata made with frozen fruit. Visually appealing, the book is full of photos of both De Laurentiis's food and family. Agent: William Morris Endeavor. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

As a busy cookbook author, television host, and mother, Food Network darling De Laurentiis has learned to streamline her weeknight cooking routine. Here, she shares a variety of main courses, sides, and desserts that home cooks can complete in under an hour. Some recipes (e.g., Turkey and Pancetta Pot Pies) save time with frozen vegetables and store-bought shortcuts, but most are simple preparations of fresh ingredients. This book recalls some of De Laurentiis's previous titles (Giada at Home; Giada's Family Dinners); however, it offers new flavors, including a globally influenced "Change of Pace" chapter and a "Breakfast for Dinner" section. Expect demand. [See Prepub Alert, 10/27/11.] (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

sweet corn and basil lasagna serves 4 to 6 Vegetable oil cooking spray 3 cups frozen corn, thawed ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature 1 ½ cups grated pecorino romano cheese Grated zest of 1 large lemon ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¾ packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese  6 no-boil lasagna sheets (about half a 9-ounce box) Olive oil, for drizzling   Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8-inch square glass baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. In a food processor, blend the corn, cream, and garlic until chunky. Add the mascarpone cheese, 1 cup of the romano cheese, the lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add the basil and pulse until just combined. Spread one-third of the corn mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with one-third of the provolone cheese. Place 2 lasagna sheets on top. Repeat twice with the remaining corn mixture, provolone cheese, and lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup romano cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces and serve. Excerpted from Weeknights with Giada: Quick and Simple Recipes to Revamp Dinner by Giada De Laurentiis All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.