The only books I generally check out of the library – for myself – are “walk-by grabs.” This means I grab the book off the shelf while chasing two preschoolers to the kids’ section.

Using this precarious selection method, I ended up with a cookbook titled Skinny Italian.

I was amused to realize the book was written by one of the Real Housewives (of New Jersey), Teresa Giudice. Trust me, I had no idea who this woman is and still don’t know any of her history on this show. (As I edit this post I am aware of her legal troubles…) Further, I generally wouldn’t blog about a cookbook but have to give it credit: After a couple of renewals, I still wasn’t ready to return it so I purchased it for myself.

This cookbook, which actually reads more like a book with some recipes thrown in, promotes the “cornerstones” of Italian cooking, many of which I have already implemented into my routines with little effort:

  • No more bottled (chemical filled) salad dressing. Well, my husband is still using it sometimes…but I have chosen to get used to simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  • Speaking of Parmigiano-Reggiano, now I splurge on a block to grate myself, aged 24 months or more. It’s worth it!!
  •  Less butter, more olive oil. I am a butter addict, but lately I have been using olive oil when I would have traditionally used butter. Teresa explains why extra-virgin olive oil is the best and debunks the confusing label claims on olive oil products.
  •  No more alfredo. I’ve always loved it, but Teresa claims there is no such thing in Italy. Instead, she shares a lighter “white sauce” recipe that is delicious.

Other tidbits of interest:

  • Teresa admits using store-bought over homemade pasta most of the time because she says making her own is generally not worth the extra effort; she urges spending the time, instead, on homemade sauce, and gives a couple of easy versions to make.
  • She defends pasta to no-carb enthusiasts…emphasizing portion control.

Still on my to-do list:

  • Her homemade pizza dough recipe
  •  Canning tomatoes during our next growing season (she devotes a whole chapter to this).

All of the recipes I’ve implemented into my routine have been husband and kid approved. It’s truly one of the most useful “cookbooks” I’ve ever owned.

Salute!