Home Plate

 Giada De Laurentiis is quickly becoming the Food Network's biggest spatula-wielding celeb. She's even closing in on Rachael Ray, thanks to a pair of shows — Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash — which air up to four times a day. But unlike Ray, who has something like 2,000 cookbooks in stores, De Laurentiis just published her second book, Giada's Family Dinners, a follow-up to last year's best-selling Everyday Italian. "This one allows you to get to know my family a bit more," she says. "You understand where my inspiration and passion for Italian food comes from."

The book includes more than 115 recipes for some of De Laurentiis' tastiest eats, many of which were featured on her shows: pepperoncini shrimp, pot roast with porcini mushrooms, and her favorite, butternut-squash lasagna. "It represents my kind of family cooking — simple ingredients and a great make-ahead dish," she says. "I try to include ingredients that people can actually find."
Thu., April 20, 7 p.m.