Log In | Register
TODAY contributor and celebrity chef and author, Giada De Laurentiis took a few minutes to serve up a little dish of her own for TODAY Moms. Here she shares some of her secrets for family cooking and juggling it all as a working mom.
How are you doing juggling it all? Feeling like a pro at the working mom thing yet?
It constantly changes. I went from being the mom of a child who needed to be carried around wherever I went, to being the mom of someone who now runs and has full conversations, of which I only understand about one third. She now understands when I’m leaving for a trip. I start packing and she comes into my room and pulls everything out of my suitcase. I put it back in and she pulls it all out again and says “No. No.”
Every time I think I have something under control, it changes and I don’t have it under control. I think it takes several years to get there. Jade is 19 months old, so right now I’m on alert all the time. And as a mom I think you’re constantly worrying about things. A big worry for me right now is swine flu. Shots or no shots? Germs, handwashing and so on. We’re just starting with the potty training. There will be a day where we have her in underwear in the house and I’m like “Oh no. Is she going to pee all over the place?”
So, the answer is no. I don’t think I’m a pro yet.
But watching her grow, learn and change is such a joy. It’s amazing how much they absorb!
It’s really cool. I realize why people have more children.
What’s the hardest part for you?
The hardest part is being away from home. I travel a lot. And when I’m not travelling I sometimes have to work really long days when I’m shooting. Sometimes Jade can come to the set, but other times she can’t. So there are some days I don’t get to see her. That’s the roughest part -- not being home. The travel, etc. isn’t so romantic anymore. When I get free time I just want to be home with my family.
Does Jade like to cook with you?
When I’m making her dinner, she says, “Uppy, uppy!” She wants me to pick her up and show her everything I’m doing. She wants to touch, stir and taste things. She loves to throw salt on the pasta water and sprinkle the parmesan cheese. She’s learning about safety in the kitchen. She says, “Hottie, hottie!” I try to help her learn by putting her hand over the pan (at a safe distance of course) so she can feel some of the heat. Sometimes she’ll pull her hand away. Other times she keeps it there so she can feel the warmth. It’s really fun. I really see how things are firing in her brain. How she’s getting it. She’s in my arms and understanding.
What kind of foods does she like to eat?
She’s a big fan of lamb chops. They’re her absolute favorite. Her second favorite is pasta. We make her ravioli so I can stuff them with all sorts of things, veggies, meat, etc., and I top them with butter, olive oil and parmesan cheese. She’s a big meat eater like my husband Todd, but she goes bonkers for raviolis.
My trick with her is that I mix everything together and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. I try to avoid separating things on the plate and I make all of her foods from scratch. If I’m too busy and can’t do it myself, my nannies cook for her. I taught them to use recipes from my cookbooks. When I’m home I’ll go to the market or Todd will to get the fresh ingredients.
What’s your favorite holiday tradition?
Christmas is my favorite holiday. My entire family gets together and my grandfather dresses as Santa and hands out gifts to everyone. That’s my favorite.
Are you cooking your own holiday meal for the family?
Everybody pitches in. My grandfather kind of controls things, but everyone helps. My family truly believes they are better cooks than I am. They see me as Giada, not as a celebrity chef. To them I’m just me – their granddaughter, niece, etc., and they’re older and wiser. I like that because it keeps you grounded.
Any tips for moms on how to deal with the holiday madness and still make it fun?
Don’t expect too much from yourself. What I like to do when I have a day off is make various cookie doughs and freeze them. Then I always have that on hand if I need it. If a friend drops off a gift and I think, “Ooh. I don’t have a gift for that person.” I can quickly make some cookies and there’s my gift. I’d plan ahead with something like that.
Related stories:
Start Tracking
Stop Tracking
