I am off today to San Francisco for the Scleroderma Foundation’s National Patient Education Conference. In the meantime, I have a new guest blogger who recently met one of Food Network’s most-beloved celebrity chefs (and she’ll be cooking for Prince William and Princess Catherine later this week in L.A.). By day, Bobby Schuessler works in NY at Lucky Magazine but today he’s filling us in on some of Giada De Laurentiis’ new cookware for fall available at Target.

Take it away, Bobby!

“Now sprinkle some mozz-u-rrrrela,” Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis exclaimed as she finished making her famous dish for a group of (hungry) magazine editors.

Editors from top publications (including myself) had the honor to gawk at the Italian-American chef as she introduced her new fall products of her Target cooking line. The new line complete with everything from a sleek food processor to beautifully packaged sun-dried tomatoes and pastas had everyone in the room buzzing, not to mention salivating (maybe just me) as she served her perfectly made dishes.

When not stuffing my face with pastas and sliders, I was up close and personal with the wide array of new products to see first hand what will be new and hot for food-obsessed consumers. While the line looks pricey with items such as a chic, red panini press and metal nonstick pans, everything is affordable and budget-friendly. Something that is fashionable, tasty and practical? What’s better than that! I know I’ll be running to the nearest Target this fall when the products launch.

Want a taste of the action? Here’s a recipe of Giada’s famous “Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Lemon” she made for all of us! Enjoy!!

Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Lemon
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

• 1 pound linguini pasta
• 1 cup GDL sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup medium green olives, pitted
• 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 large lemon
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Place the pasta in a large serving bowl.

In a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, basil, garlic, oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pulse until blended but still chunky.

Add the tomato mixture and Parmesan cheese to the pasta and toss well until the pasta is coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Editor’s note: You also may like this easy Italian dish from Giada we made in 2010 that is made of fusilli pasta, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and Italian sausage.