Season 5 begins with recipes for a Halloween party. Included: grape-and-mango parfaits; chocolate-orange cake pops; and spiced pumpkin-raisin cookies.
Side dishes for Thanksgiving are prepared. Recipes include: baked-mashed potatoes with peas; Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs; sweet-and-savory-root-vegetable stuffing with apples and dried cranberries; and persimmon-pumpkin pie with mascarpone shortbread crust.
Appetizers and cocktails are created for an art show. Included: mini grilled-pork skewers; mini eggplant Parmesan; lemon-and-vodka martinis.
Christmas dinner is served on the beach in California and consists of seafood salad, stuffing with bacon, and chocolate-chestnut tortelli.
A menu for a spa day includes Swiss-chard rolls with wild rice and exotic spices. Also: Niçoise-salad pizzettes; and an avocado-chocolate mousse.
Giada prepares a chicken, which she uses for three separate dishes. Included: garlic-roasted chicken and root vegetables; risotto with bacon and kale; and curry-chicken-apple wraps.
Giada's take on sports-bar food. Included: sweet-and-sour pork served on slider buns; sweet-potato strings with beet ketchup; beer-battered cremini mushrooms; and a beer cocktail.
A chocolate-theme menu includes wedge salad with raspberry-chocolate vinaigrette; cocoa-rubbed pork tenderloin with chocolate-tomato sauce; chocolate zabaglione with tiramisu; and white-chocolate-espresso martinis.
Giada prepares four meatball recipes. Included: mini-turkey meatballs with a mango-raspberry-balsamic BBQ sauce; meatball panini with grilled red onions, prosciutto and provolone cheese; white pizza with kale and meatballs; and Italian turkey meatballs with tomato-basil sauce.
Three decadent recipes are prepared, including four-cheese ravioli with herb pesto; eggplant-Parmesan meatloaf; and chocolate-raspberry layer cake.
Recipes for a spring luncheon are prepared using fresh ingredients. Included: a puree of grilled artichoke and celery root; lemon-cumin chicken; and hibiscus panna cotta.
Recipes that represent milestone moments for Giada. Included: baked lemon ziti; mozzarella fonduta; rib-eye-steak paninis; and pink-grapefruit-and-thyme Bellinis.
A menu inspired by the fresh flavors of Venice Beach, Cal., also has an Italian influence. Recipes include lemony shrimp-and-risotto; three-cheese-and-artichoke calzones; and citrus gelato.
A Mexican feast is prepared. Dishes include stuffed red peppers; chipotle shrimp served with arugula salad; an agua fresca recipe with watermelon and strawberry; and tres-leches tiramisu.
Giada hosts a baby shower. The menu includes roasted red-pepper hummus in cucumber cups; pasta shells filled with chicken salad; open-face smoked salmon finger sandwiches with herb-horseradish cream cheese.
Giada prepares some of her grandfather's favorite recipes with help from her Aunt Raffy. The dinner menu includes fusilli with pea pesto and smoked mozzarella; lemon-mustard potato salad; and an orange-ricotta-quinoa pie.
Barbecue recipes that represent different parts of the country are featured. Giada prepares pork sandwiches with white barbecue sauce; grilled salmon with sun-dried tomato butter; spiced beef brisket with smoky barbecue sauce; and grilled apples with caramel-mascarpone cream.
Giada cooks with apples. Recipes include apple chips with sweet yogurt dip; grilled chicken with apple-mango chutney; and apple galette topped with goat cheese, sour cherry and almonds.
A special meal for Father's Day is prepared by Giada. Recipes include bacon-and-cheese manicotti; spicy red-wine spaghetti; and meaty penne.
Giada uses a recipe for corn muffins as a basis for other dishes, including blueberry-buttermilk muffins and bacon-and-scallion muffins. She also makes pea-lettuce-fennel soup and homemade chai latte.
Giada throws a 60th birthday party for her aunt. The menu includes turkey-stuffed vegetables; gnocchi with tomato, basil and olives; and a special cake.
Giada plants a garden at a Compton elementary school with help from students and volunteers. Months later, she visits the kids and faculty, bringing with her a picnic lunch to share. Included: a pancetta-fontina-zucchini quiche; mini carrot-apple cupcakes; and cavatappi pasta with roasted vegetables and creamy lemon-herb dressing.
Recipes perfect for young adults are demonstrated by Giada. Included: corn-and-tomato soup; lemony shrimp scampi with orzo and arugula; pearl couscous with chicken and peas; blueberry-banana bread.
Giada prepares a kid-friendly lunch for her daughter Jade. The menu includes sweet apple pops; cheesy-muffin pizzas; and carrot fries with lemon-mint dip.
Giada makes Italian pasta from scratch. She also prepares recipes for creamy spinach-and-mushroom lasagna; roasted tomato soup with halibut and fresh pasta; fettuccine with figs, prosciutto and goat cheese.
Stuffed recipes. Included: antipasto-filled chicken breasts; popovers with crab-and-mango salad; peanut-butter cupcakes.
Giada hosts a luncheon for three deserving women. On the menu is pan-fried salmon with green goddess tzatziki; a quinoa salad with roasted eggplant and apples; iced tea with berries, melon and mint.