Teresa Reveals the Special Meal Louie Cooked for Gabriella Before She Returned to College
RHONJ's Teresa Giudice also whipped up a dish Italians traditionally eat around New Year's Day.
Gabriella Giudice’s winter break ended on a delicious note.
Teresa Giudice revealed this on January 4 when she announced her 20-year-old daughter was leaving the Garden State to begin her spring semester at college. So, how did the family spend Gabriella’s last night at home? With a home-cooked dinner, of course.
Louie prepares one of Gabriella's "favorite" dishes
The Real Housewives of New Jersey mom shared a look at the evening via Instagram after her husband, Luis “Louie” Ruelas, prepared a special meal for his stepdaughter.
“So, Louie made chicken cutlets for Gabriella ’cause that’s her favorite,” Teresa said in the Story. “She’s leaving for Michigan in the morning.”
The Jersey ’Wife provided a close-up shot of the cooked chicken in a foil baking pan and then turned the camera toward a pot of lentil soup she made for the holidays.
“Italians eat lentil soup for the beginning of the new year,” Teresa explained. “It brings good luck. Yummy.”
Gabrielle splits her time off between New Jersey and the Bahamas
Gabriella is an economics major at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, approximately 600 miles from the Giudice-Ruelas' Montville mansion. But despite the long distance, Gabriella manages to see her family on a regular basis. Teresa, Louie, and Gabriella’s sisters have taken several trips to the U-M campus since 2023, while Gabriella typically spends her school breaks in New Jersey.
Back in October, Gabriella returned home for fall vacation and was treated to another home-cooked meal.
"Gabriella’s home so I made tagliatelle with peas and ham,” Teresa said in an Instagram Story after her daughter's arrival. “That’s what she requested.”
When she isn't in Michigan or New Jersey, Gabriella is usually down in the Bahamas, where her dad, Joe Giudice, lives full-time.
Gabriella and her sisters — Gia, Milania, and Audriana Giudice — traveled to Nassau in mid-December for an early Christmas celebration with their father. The family documented the reunion on Instagram, posting photos of their beach days, workout sessions, and family meals.
Teresa is preparing to open a family restaurant
Shortly after her daughters' Caribbean getaway, Teresa shared an update on her plans to open a family restaurant. She told All About TRH she was in the “negotiation” process of starting the family-owned eatery, which will feature a “Mediterranean” theme and offer a mix of Greek and Italian cuisine.
“I love Greece. So it’s going to be fun when you walk in,” she said before confirming Gia’s involvement. “We get along so good… Maybe the other girls would help also."
