Great Food Network – lay claim to my afternoons completely, why don’t you? I’ve gone and gotten myself completely hooked on not one, but two fairly new Food Network programs – to the tune of back to back. Add these “can’t miss” shows to my long-standing Food Network addictions (Paula Deen, Guy, Rachael, Bobby Flay, Giada, Ace of Cakes, the Neely’s, and Alton Brown) – I need a television in my kitchen so I can actually cook, myself as well as watch all of these extremely entertaining and talented people cook.
Cooking Video: Sunny Anderson, From Cooking For Real, Makes French Toast:
My newest addictions are Cooking for Real with Sunny Anderson and Secrets of a Restaurant Chef with Anne Burrell. 5 Minutes into each show, I knew each lady would soon be spending almost as much time in our home as I do. These beautiful ladies are on top of the cooking game and, just as important, they’re full of spirit, wit, and personality. There just aren’t enough words to describe how perfectly these girls fit into the Food Network lineup.
Sometimes networks move shows around, but I’m supremely hoping that these shows stay on weekday afternoons. They’re in the perfect spot for me – right between the time I call it a day (from working online, from home) to the time I begin cooking supper. This is one of the times I love Food Network the most. Cooking shows are a wonderful, relaxing period of time to unwind and learn new recipes.
Some days, when things are kind of whacko, it helps just knowing that the Food Network is waiting to help me unwind before getting supper.
With Anne Burrelle and Sunny Anderson, the unwinding just became more entertaining. They’re breathing fresh life back into the Food Network and I’m just all kinds of excited about it.
Could you tell?
Personally, I think they’re doing for the Food Network what Lady Gaga did for music – giving it a dose of “Ain’t it good to be alive?!?!?”
Like your own private window into the kitchen of your favorite restaurant, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef reveals the concise, easy-to-master techniques of a top-level chef. By showcasing professional secrets to preparing food that is creative and full of flavor, – yet never frou-frou or scary, Anne Burrell translates your favorite restaurant foods into amazing at-home meals. With years of restaurant experience mixed with a pumped-up passion, Anne helps to take the mystery out of the professional kitchen and gets you making meals that are special enough for guests, but easy enough for a rushed weekday evening.
Tomorrow, on Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Anne Burrell will make Wild Mushroom Risotto, Frisee Salad with Blue Cheese, Bacon and Hazelnuts, and Basic Chicken Stock. She made a Strawberry Tart today that my mouth has been watering for since.
With an understanding of everyday life and the belief that real people deserve down-to-earth, delicious meals, Sunny Anderson offers real food for real life. Cooking for Real serves up solutions for easy-to-prepare, fantastic tasting menus. Sunny elevates the everyday meal by taking affordable, easy-to-find, easy-to-use ingredients and infusing them with diverse influences and rich, rewarding flavor. Sunny’s fresh, uncomplicated approach to classic comfort foods, along with her passion for interpreting the flavors of her unique travels, bring a bright style to delectable, down-home dishes.
Head over to Food Network.com for Cooking videos, recipes, and more. Whatever you do, check your local television listings for these two shows – then grab a cup of coffee and sit down for fun, relaxation, inspiration, and a whooping good time.
Cooking Video: Secrets of a Restaurant Chef with Anne Burrell: Anne Grills Pizzas topped with cheese, prosciutto and vegetables. Have mercy.
Holy cats, I love these. For one thing, they’re bright and colorful and I’m all about bright colors. For another, they’re absolutely ingenious. The Rachael Ray Moppines, from Cooking.com, combine the best of both worlds: A kitchen towel and pot holders…. all in one! Each bright, beautiful (and larger than most little wimply kitchen towels) kitchen towel has a pot holder built into each end.
Rachael Ray frequently has one tossed over her shoulder while cooking on her show.
The towels have a waffle weave that is super absorbent, so you can dry your dishes, counter tops, hands, and so forth in record time. Dry off, then hang your moppine up (or throw it over your shoulder).
Then, of course, there are the The oven mitt pockets are padded and lined with terry fabric to insulate hands from the heat. Gotta have a set of these!
Wow, a few of my favorite things in the world are colliding: Good Morning America, Recipes, Wolfgang Puck, Paula Deen, Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray… I’m so there.
ABC News.com is launching a new GMA recipe site. In addition to recipes from the names above, you’ll find quick, affordable meal ideas and recipes, the anchor’s favorite recipes, and how to demos.
One of the Food Network’s favorite chefs is back in action with new episodes tonight. Throwdown with Bobby Flay kicks off a new season with a Pad Thai Throwdown.
Bobby Flay has bitten off a big challenge with this one. He’ll be taking on Nongkran Daks. She has traveled the world perfecting her Thai recipes, teaches sold out cooking classes, and has written 5 cookbooks.
Oh, yeah. And her signature dish is Pad Thai.
This one should be exciting. How uncool would it be for Bobby to be on the losing end on his season premiere?!
Other highlights on today’s lineup include white pizza by Rachael Ray, breakfast recipes courtesy of Paula Deen, and a killer Cuban Sandwich from Alton Brown.
Today on the Food Network!
Paula’s Home Cooking – Breakfast Eggstravaganza
* Breakfast in a Cup
* Hash Brown Quiche
* White Hot Chocolate
* Ultimate Coffee Cake
* Omelette for a Crowd 5:30, 4:30 C
30 Minute Meals – Special Delivery
* Mac-n-Smoked Gouda with Cauliflower
* Root Veggie Salad with Horseradish Dressing 6:00, 5:00 C
30 Minute Meals – Movie Marathon
* White Pizza
* Mushroom Lovers’ French Bread Pizzas
* Puttanesca Pizza 6:30 pm, 7:30 C
Good Eats – Dr. Strangeloaf
* Very Basic Bread 8:00 pm, 7:00 C
Good Eats – Sandwich-Craft
* Cuban Sandwich
* Pan Bagnat
* Roasted Vegetable Spread 8:30 pm, 7:30 C
Throwdown with Bobby Flay – Pad Thai 9:00 pm, 8:00 C
Throwdown with Bobby Flay – Sushi
* Spicy Tuna Roll 9:30 pm, 8:30 C
As you know, I’m a huge, huge fan of the Food Network. Paula Deen, Ace of Cakes, Rachael Ray, Guy, Tyler Florence, Nigella Lawson, Giada, Alton Brown, and on and on. Love them all. I’ve also seen and loved every Search for the Next Food Network Star episode – fascinating!
This is simply a network that is frequently on in our household. I got hooked when they first started rolling and I’ve been delightfully hooked since.
I often get e-mails from people asking what cookbooks and/or advice I’d recommend to cooking newbies – I give the standard advice you’d expect from me:
Use buttermilk in as many recipes as possible
Use butter instead of margarine as often as you can.
Read the recipe through ENTIRELY before beginning.
Season like you mean it, BUT go easy at first. You can always add more but you can never add less.
Keep your cleaning tools clean.
Get creative, don’t fix the same thing over and over again!
NEVER use instant mashed potatoes, not even as a joke.
Fall in love with Olive Oil.
Learn to make homemade bread – especially sourdough.
Leave the biscuits in the can and the cans on the shelves. Make your own biscuits.
Take pride in everything you make.
Experiment with different herbs and spices.
Rosemary loves chicken.
Basil loves tomatoes.
Use fresh ingredients.
Make meals more special with bright, colorful napkins and beautiful dishes (even if they’re disposable!).
You don’t have to spend a fortune to fill a belly. Buy in bulk and freeze what you don’t need… until you do need it!
These are the tips I dish out the most often. Sometimes there are extra ones – I guess it depends upon where my brain is at the time. I also list my personal “Must Have” cookbooks (which of course includes the Food Network Favorites, pictured above) However, I always stress that one of the most important things a new cook can do (and should do) is watch the Food Network religiously.
There are several reasons. For one, the cooks on this network are the best of the best. Bottom line: They know what they’re talking about! Some of my favorite recipes, and the ones I use again and again, are recipes I first saw on the Food Network.
Another reason is this: You’ll pick up on the excitement, fun, and passion for cooking that these cooks have. It’s contagious and you’ll fall in love with cooking again and again and again.
When I first started this recipe blog (as well as the website), I kept a Food Network daily schedule to the side. It became so much work that I stopped doing it. However, it appears that I’m far from the only Food Network addict out there! I’ve gotten so many e-mails from people wanting to have the updates again, that I’m going to start a daily “Today on Food Network” category. Each day, I’ll post what you can watch for on that particular day. They’ll be what I consider the BEST of the day – the episodes and recipes you won’t want to miss.
Today on the Food Network!
Tyler’s Ultimate – Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Butternut Squash Coleslaw with Honey Goat Cheese Dressing
* Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles
* The Ultimate Sloppy Joes
* Crispy Parmesan Butternut Squash Chips 3:30, 2:30 C
Good Eats – Coconut Cake Revival
* Coconut Cake with 7-Minute Frosting
* Coconut Milk and Cream
* Coconut Extract 8:00 pm, 7:00 C
Good Eats – American Classics: Creole in a Bowl
* Red Beans and Rice
* Pickled Pork 8:30 pm, 7:30 C
One of my favorite magazines is Everyday With Rachael Ray. I haven’t missed an issue since I first say Rachael’s beautiful face smiling at me from the magazine rack. I go back and find her each month.
Not only are there wonderful recipes in each issue, there are also articles, reviews, and big beautiful pictures to inspire and motivate you to wax all kinds of brilliant in your own kitchen. I never throw an issue away, either. As a matter of fact, just yesterday I dug out my November 2006 issue for a Green Beans recipe I’m going to make this week. It has bacon, Worcestershire Sauce, dry mustard, jarred roasted red peppers, and Tobasco in it. Can you say Yum-O?! There’s also a Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes recipe in the same issue that I’ll use for the same meal.
I’m not sure why I’ve never gone on and subscribed to the magazine instead of grabbing it in the store each month. I guess its’ a tradition, I dunno. (Everyday With Rachael Ray – click the link and subscribe through Amazon if you want to outsmart me on this one!)
Check out what’s in the March Issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray:
Slow Cookers Making a Come Back – With a flick of the switch you can have easy & delicious family meals
Turkey Meatballs in Paprika Tomato Sauce
Chianti-Braised Short Ribs
Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder
Munch Madness- March madness is the most hyped event of the year for the NCAA, get in the spirit with ultimate game-day dishes
Cheese-Stuffed Hot Dogs with Spicy Onions
Black Bean-and-Cheese Chicken Fingers
Jumbo Shrimp Corn Dogs
$10 Dinners– Inexpensive dinners for a family of 4
Sweet Potato-and-Ham Fritters ($1.50 per person)
Cheesy Hash Brown Chili ($2.22 per person)
Chipotle Pork Quesadillas ($2.19 per person)
Roasted Garlic-and-Spinach White Pizza ($2.48 per person)
Burger of the Month – This burger exposes the best part of a Southwestern standard
Beef ‘n’ Bean Burrito Burgers
Snack Attack – Dig into these bite-sized treats that are easy to make and even easier to love
Spicy-Sweet Asian Nut Mix
Chocolate-Dipped Kettle Chips
Buffalo Potato Wedges with Warm Blue Cheese Dip
Pan-Fried Queso Dundido Dumplings
Parmesan Icebox Crackers
Lighten-Up– Classic recipes lightened up so they won’t weigh you down, plus send in your recipe and Every Day with Rachael Ray might help slash the calories
Scalloped Potatoes
*Before: Cal 385, Fat 32g, Sat. Fat 20g, Cholesterol 106mg
*After: Cal 237, Fat 6g, Sat. Fat 3g, Cholesterol 23mg
Tips
Swap cauliflower puree or zucchini for potatoes.
Swap whole wheat bread crumbs and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for pastry crust
Sweet Spot – A meal isn’t complete without something sweet!
Frosted Animal Cookies
Raspberry-Lemon Meringue Cake
Crispy Rocky Road Bites
Root Beer Float Ice Pops
It all sounds delicious. Like everyone else, I’m actively looking for ways to trim the amount of money I spend on groceries, so I really love the $10 Dinners– Inexpensive dinners for a family of 4 - it’s abrilliant and well-timed idea.
Below are two wonderful Everyday with Rachael Ray recipes:
Prep time: 6 minutes Cook time: 6 minutes Makes: 2 to 3 servings
THAI SHRIMP CURRY
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed
4 tsp. cornstarch
1-1/2 cups COLLEGE INN® Culinary Broth, Thai Coconut Curry
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Optional garnishes: cilantro and/or fresh basil
Directions:
Heat oil in large skillet. Add shrimp; stir-fry 2 minutes.
Add vegetables; stir-fry 2 minutes.
Dissolve cornstarch in broth; add red pepper flakes. Add to skillet. Cook, stirring, until thickened.
Serve over noodles or rice and garnish with fresh basil and cilantro, if desired.
GARLIC PESTO PEA HUMMUS
(Packed with protein and a snap to fix.)
1 can (15 oz.) DEL MONTE® 50% Less Salt Sweet Peas, drained
1/4 cup chopped sweet white onion
1 clove garlic
3 Tbsp. pesto
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine ingredients in food processor. Process until smooth.
Serve with pita wedges or pita chips.
8 servings
Per serving (8): Calories 25; Protein 1 gm; Carbohydrate 4 gm;
Total fat 0.3 gm (Sat. fat .10 gm); Cholesterol 0.2 mg; Sodium 83 mg;
Fiber 1 gm.
One of the Food Network’s favorite chefs is back in action with new episodes tonight. Throwdown with Bobby Flay kicks off a new season with a Pad Thai Throwdown.
One of my favorite magazines is 
. I haven’t missed an issue since I first say Rachael’s beautiful face smiling at me from the magazine rack. I go back and find her each month.
THAI SHRIMP CURRY
GARLIC PESTO PEA HUMMUS
