No recipe review and My favorite cooking shows

Last week was a bit helter-skelter due to a three day, out of town, work training, followed by the appearance of the contractors to re-do our roof and install new siding. It's been a bit..chaotic to say the least.

The Meal Plan (or lack there of):
Mon - out
Tues - out
Wed - grilled pork chops and instant potatoes
Thurs - take-n-bake pizza
Friday - wienie wraps and tater tots!
Sat (L) SW Quinoa salad from the co-op (S) wienie wraps and tater tots!

Okay, I confess, one of my comfort foods is old fashioned hot dogs baked in a crescent roll.  And because I have to heat up the oven anyway, I might as well make tater tots! I adore tater tots!

Since there are no recipes to discuss, here's what I've been watching for foodie shows on Create TV (one of our PBS stations):

America's Test Kitchen and Cooks Country
Both these shows continue to engage me. Now that Julie and Bridget have settled into their roles as Host's/Moderators, their banter with each other and others is a hoot. The variety of stuff ATK and Cook's demonstrates continues to intrigue me, I find their product reviews fascinating (when in doubt, by OXO) and the taste tests are probably my favorite.

I do find Cooks Country to have the more approachable recipes, with ingredients I can (probably) find in my corner of the world.  

Lidia Bastianich - Lidia's Kitchen
If you are not familiar with Lidia, she explores the country of Italy through her family and food.  She does a wide variety of approachable family style meals for all occasions.  I enjoy her approach, her dialog, and attempts to teach the audience Italian.  I've had mixed success with the few recipes of hers I tried. 


Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen
The Husband got me hooked on Kevin's show, which lead to one cookbook, which lead to a second cookbook, which lead to planning a trip to New Orleans this fall.  Kevin is a hoot to watch, he has a laid back approach - almost too much so sometimes - and his recipes are wonderful.  Assuming you can get  some of the ingredients, which I can't up here at the opposite end of the Mississippi.  Does that stop me?  Oh heck no!  I'm looking forward to when my local PBS station shows season 3. 


Jamie Oliver   5 Ingredient Meals
I've only caught a handful of episodes, but call me intrigued.  Now 5 ingredients doesn't always mean "fast" per se.  A couple of these were assemble, pop in the oven for 1-3 hours, then eat.  Still, using 5 basic ingredients, assemble and walk away?  It has merit.  I struggle to access his website (I get "turn on cookies!" messages), so I may check out his cookbook from the library and take it for a test run. 



Nick Stellino - A Storyteller in the Kitchen
This is the show PBS Create is currently running.  Not my favorite Nick Stellino season if only because the lighting is harsh against the backdrop of his cupboards and there is less food making and, well, more talking.  I like the talking with the food making.   I enjoy Nick's banter and his approach to assembling food.  I've made a handful of his recipes and have enjoyed them.  Thanks to Nick, I also found an improved way to cook garlic. 







Sara Moulton  Weeknight Meals
I quite enjoy Sara's TV presence and her meals come across as approachable with ingredients I can (mostly) find in my corner of the world.  I appreciate her honesty (admitting she's pastry impaired and it's okay if  your pie dough doesn't come out perfectly round) and she has some interesting tips.   I was quite pleased to hear her on the Milk Street Podcast with Christopher Kimball helping Chris dispense cooking advice to callers.  









Pati Jinich Pati's Mexican Table 
Best opening song of the cooking shows!  (Humming it in my head right now...)  Initially I bounced of Pati's show.  There was something about her approach that, I dunno, kinda rubbed me the wrong way.  As I've watched more episodes, I've come to really enjoy the tie in to Mexico  and how she takes the viewer to all sorts of wonderful places!  I've also come to enjoy watching her pull her kids into the kitchen and have her help.  Imagine what these kids are going to know about cooking when they are grown and flown!   I haven't tried any of her recipes (but I would like to!), mostly because trying to find the chilies and spices in Northern MN isn't going to happen and some of her dishes are more involved than I care to tackle at this moment in time.   But darn do they look good!