The Kitchen - General Discussion

[annzeepark914]

I watched Saturday's show and parts of it were good: GZ's chicken and Jeff's ham. Jeff was well behaved (i.e., calmer & mature). I didn't watch whatever Sunny was doing, and regret watching another of Katie's grandma recipes, updated layered salad. She should've updated more than the dressing & adding beets. Alex's chocolate covered matzos? I've never had this--is it good? 

[Irlandesa]

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

. I didn't watch whatever Sunny was doing

She actually made something I'd want to try--deviled potatoes instead of deviled eggs.  I'd probably melon ball out some of the center of the bottom potato so it'd be closer to an egg or I'd just take what she did and make it into some kind of potato salad (a la egg salad) but it was the first thing in a long time that she's made that I could see myself trying.

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

regret watching another of Katie's grandma recipes, updated layered salad. She should've updated more than the dressing & adding beets.

Ha.  I was mocking her "bowl" last week and talked about how the only thing worse is when she makes a salad and then this week---she makes a salad.  I barely understand trifles made in big bowls but at least they tend to be soft and it's easy to get to the bottom and get a little bit of everything.  Salads are made of much denser items and it's hard to get a little bit of everything when served in trifle bowl.

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Alex's chocolate covered matzos? I've never had this--is it good? 

I'm editing my response because it's more applicable now that I've rewatched the recipe.  I've had a version of what she made except with saltine crackers instead of matzo.  I used to love the saltine cracker version as a kid.  I haven't had it in years, though.  And we didn't top it with dried fruit or any such nonsense like that.

So I would bet it's good with matzo as well.  Alex chose unsalted matzo but if you're a salty sweet fan like I am, I would do the salted version.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Irlandesa

[buttersister]

4 hours ago, Irlandesa said:Alex chose unsalted matzo but if you're a salty sweet fan like I am, I would do the salted version.

+1! It might have been more helpful if she’d have melted the butter and brown sugar and poured it over the matzoh, baked and then topped with chocolate chips. They melt and you spread them around evenly before chilling. Choosing unsalted matzoh makes no sense to me. It’s not called matzoh crack for nothing! (Smitten Kitchen also makes it with saltines the rest of the year;-)

[Koalagirl]

4 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Alex's chocolate covered matzos? I've never had this--is it good? 

Chocolate covered matzo is a huge treat during Passover. Absolutely delicious on its own without the sprinkles and other stuff. You can probably get them for half price in the supermarket now that Passover ended tonight. 

[bichonblitz]

17 hours ago, buttersister said:

+1! It might have been more helpful if she’d have melted the butter and brown sugar and poured it over the matzoh, baked and then topped with chocolate chips. They melt and you spread them around evenly before chilling. Choosing unsalted matzoh makes no sense to me. It’s not called matzoh crack for nothing! (Smitten Kitchen also makes it with saltines the rest of the year;-)

This is how I make it except with graham crackers and sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the melted chocolate. It's a Christmas treat. A-MA-ZING!

Edited April 5, 2021 by bichonblitz

[Irlandesa]

She did have the toffee on the crackers.  It's weird they didn't show that step but they showed it on her crackers.

[buttersister]

5 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

She did have the toffee on the crackers.  It's weird they didn't show that step but they showed it on her crackers.

Right, I saw the toffee. But on a show that demonstrates how to chop lettuce, showing it would have been helpful. 😉

eta: I know it's messy, that's the point of seeing if there's a good way to get all the whichever crackers covered. Better time spent than on the goofy sprinkles, which are completely extraneous and, imo, ill-advised. 

Edited April 5, 2021 by buttersister

[Irlandesa]

I feel like Katie is trolling me. 

Two weeks ago she did a "build a bowl" which is the hot version of a salad.  Then last week she did a salad.  Both of which I think are overly simple and I mentioned I thought bread pudding is the dessert version of it.

And what does she make this week?  Bread pudding.

[annzeepark914]

Some of the foods prepared today appealed to me. I'll try pork schnitzel (already love chicken schnitzel)...but I'll pound the pork flat. Rolling? I dunno 'bout that. Alex's shrimp scampi looked so good. I think she only said "literally" once. Has anyone ever had what GZ prepared--leeks vinaigrette?  It looked interesting.

[Fostersmom]

Sunny brings up the many comments about them not eating each other's food..... but no mention of her insistence of standing outside in the snow for her fake "just in the yard" bit. It did crack me up GZ's leek magically ended up on the plate "Sunny" passed to him. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Alex's shrimp scampi looked so good. I think she only said "literally" once.

Au contraire, I'm afraid.

Alex:  "So, I just take a pair of scissors, honestly, and I just go up the back and you can literally take the vein out."

Funny--it never occurred to me that she was lying about taking a pair of scissors, or that she was figuratively taking the vein out.  

Alex:  "Seasoning the shrimp, I go super easy here.  Literally kosher salt."

No comment.

Alex:  "And then literally drop these shrimp right in there."  

But she didn't drop them, never mind literally drop them--she used tongs to set them in the pan.  Interestingly, she took the shrimp out of the pan for a bit, and then when putting them back in, she said "And then the shrimp, drop 'em right back in."  No "literally" in this instruction, but she actually did drop them in by letting them slide off the plate from above. 

Then there was a long stretch without anything happening literally, but the woman just can't help herself.

Alex [transferring shrimp from pan to serving platter]:  "And then literally, I mean, I wouldn't mess around with these, I would just go right in there."

[annzeepark914]

Hmmm...I must not have heard all those additional "literally"s while watching Alex. Maybe cause I'm so intent on watching what she's doing? No idea why I only heard one.

[StatisticalOutlier]

44 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Hmmm...I must not have heard all those additional "literally"s while watching Alex. Maybe cause I'm so intent on watching what she's doing? No idea why I only heard one.

Because you're lucky?  😀

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Because you're lucky?  😀

Nah...probably because it's not a word that bothers me (such as "like"!) 🤓

[buttersister]

Or, in my case, I don’t listen as soon as Jeff opens his mouth.

Geoffrey, sadly, has no one in his life who will tell him orange is not a good complexion color. How has he allowed himself to appear on the air like this?

[cameron]

Katie's voice is sounding shrilly again to me on the Kitchen set.  Not sure why.  Didn't notice when she was filming from her home.

[buttersister]

Over on Twitter, Sunny is answering the usual questions, not at all confrontationally. Still saying she wants to be outside because the studio is so small (so that Easter Basket studio is large?). I’m glad she’s not back there because coming back has unleashed some of the more annoying traits of the others. 

Except (literally;-) Alex. By comparison.

[Yeah No]

On 3/20/2021 at 7:24 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

Wow!  The two iron chefs said cooking on waxed paper instead of parchment paper wouldn't be that bad.  I barely cook, and even I knew it was "really bad."  Is it possible they never use parchment paper at all and don't really know what it is??  I'm with Katie--I use it a lot.  

I've read that it's OK to line baking pans with wax paper as long as you don't let the waxy side be exposed directly to heat.  I just made a cake recipe I saw on the Pillsbury site that called for it.  I use parchment paper, though.  

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2005-11-23-0511220308-story.html#:~:text=The Web site of Reynolds,baking cakes%2C brownies or muffins.
 

On 3/24/2021 at 1:06 PM, chessiegal said:

On 3/24/2021 at 12:36 PM, Kathcart said:

Who on earth is wearing a slip????

I do. I had no idea it was passé.

"Slips are not really worn anymore," says Cheryl Paradis , account executive for Mapale, a Miami-based manufacturer of lingerie. "It probably started in the late '70s and early '80s when people stopped layering and became a little more comfortable showing skin. Back then if you were wearing a skirt or a dress, you were wearing a slip. Nowadays, it's not really done anymore. "

I've seen several articles to this effect.  "Slip sales are slipping, lol".  So it appears that they have gone away like pantyhose pretty much has.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Yeah No

[Fostersmom]

18 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I've read that it's OK to line baking pans with wax paper as long as you don't let the waxy side be exposed directly to heat.  I just made a cake recipe I saw on the Pillsbury site that called for it.  I use parchment paper, though.  

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2005-11-23-0511220308-story.html#:~:text=The Web site of Reynolds,baking cakes%2C brownies or muffins.
 

I was just thinking about the wax paper tonight as I was reheating my dinner in the microwave and it was covered in wax paper. I'm thinking the microwave cooks hotter than my oven, so if it's safe in the the microwave, it's probably okay in the oven from time to time. I've never tried it, but probably wouldn't be terrified if I attempted it. 

[Westiepeach]

20 minutes ago, Fostersmom said:

I was just thinking about the wax paper tonight as I was reheating my dinner in the microwave and it was covered in wax paper. I'm thinking the microwave cooks hotter than my oven, so if it's safe in the the microwave, it's probably okay in the oven from time to time. I've never tried it, but probably wouldn't be terrified if I attempted it. 

I reheat my waxed paper-covered dinner in the microwave as well. BUT... I reheat it at a minute or 2. If I bake something in the oven I am baking it for 20-30-45 minutes. There is no way I am lining a baking sheet with waxed paper and baking something on it. I use parchment paper, not waxed paper.

[chessiegal]

Microwave ovens and regular ovens heat food by two different types of energies. Microwaves cause water molecules in food to vibrate thus heating the food. They don't heat the oven itself. Ovens use radiant heat that raises the temperature of the oven to heat food. Personally, I wouldn't use wax paper in a conventional oven.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 4/12/2021 at 5:28 PM, Fostersmom said:

I was just thinking about the wax paper tonight as I was reheating my dinner in the microwave and it was covered in wax paper. I'm thinking the microwave cooks hotter than my oven, so if it's safe in the the microwave, it's probably okay in the oven from time to time. I've never tried it, but probably wouldn't be terrified if I attempted it. 

As @chessiegal said, regular ovens and and microwaves work differently.  Paper towels and paper plates work fine in a microwave but not in a regular oven.  Metal works fine in a regular oven but not in a microwave.

On 4/12/2021 at 5:53 PM, Westiepeach said:

I reheat my waxed paper-covered dinner in the microwave as well. BUT... I reheat it at a minute or 2. If I bake something in the oven I am baking it for 20-30-45 minutes. There is no way I am lining a baking sheet with waxed paper and baking something on it. I use parchment paper, not waxed paper.

The article linked to actually said you can line a baking pan, like the bottom of a cake pan, where the wax paper is sandwiched between the batter and the pan and is never is subjected to direct heat.  Lining a baking sheet, like for cookies, would expose the wax paper to the direct heat and is therefore a no-no.

While lining a baking pan might be a valid exception, I think it's a bad idea to promote it because it's a very narrow exception, and one likely to be misinterpreted.

As for the most recent episode, I can't believe I might actually make a recipe.  Or, well, not really make it, but I never thought about using anything but ground meat for stuffed peppers (one of the few items I cook), but I think I'll try the lentils next time.

 

[Gramto6]

On 4/18/2021 at 2:20 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

As @chessiegal said, regular ovens and and microwaves work differently.  Paper towels and paper plates work fine in a microwave but not in a regular oven.  Metal works fine in a regular oven but not in a microwave.

The article linked to actually said you can line a baking pan, like the bottom of a cake pan, where the wax paper is sandwiched between the batter and the pan and is never is subjected to direct heat.  Lining a baking sheet, like for cookies, would expose the wax paper to the direct heat and is therefore a no-no.

While lining a baking pan might be a valid exception, I think it's a bad idea to promote it because it's a very narrow exception, and one likely to be misinterpreted.

As for the most recent episode, I can't believe I might actually make a recipe.  Or, well, not really make it, but I never thought about using anything but ground meat for stuffed peppers (one of the few items I cook), but I think I'll try the lentils next time.

 

Yeah, I have a can of lentils in the pantry, sounds like a good use for them. Maybe other beans could be used too like black beans or cannellini? Black beans with a Mexican twist or Cannellini with an Italian twist? This is a good idea to play with.

No way I would ever use waxed paper as a liner in the oven! Yes, do many times in the microwave but as mentioned that is 1-2 minutes at most to warm something up. People will set their food on fire using waxed paper in the oven for 30+ minutes.  Irresponsible recommendation.

Edited April 21, 2021 by Gramto6
another idea

[annzeepark914]

What was today's show all about--a blast from the past featuring sheet pan recipes, with Jeff manning the fort so he could present his eggplant sammies? At first I thought it was a current show and that Sunny had finally come in from the cold. Strange episode.

[Spunkygal]

11 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

What was today's show all about--a blast from the past featuring sheet pan recipes, with Jeff manning the fort so he could present his eggplant sammies? At first I thought it was a current show and that Sunny had finally come in from the cold. Strange episode.

IMO, they’ve literally run out of ideas. And they had Jeff take literally  A L L episode to do his eggplant sammies. Yawn. The sheet pan recipes weren’t great when first aired. Sheet pan frittata, no thanks and yuck. Green bean “casserole”, no thanks and yuck. This is why God literally created casserole dishes, people! Couscous and roasted veg together as one on a sheet pan, no thanks. I make Whole Foods boxed garlic/olive oil couscous literally as directed on the package and then separately roast zucchini, onion and yellow pepper. It’s so simple and takes less time than the sheet pan idea. Yum, so delish, especially with baked salmon. Couscous needs its own space to literally fluff up—not on a sheet pan. Don’t disrespect the couscous like that. The couscous literally wants to be eaten.

🤣

[annzeepark914]

I think you nailed it!  A frittata in a sheet pan? And the veggies each having their own corners? GZ acted as though he loved it (as well as Sunny's "meatloaves"). Either they were surprisingly good or he's missed his calling on Broadway!

[Koalagirl]

I feel like I was hoodwinked into watching yesterday’s episode. They should have just showed a rerun instead of trying to pass this off as a new episode.

[trudysmom]

I could only watch a few minutes, Katie's voice was so SHRILL.  I hope motherhood mellows out that screech for her.

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, trudysmom said:

I could only watch a few minutes, Katie's voice was so SHRILL.  I hope motherhood mellows out that screech for her.

I hit the mute during her segment. Plus, what she made was so unappealing to me (couscous, IMO, is like shredded cardboard).

[buttersister]

LOL, them thinking I’ll watch a clip show rerun woven around hopped-up Jeff inventing the eggplant sandwich? 😂😂click

[annzeepark914]

57 minutes ago, buttersister said:

LOL, them thinking I’ll watch a clip show rerun woven around hopped-up Jeff inventing the eggplant sandwich? 😂😂click

Well, they hooked me (probably because I just started really watching this show last year when they were all at home with no one yelling...didn't realize until later on in the show that this was pre-pandemic days). Yeah...Jeff was in his glory with his eggplant sammies, not having to share the stage during his segments.

[bkathi]

I would rather see Jeff make 2 or 3 recipes throughout the hour than cut and paste a bunch of rerun recipes.  I guess I miss the stand and stir shows.

 

[trudysmom]

The Mother's Day episode was excrutiatingly blah.  Colored fruit plates?  Really?  With edible flowers courtesy of Katie and goat cheese from GZ.  Alex had to to make subtle dig at GZ red plate, I don't recall exactly what she said but it was bitchy, IMO.  Sunny's shrimp boats looked okay, but really it is not hard to make rice.  GZ's onion bacon tart was the only thing that looked somewhat original.  I think this show's ship has sailed, jumped it's shark, whatever.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!

Edited May 9, 2021 by trudysmom
Spelling

[Gramto6]

Slept through it today will catch the rerun on Monday.  Not appointment TV in a long time...hating it even more now they are "mostly" back on the set. I really liked the at home segments much better... 

[annzeepark914]

58 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

Slept through it today will catch the rerun on Monday.  Not appointment TV in a long time...hating it even more now they are "mostly" back on the set. I really liked the at home segments much better... 

They were so creative while cooking in their own homes (except for Sunny and her grill).

[rustyspigot]

7 hours ago, trudysmom said:

Alex had to to make subtle dig at GZ red plate,

Probably because Geoffrey schooled her on what farmer's cheese was.

Geoffrey got to make fun of Jeff's oil can eddie jacket before I did.

And Sunny is still a peeper from outside.

[cameron]

Another week goes by without an engagement ring on Alex's finger.  Even Katie wears a ring while cooking on the show.  Makes you wonder.

[Spunkygal]

57 minutes ago, cameron said:

Another week goes by without an engagement ring on Alex's finger.  Even Katie wears a ring while cooking on the show.  Makes you wonder.

This is the first time I noticed that Alex is a nail biter. I don’t recall seeing an adult host of a show who has hand close-ups whose nails aren’t polished or groomed.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Spunkygal

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, cameron said:

Another week goes by without an engagement ring on Alex's finger.  Even Katie wears a ring while cooking on the show.  Makes you wonder.

Katie isn't a professional chef who works in a professional kitchen so I think Katie has different cooking habits than Alex.  I know that there are chefs that don't even wear a wedding ring and those are less cumbersome than engagement rings.

Alex's ring comes and goes but I just checked her Instagram and she posted a pic of her fiance a few days ago.

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by Irlandesa

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, cameron said:

Another week goes by without an engagement ring on Alex's finger.  Even Katie wears a ring while cooking on the show.  Makes you wonder.

Ina never wears her wedding rings. Actually, she never wears any jewelry on her show. So maybe Alex feels the same way about cooking with rings on her fingers.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by annzeepark914

[chessiegal]

I don't think Ina wears rings. I went to a book signing back when she did them and she was not wearing any rings. She was so gracious to everyone. 

Edited May 10, 2021 by chessiegal

[buttersister]

Spent a few minutes watching Saturday. Between Katie’s return to using her horrid voice, Jeff’s loud mouth and Geoffrey somewhat insufferable tone, I have increased respect for Sunny’s decision to stay out of the kitchen. At least she can mute or dial down the volume! 

[Yeah No]

10 hours ago, buttersister said:

Spent a few minutes watching Saturday. Between Katie’s return to using her horrid voice, Jeff’s loud mouth and Geoffrey somewhat insufferable tone, I have increased respect for Sunny’s decision to stay out of the kitchen. At least she can mute or dial down the volume! 

When Sunny is in the kitchen with them she is so loud she drowns them all out.  I think she makes Jeff compete with her four loudest mouth on the show when she's in the same room with him.  So I actually think it's better that she stays outdoors.

I have a few episodes piled up to watch but saw this one today and actually I thought they were all somewhat subdued compared to the way they were in the studio pre-pandemic.  Of course they were still louder than when they were cooking at home, though.

Now I'm wondering if Sunny will feel OK about going into the studio after being vaccinated.  Assuming the others have gotten vaccinated too what will be her excuse then?

[annzeepark914]

17 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Now I'm wondering if Sunny will feel OK about going into the studio after being vaccinated.  Assuming the others have gotten vaccinated too what will be her excuse then?

I wonder if she likes being the only one now not in the studio, out there in the elements, braving the snow, wind, etc....just being different. I wish FN would get replacements for these folks.

[Irlandesa]

Pretty soon they'll all be joining her outside since we're tumbling upon summer soon. 

And clearly some of the set up is due to FN policies--like not tasting each other's food. I hope that goes away in the next round of taping.

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Pretty soon they'll all be joining her outside since we're tumbling upon summer soon. 

And clearly some of the set up is due to FN policies--like not tasting each other's food. I hope that goes away in the next round of taping.

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping.  If the most recent episodes were filmed a month or more ago the restrictions were still tighter but this month they are in the process of being loosened in NY and NJ.  Also I'm assuming that more if not all of them will be vaccinated by the next round of taping as well.

[MerBearHou]

10 hours ago, Yeah No said:

When Sunny is in the kitchen with them she is so loud she drowns them all out.  I think she makes Jeff compete with her four loudest mouth on the show when she's in the same room with him.  So I actually think it's better that she stays outdoors.

Agreed on the ramping up the volume when Sunny is in the same room with them.  And she smacks so horribly (like Giada does) that I cannot stand to hear her after she takes a bite.  

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Pretty soon they'll all be joining her outside since we're tumbling upon summer soon. 

And clearly some of the set up is due to FN policies--like not tasting each other's food. I hope that goes away in the next round of taping.

You know I was just thinking about this and if that's the case then why can the "Chopped" judges taste food but not the cast of this show.?  Obviously tasting is OK with FN and both shows are filmed in the same area so I doubt it's a function of differing Covid policies either.  Perhaps it has something to do with the comfort level of certain members of the cast.

[Leeds]

On 5/9/2021 at 7:56 AM, chessiegal said:

I don't think Ina wears rings. I went to a book sighing back when she did them and she was not wearing any rings. She was so gracious to everyone. 

I like to think of Ina sighing when she's with Jeffrey.

[annzeepark914]

55 minutes ago, Leeds said:

I like to think of Ina sighing when she's with Jeffrey.

She sure loves that guy--&  understandably so. He fully supported her when she left a White House position to take a chance on owning/managing the Barefoot Contessa gourmet shop out in the Hamptons. And I bet he was a wonderful supporter whenever she had any doubts along the way. Guys like Jefffrey are hard to find.