Girl Meets Farm - General Discussion

[buttersister]

How long until Molly features the recipe for an Exploding sprinkle cake?! Full disclosure: made this kit with two kids, they lost their minds and the cake itself was light and buttery. 

[biakbiak]

39 minutes ago, buttersister said:

How long until Molly features the recipe for an Exploding sprinkle cake?! Full disclosure: made this kit with two kids, they lost their minds and the cake itself was light and buttery. 

She did her version a few weeks ago for her husband’s bday party and called it a piñata cake.

I finally made the Knoephla soup, I added some leftover roast chicken at the end and more dill and thyme. I enjoyed it but if I make it again I might uses seltzer for the water to make the dumplings lighter like I do with my matzo balls.

Edited March 24, 2020 by biakbiak

[Automne]

I’m not a mother and have no desire to be, so maybe I just don’t understand this: why is Molly doing a whole outdoor movie night to play a retrospective of the life of her infant? The baby was six months at the time. “Look how little she was!” The kid can’t even walk yet; calm down.

[buttersister]

It's Round-up Day at the Ranch. My "Niece" Just Bought Her First Home. My TV Friends are Coming For Brunch. It's Food Network. So it goes.

[patty1h]

@buttersister's comment made me think.  I don't watch too many of the FN shows hosted by males because I despise most of them (Flay, Fieri, Brown) so I can't answer my own question but do the home-based shows that the men host have the "random friend/relative visits for a meal" format?   I know that Ree, Giada, Valerie Bertinelli, Molly, Ina, Tricia Yearwood, Delicious Miss Brown can't keep people OUT of their homes.  Do the male hosts do the guest-walks-in-for-a-meal thing and then have to make sappy small talk? 

Another reason that I hate the way FN sets up their female vs male hosts - the females have to be smiling nurturers, happy to cook and serve anyone and everyone, even leaving their kitchens to deliver goodies to neighbors.   Okay, I give Tricia some credit because she doesn't have the smile cemented in place.  Has any male host done a road trip to bring cookies to the people down the road?  They're usually just shown cooking - no smile plastered on their face.  Ugh.

Edited April 6, 2020 by patty1h
It's Ina, not Ida

[goldenpuppy]

I watched GMF today , I still like Molly but her over the top non stop grinning and now over the top happy stuff is cringeworthy !  
 

As usual , FN takes a nice , likable  female cook an and turns them annoying and goofy !

[Door County Cherry]

7 hours ago, patty1h said:

I can't answer my own question but do the home-based shows that the men host have the "random friend/relative visits for a meal" format? 

I can't really think of a current "at home" series on the FN that is hosted by a male.  I think the closest is Guy's something or other (big bites?).  The premise of that show is that he has chef friends prepare dishes in a tent(?) based on a theme so I guess technically the chefs are the guests but they're also the chefs because I don't think I've ever seen Guy cook on the show. 

When guys did have their at home shows, I don't think this sort of "having friends over" was as in style as it is right now.  I could be wrong but I think Ina might have been the chef who brought that style in. 

[patty1h]

I just made myself watch an episode of Brunch with Bobby and observed it carefully to compare it to what I see on the female-hosted shows.  Bobby did not keep a goony smile on his face, did not spin a story about how he got this recipe from Grandma, and not one guest showed up.  Bobby just cooked and explained the steps in a conversational way.

[Door County Cherry]

1 hour ago, patty1h said:

I just made myself watch an episode of Brunch with Bobby and observed it carefully to compare it to what I see on the female-hosted shows.  Bobby did not keep a goony smile on his face, did not spin a story about how he got this recipe from Grandma, and not one guest showed up.  Bobby just cooked and explained the steps in a conversational way.

But Brunch with Bobby started over 10 years ago and hasn't had new episodes in 3 years. And I think that show was one of the last of that type hosted by a guy.

[Kohola3]

Wow, that dill flatbread looked yummy but a lot of trouble to make.  Might try it once, though.  Dill is my favorite herb and love lavender as well so a couple of good recipes for me to try.

[Door County Cherry]

More sprinkles!

But that marinade she put on the pork looked good.

[biakbiak]

44 minutes ago, Door County Cherry said:

But that marinade she put on the pork looked good.

Yep. he filling looked great but sweet enough without adding the sugar but I think I’ll try it with a more traditional bun because her overall buns seemed way to sweet.

Edited April 20, 2020 by biakbiak

[Door County Cherry]

I also wonder how it'd be with chicken. 

[buttersister]

I love char sui bao (her pork buns)! In Chinatown, my former favorite dim sum place changed chefs and put that sweet topping on the buns, because that's how they like it in Hong Kong. I prefer just having a swipe of egg wash on top (more commonly served here). That's what I'd be doing😉 I imagine it would work with chicken thighs.

[patty1h]

I think that popcorn salad was just a waste of food and the act of someone who has run out of ideas/grasping for content.  Popcorn mixed with carrots, cheese, green beans, celery in a mayo/Dijon dressing....  Yack.

EDIT:  After I posted this, I went to Google and put in "popcorn salad" and was surprised to learn that Molly didn't invent this.  Some of the other recipes for this dish  include things like bacon and water chestnuts.  Double yack.

Edited April 26, 2020 by patty1h

[Kohola3]

Wouldn't the popcorn get soggy in the dressing?  I love popcorn in tomato soup but put it in a few pieces at a time because it just soaks up the soup otherwise.

[Door County Cherry]

I'm sure it existed but as a midwestern all my life and having had (or at least seen) various forms of mayo-based salad, popcorn salad was new to me.  And yeah, I would think it'd mess with texture. 

[biakbiak]

Despite her love of sprinkles and cutesy demeanor I usually find at least one recipe or idea on her shows I am Interested in but everything on this episode looked gross. She even made one of my favorite kind of cakes, coconut, look unappetizing. 

[Kohola3]

I'd make the salad but without the popcorn - I love carrots and snap peas.  She says the popcorn is a midwestern thing but not in my area, that's for sure.

[Gramto6]

7 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

I'd make the salad but without the popcorn - I love carrots and snap peas.  She says the popcorn is a midwestern thing but not in my area, that's for sure.

Yeah, w/out the popcorn, not a bad salad. But with it, a big YUK! It sounds more like something The Pioneer Woman would make. Too bad Ree, Molly beat you to it! 🤣

[buttersister]

Did a search engine look. Yep, popcorn salad recipes, like crunchy corn salads, I guess. Never going to happen here, though. 

[Gramto6]

26 minutes ago, buttersister said:

Did a search engine look. Yep, popcorn salad recipes, like crunchy corn salads, I guess. Never going to happen here, though. 

Here either!!

[Automne]

Molly really isn’t making a case for Midwestern food and it makes me miss Amy Thielen’s show even more. I’m not Midwestern (though my paternal side of the family are all Ohioans), but I like seeing overlooked regional cuisines. But Molly showcases the things that make Midwestern food a punchline and not something that makes somebody who lives in NYC, New England, the Southeast, and Southwest (areas with well-known delicious regional cuisines) want to try Midwestern food.

[Sue McG]

Yes, I miss Amy! Much more interesting, actual midwest recipies, smiles appropriately, no sprinkles or dancing food!

[buttersister]

7 hours ago, Automne said:

Amy Thielen’s show

Yes! Really liked watching her and liked her approach. 

Tater tot hot dish? Punchline, sure, but at least tots are hot again! (At least on Chicago menus.)

[biakbiak]

I almost died of shock when Molly put a normal amount of tequila in the palomas rather than the teaspoon a person she usually does!

[Kohola3]

Do I like fried foods? Yeah, a few but I never, ever fry at home. I cannot stand the smell of grease in my house and it just lingers forever.  Ugh.

[chessiegal]

I thought the potato latkes looked good. I'm sure you can make them doing a sauté rather than using so much oil.

[pdlinda]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

Do I like fried foods? Yeah, a few but I never, ever fry at home. I cannot stand the smell of grease in my house and it just lingers forever.  Ugh.

Totally agree.  Also, "invisible" splatter from the cooking oil tends to stick to the walls and floor of the kitchen that are almost impossible to remove.

[goldenpuppy]

Ugh! Molly is now annoying ! FN has made sure she is goofy  and grinning all the time and acting like she’s been smoking weed or doing some good drugs which are making everything s-o-o-o-o    g-o-o-d!  
 
Now there is not one “oh yah” at the beginning of her show, but two ! 
 

She used to be  so real and cute, now she needs to have an intro to each food  looking camera ready and with some goofy comments .

And her over the top giggling and grinning is cringeworthy! 

Why does FN need to ruin nice , real , interesting people ? 

Over the last few weeks I’ve watched a few episodes of  Rachael Ray from her home .  Besides the fact that at times I think that she and her scruffy husband are drunk during the  shows on his cocktails , she is so much less annoying than she was on her newest 30 minute meals . She’s almost likable again .

So, it’s obvious FN is telling Molly to grin non stop and be over the top thrilled and to also involve her husband in  the silly segments . Did he really need to help her pound the chicken ? And did we need to see him buying beer ?

i am still watching for now , but this show has sadly turning annoying ! 

[patty1h]

I agree 100%.  Every episode has her crow-barring some friend/relative/husband in - so not necessary.  TFN will not give up their cookie-cutter show rules so we get to see Molly always smiling during:  brunch club, bowling friends, farmer lunches, musician friends, mom visit, dad visit, sister visit, in-laws.   Revolving door of people to cook for/with.

I was also annoyed to see her husband whaling on that chicken today, then he just disappears.  I guess they're using the Ree Drummond formula for Molly's show - throw in the husband every 3-4 episodes.  Do they think the audience needs a periodic hit of male eye candy?  Nothanksdon'tcare.

I wasn't raised on midwestern cooking, so forgive me if I don't see the appeal of pickles covered in cheese and fried in an eggroll wrapper.   Yes, deep fried anything is usually good, but I'm straining to see the appeal of this one.  I find myself tensing up every time Molly chirps "let me taste!" whatever she made this week.  Why?!

Edited May 10, 2020 by patty1h

[pdlinda]

23 minutes ago, goldenpuppy said:

So, it’s obvious FN is telling Molly to grin non stop and be over the top thrilled and to also involve her husband in  the silly segments . Did he really need to help her pound the chicken ? And did we need to see him buying beer ?

Why do I think there's a direct correlation between forced, contrived "cuteness" and what the FN perceives to be show "success?"  I read they signed Molly to a long-term contract.  I believe she's being paid "big bucks" to do what management "suggests."  It might also be the death knell of what was really an authentically enjoyable show when it came on air.

[patty1h]

It may seem that I'm ragging on Molly, but I feel the same way about other FN shows where we are force-fed content that is not necessary to the scope of the show/there is no cooking happening. 

I also dislike those taped inserted shots of Jeffrey running aroubd the Hamptons picking up cheese and flowers for Ina and acting like he doesn't know that a camera crew was sent ahead and set up in the local cheese shop, or we're shown Jade and her friends (or hired kids?) running on the beach between shots of Giada cooking, or Delicious Miss Brown has her mother come by to taste Grandma's special recipe.  Yet, I watch.

[Kohola3]

58 minutes ago, goldenpuppy said:

i am still watching for now , but this show has sadly turning annoying !

I DVR it and then fast forward to parts I can tolerate.  She was so likable at the beginning, and I love her simple kitchen with the old fashioned electric stove.  But I agree that she's gone over the top with the giggly, little girl affectations.  There are lots of ways to present her recipes with smiles but right now she just look like she's overdosed on antidepressants.

At least there were no sprinkles on this episode. 

[chessiegal]

Sometimes when I'm looking for a snack, I'll take a dill pickle and wrap it in a slice of Swiss cheese, so her pickle cheese concoction looked good to me.

[Aunt Catfish]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

I DVR it and then fast forward to parts I can tolerate.  She was so likable at the beginning, and I love her simple kitchen with the old fashioned electric stove.  But I agree that she's gone over the top with the giggly, little girl affectations.  There are lots of ways to present her recipes with smiles but right now she just look like she's overdosed on antidepressants.

At least there were no sprinkles on this episode. 

Yes, it would be nice if the people in charge would let Molly be more natural.  She has a charm all her own.  I don't know about you all, but I do not like to eat those blasted sprinkles!!!  They are cute and that is all.

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Sometimes when I'm looking for a snack, I'll take a dill pickle and wrap it in a slice of Swiss cheese, so her pickle cheese concoction looked good to me.

My favorite snack since childhood is a dill pickle, cheese, rolled up with a slice of ham with mustard on it, so it looked good to me.

I have actually been frying more since quarantine because fried foods don’t travel as well and I have been craving certain things I don’t normally do like onion rings. I haven’t found a problem with the smell or cleaning up the oil residue.

My latke method is similar, I sometimes make them to use as a base for eggs Benedict when I use smoked salmon. Love schnitzel so I might try that since I just finished fermenting some sauerkraut. 

[chessiegal]

Sometimes I would add a turkey slice to the pickle and cheese. So where do you find wonton wrappers in the grocery store?

[biakbiak]

2 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

Sometimes I would add a turkey slice to the pickle and cheese. So where do you find wonton wrappers in the grocery store?

I’ve noticed it depends on the store but in one of the refrigerated sections either dairy or deli. 

[Door County Cherry]

4 hours ago, patty1h said:

I was also annoyed to see her husband whaling on that chicken today, then he just disappears. 

He disappeared because this was essentially a "clip show" of recipes put together from previous episodes. Both the intro to each segment plus the fact that she changed her clothes for every segment gave it away. That's what annoyed me the most.  Don't package together old segments and call them "new." 

I'm not a pickle fan but I don't find that any stranger than stuffing jalapeno peppers with cream cheese, frying them and serving them. 

[Gramto6]

8 hours ago, goldenpuppy said:

Ugh! Molly is now annoying ! FN has made sure she is goofy  and grinning all the time and acting like she’s been smoking weed or doing some good drugs which are making everything s-o-o-o-o    g-o-o-d!  
 
Now there is not one “oh yah” at the beginning of her show, but two ! 
 

She used to be  so real and cute, now she needs to have an intro to each food  looking camera ready and with some goofy comments .

And her over the top giggling and grinning is cringeworthy! 

Why does FN need to ruin nice , real , interesting people ? 

 

I so agree, when I first saw this show she was cute and engaging and I enjoyed watching her cook. Now it is so fake and exaggerated that I don't even want to watch any more. Please wipe the stupid grin off her face...please....

[Kelly]

I agree with much that has been said about Molly and her show...the only thing I could add is that I wish she’d use some different words for describing her food...I’m so tired of everything being described with sweet, creamy, crispy, yummy.  🤨

Edited May 11, 2020 by Kelly

[buttersister]

Oh yeh! Long-time fan of Molly's blog and have a Kindle version of Home on the Range (was $1.99, thanks, Book Bub), and even I have issues Food Network Molly. Was she always a smiler? Yep. And enthusiastic? You bet. Cheeky, too, and you don't see much of that anymore. So while they're trying to Jeff-i-fy* Eggboy, I laugh to think of FN execs brainstorming ways to work in Molly's friends and neighbors like Ina's (is there a florist in town?). At least that will be happening less in near-future eps.

*Jeffrey Garten is a world-reknown economist, professor and author. It's incredible that he can find his way around a cheese shop.

[patty1h]

Today's show was off-the-charts full of Molly mess.   It was another "X visits and cooks with Molly" - her two sisters showed up and they made several sweet recipes.  They made blondies, Rice Krispie treats, fortune cookies and sprinkles were thrown on just about everything. 

I swear, Molly's cheeks and jaws must ache after a taping session from keeping the sappy grin on at full force.

[buttersister]

No interest in the recipes, but I'd rather meet her sisters than some random pals (at a glance, one sister looked exactly like their mom). But I was impressed with intro shots of Molly in the pink top, hair down. Makeup looked completely different (better) than usual.

[biakbiak]

5 hours ago, buttersister said:

But I was impressed with intro shots of Molly in the pink top, hair down. Makeup looked completely different (better) than usual.

Pretty sure it’s because she did it herself and didn’t have a hair and makeup team and she was filming it without a crew to tie all the previously filmed segments together to produce a “new” show during this time. 

[AAEBoiler]

It was very jarring switching between the middle parted long hair to the pony-tailed look. It was almost like ht episode was hosted by a different person. Weird.

[Kohola3]

14 hours ago, buttersister said:

But I was impressed with intro shots of Molly in the pink top, hair down. Makeup looked completely different (better) than usual.

I like that as well.  And it also makes me appreciate the fact that she ties back her hair when cooking. I hate the ones (looking at you Ree) that let their hair swing over bowls and plates.  Ugh.

[Refresh]

On 5/10/2020 at 11:36 AM, goldenpuppy said:

She used to be  so real and cute, now she needs to have an intro to each food  looking camera ready and with some goofy comments .

And her over the top giggling and grinning is cringeworthy! 

Why does FN need to ruin nice , real , interesting people ? 

I have onDemand so I went back and watched a few episodes from Season 1 & 2. I liked those. The overthetop-ness of TV Molly is so apparent. She was happy and quirky but there wasn't the constant smiling and chirpiness at level 11.  

It's frustrating because I generally like her and she knows what she's doing.  I used to watch the shows right away but now they just sit waiting for when I am really bored. 

Also, she's using more pre-made things.  Where she would made dough before she's buying it.  I know it's about FN paying the bills, but it still bugs me. Like where she would make caramel before, she's buying packaged caramels and melting them. (Unwrapping those freaking things takes longer than making actual caramel on the stove if you ask me.)

Or she makes something off camera (like the pita bread, which she made in an earlier episode but why not go over it again?).  It's not everything but it's noticeable.

On 4/5/2020 at 1:10 PM, patty1h said:

Has any male host done a road trip to bring cookies to the people down the road?  They're usually just shown cooking - no smile plastered on their face.  Ugh.

Nope. Not in years (as has been said above). The male hosts have their own pigeonhole where they have to travel and visit food establishments/restaurants. Because they're men you see, they can leave the home and don't have to stay home to take care of the family. (saying this sarcastically if it wasn't obvious) They have man chef cred because well, they're men. So they get to go into those big, scary restaurant kitchens with the big stainless steel bowls (not cute pink ones you guys!) and talk to the tatted cooks who grin and bear it because FN is a ticket generator. 

[Aunt Catfish]

On 5/17/2020 at 1:50 PM, patty1h said:

Today's show was off-the-charts full of Molly mess.   It was another "X visits and cooks with Molly" - her two sisters showed up and they made several sweet recipes.  They made blondies, Rice Krispie treats, fortune cookies and sprinkles were thrown on just about everything. 

I swear, Molly's cheeks and jaws must ache after a taping session from keeping the sappy grin on at full force.

Who brought the insulin?