‘Food Network’ Articles at Sweetnicks

The Day We Attended a Taping of The Kitchen

July 29, 2018 · Narrative

The Kitchen is one of the few cooking shows that I record, so when a friend asked if I wanted to go to a taping with her, I was all in. I love the chefs and how they interact with each other, and equally love how most of the recipes they share are super simple to make and usually don’t require a massive tri-state area hunt for exotic ingredients. If you’re not familiar with the show, the chefs are Katie Lee, Sunny Anderson, Jeff Mauro, and Geoffrey Zakarian.

And now, after attending the taping, I love them even more. They were seriously so funny to watch. Jeff and Sunny act like misbehaving teenagers, with Geoffrey playing the role of the strict dad. They clearly love what they do, and their passion is evident, and as an audience member, it was definitely a good time.

Despite the fact that Food Network is based in New York, The Kitchen, surprisingly, tapes in Montclair, which meant a super easy drive and on-street, metered parking. Hurrah! In fact, I scored the first space right in front of the studio and the meters are good for three hours (without you having to rush out mid-taping to refeed them), so it was perfect. Our taping started at 9, and you waited outside until the very dot of 9, so keep that in mind if you happen to visit during inclement weather.

A staffer checked our ID before we were ushered into the small audience area and we grabbed a seat on the folding chairs. When I say “small,” I’m not kidding. There were five rows of chairs, about six seats across, so the audience for each taping is minimal. The chairs are fairly close together, and there isn’t really optimal viewing from every seat, so you may find yourself watching the large tv screen in the room more than you’re watching the actual people. I vacillated between both, sneaking peeks in between the people sitting in front of me. I heard the ladies in the last row complain about the fact that they couldn’t see that well … and yet they refused to fill out a feedback form at the end of taping. Go figure.

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Recipe: S’mores Truffles

March 15, 2017 · Narrative

Delicious bite size sweet treats, with only five ingredients, these S’mores Truffles are sure to please.

A million years ago, when my ex-husband and I were dating, I had a truffle recipe in heavy rotation. I remember making it for his sister and his dad when we were deep in the throes of courtship. You know, that all important time when you feel the need to impress your significant other’s family. I made that recipe so many times over a period of a few years, sharing it also with friends and neighbors, that you’d think I would have committed it to memory.

Well, you’d be wrong. Very little then or now is ever committed to memory.

And over the years, and countless moves, I lost the recipe long ago.

A few weeks ago, I was watching an episode of Food Network’s, The Kitchen, and saw Sunny Anderson make an easy recipe for S’mores Truffles. The show’s theme for the day featured recipes that were five ingredients or less, and I made a mental note to make this one.

And after receiving a massive amount of snow this week (15″ in one day!), and being housebound since Monday, this week was the perfect time to try out the recipe.

Before Snowstorm Stella came, I made sure I had the ingredients for these truffles on hand, but the ingredients are basic enough that you might already have on hand. Although this is an easy recipe, because of the truffle chilling timing, it’s not something you can quickly whip up and enjoy soon after. But with a little bit of planning, you can be indulging your sweet tooth just a few hours later. Don’t let that deter you from making the truffles … I just usually miss the “chill for three hours,” and hate the surprise of missing instant gratification.

The recipe calls for nearly burning the marshmallows and, I’ve got to be honest, that was so hard for me to do. Because our inclination is to take them out and enjoy them when they’re in this stage, right?

And I did. And I picked a few off the end and popped them into my mouth (and have three blisters on my fingers to prove it). But I put them back in to give them another minute to get to the blacker stage the recipe called for. I *think* that is requested because it makes the marshmallows easier to crumble into the graham crackers, and it also gives the finished truffle the tiniest hint of campfire smokiness.

So, you know, follow the directions.

Truffles are in the fudge family, where a little bite goes a long way, so these are best enjoyed with several small nibbles. If you pop the whole thing in your mouth, you will no doubt proclaim them too sweet. Despite that, my snow shovelers popped several in their mouths when they came back from their hours of shoveling.

PS You can watch Sunny making the truffles right here.

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Recipe: Ina Garten’s Meatballs

April 29, 2016 · Meat and Poultry, Narrative

Juicy, tender, and oh so easy to make, these are meatballs you’ll want in your life.

This week has seriously been a bit of a blur.

Madeline makes her First Communion tomorrow, and there has been a rush of last minute activities.

Finding a cross topper for the homemade cake she requested for dessert.

Mani/pedi appointments with one of her best friends.

Figuring out the menu for the after-party.

Rehearsal at the church.

Coordinating rides and drop-off times for the friends going with us.

Trying on that special dress one last time.

Hair cuts tonight.

A sleepover with the same bestie since they’re making Communion together tomorrow.

We have affectionately called this week Communion Week.

It’s much like the flurry of activity right before you get married. So much excitement, and fun, and nerves.

But very much all good times.

Madeline is positively gleeful about tomorrow, and a wee bit nervous, but seriously cannot wait.

Pictures to come!

Natch.

So in periods like this, I am forever grateful for a well-stocked freezer and the fortitude to (sometimes, but not always) think ahead.

I made a new recipe for a client that yielded me a dozen Egg Cups, which is perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast.

I made two Broccoli Pies (one to keep, and one to repay a favor), which makes a delicious and easy lunch.

And meatballs.

These meatballs.

I originally made them to celebrate #NationalMeatballDay last month. More specifically, I made a ginormous batch of them for our Girl Scout dinner, and saved some for Nick to have as part of a sandwich that night for his own dinner. AND I froze a bunch of them, which means dinner during this crazy COMMUNION WEEK has been made that much simpler. …

Recipe: Pasta with Bacon & Leeks {Food Network}

March 27, 2014 · Narrative

A quick pasta dinner where bacon shines … kid-friendly, adult-approved, and perfect for company.

I’ve got to say, I might have salivated a little when I saw the most recent issue of Food Network magazine.

I mean.

Really.

Bacon.

It’s like they’re IN MY HEAD.

When it arrived, we were in the midst of planning a dinner with friends. Chrissie saw the cover recipe and said, “Make that, I’m coming.”

Loosely quoted.

And then there was a plan.

You know the whole spiel that you shouldn’t try out new recipes on company, right?

I threw caution to the wind.

Spit in the face of failure.

And delivered a delicious meal in the process.

Would you believe I’ve never had leeks?

True story.

This was my first time, and they couldn’t have been easier to prepare and blended so nicely with the heavy cream.

Seriously, though, is heavy cream ever not gonna work?

Especially when you pair it with the likes of bacon.

The crispier the better.

The recipe said 15 minutes, and it was spot on. Which meant it was perfect for entertaining. We chatted in the kitchen while I made it and put the finishing touches on the rest of our meal. It wasn’t a high-maintenance dish, which means it didn’t go south when we started talking about boys, ex-husbands, school bullies, and tattoo adventures.

Which is pretty much my favorite kind of recipe. Who needs high maintenance?

The only thing I changed was to add more bacon. Because. Well, bacon. And also because, as we rationalized, as a recipe from the BACON issue, and a dish that had BACON in its name, four slices just weren’t gonna cut it.

So I think I added seven.

It might have needed even more.

And our starter? These bacon-wrapped jalapenos. And, um, the entire plate of everything was gone by the end of the night.

Pretty much my favorite way to end a dinner with friends.

Make it!

Hungry for more bacon recipes?
These Flourless Peanut Butter & Bacon Cookies are so light and so good!
Our dogs go crazy for these homemade Peanut Butter & Bacon treats and I bet yours will too.
This Hot Bacon and Cheese Dip is pretty much my favorite.
Bacon Cracker Appetizers … addicting!

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Recipe: Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower

February 10, 2014 · Narrative

A super simple cauliflower recipe made in a way that you’ve never seen it before. Indian flavors, two steps, pure deliciousness.

To say I have a new appreciation for cauliflower would be an understatement. Or, at the very least, an appreciation for turning cauliflower into something completely unique and different than how it originally started out. So when my friend Cathy sent me a recipe for a spicy whole roasted cauliflower, it immediately got added to my list of things to make.

Natch.

Gone are the days when we just had straight up cauliflower smothered in melted cheese. Now we’re turning cauliflower into breadsticks and pizza, risotto and mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and steak. In fact, I even have a cheddar and bacon cauliflower pancake recipe coming soon. I made tonight’s cauliflower recipe on Friday, and it ended up coming in handy this weekend. The basic premise of the recipe is you mix Greek yogurt with a handful of spices, cover the cauliflower with this marinade, and bake it in the oven for about 30-40 minutes. It could not get simpler than that, and beyond the simplicity of the recipe, I love the flexibility of it. Although the spices I used are Indian-influenced, you could mix and match any flavor profile you want. Make a Greek version with some oregano and lemon juice. Or perhaps an Italian version with oregano and basil, with maybe some sun-dried tomatoes thrown in for good measure. I honestly don’t think this recipe can be screwed up.

I made it on a night when I needed something easy that required pretty much no thought and ingredients I had on hand already. I didn’t have a dinner plan ready, and Nick had a dance to go to that night. I made the kids a tray of roasted broccoli (they’re not cauliflower converts … yet), and this for me. Leftover ribs for protein.

Now for the cauliflower story from this weekend… I spent Saturday at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) campus in Hyde Park (more details on that coming later this week), and one of the things we did while we were there was to have a Chopped-style challenge. If you’re not familiar with the Food Network show Chopped, you’re basically handed a basket of ingredients and have to make something amazing with it. I, along with three other team members, was handed a basket that had broccoli, kale, bulgur, lettuce, cauliflower, oranges, and Greek yogurt. All those specific ingredients had to be used to create one main dish and one side dish in an hour, and we could also use any Jones Dairy Farm products we wanted, along with any herbs and spices in the CIA kitchen.

Once I saw the cauliflower and the Greek yogurt, it was a no-brainer, and I took the reins for making the side dish, while the other three team members worked on our main course.

There was a team of CIA chefs in the kitchen during our one hour of cooking time, offering assistance as we needed it, and doing some taste testing along the way. Two of the chefs were also judges, along with two members of Jones Dairy Farm. When Chef Michael came around and took a taste of my marinade (pre-bake), I watched his face for a reaction, and he said “Interesting.” I asked him “Interesting bad or interesting good?” “Just interesting. I can’t say anything else because I’m judging.”

Although I wasn’t worried, I was certainly wondering.

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Recipe: Seared Scallops {Alton Brown}

July 23, 2013 · Narrative

There are some things that I just don’t cook or bake, for a variety of reasons.

I generally don’t make cut-out cookies. Just.too.fiddly. Sometimes, but usually never.

Which does not really explain why I have cookie cutters.

I don’t make homemade crust (Pillsbury does a fine job of that). And I don’t own a rolling pin.

And I generally don’t make scallops.

I think I can probably count on one hand how many times I have made scallops over the last 23 years.

And might still have a finger leftover.

I love scallops, don’t get me wrong. But I think I’ve just had enough overdone scallops while dining out, that the prospect of making perfectly cooked and tender scallops just scares me. And I tend to like recipes that are a bit more forgiving. Because with the kids and the zoo running through the kitchen while I’m cooking, well, there ain’t a lot of concentration going on.

And they’re too expensive to ruin. Within minutes.

But last week, I was standing in front of the seafood counter buying crab, and all the sudden I saw them.

Big, plump, white scallops.

And I caved.

And then I was home, with scallops, and no recipe.

Folks, Google is your friend.

One of the first recipes that popped up was Alton Brown’s for Seared Scallops. A quick scan of the (basic) ingredients showed I had everything else that was needed, and it only took minutes to make.

I psyched myself up, gave the kids their dinner (they wanted no part of scallops), and got to work.

I followed the directions.

Completely.

Didn’t multitask.

At all.

And ended up reaping the rewards.

They were done within minutes, and the perfect lean and green meal served alongside heaps of roasted broccoli. A slightly crisp outer edge, a tiny taste of salt and black pepper, and all ’round tenderness once you took a bite.

Armed with this recipe, I will never shy away from making scallops at home again.

Hungry for more scallop recipes?
This was an OMG recipe that is definitely worth making, inspired by Julia Child.
This version is light and healthy and sits atop a bed of couscous.
This Scallop Casserole is one dish that my Dad loves, and for many years, it was served on Christmas Eve, as part of our Feast of Seven Fishes.

Tomorrow? A review on a new frozen yogurt place.

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ISO Your Creativity {Foods from Chile}

April 22, 2013 · Ad-Free, Narrative

So when I opened the box from the folks at Foods from Chile, I felt like I had walked into my very own episode of Food Network’s Chopped. Or Ready… Set… Cook with Sissy Biggers. Anyone remember that show? Man, I miss that one. We should start a petition. Or something.

Through a project with KitchenPLAY and Foods from Chile, I need to create a recipe using the below ingredients (some, all, or even just one). It’s quite an eclectic mix of food, and who knew that there were so many delicious Chilean specialties? I always think spicy when I think of Chilean foods, but their claims to food fame is way more than that…

The ingredients they sent? Fish is pretty well represented with packages of smoked trout, smoked salmon, and mussels in olive oil (oh! mussels! how do I love thee?). Also fresh fruit is in abundance with two kinds of grapes, a plum, blueberries, raisins, and prunes, along with a bottle of blueberry juice and fig chutney with merken. Finishing out the crate was some dried red chili pepper and toasted coriander, a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil (hello healthy fats!), and an avocado tool and apron.

Now here is where I need your help … Click on over to Kitchen PLAY and hit me with your best shot. I need ideas on a recipe to create with these Foods from Chile. Thankfully, not every ingredient has to be used, which is a big relief because I can’t imagine the recipe that could make all of these ingredients play together in one dish. If I or one of the other bloggers participating use your idea as my inspiration, you’ll get your very own bag of goodies containing Foods from Chile (valued at $30)! You have until 11:59 p.m. on April 25th. We will all be posting the winning final dishes on May 7th.

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Review: The Pop Shop {Collingswood, New Jersey}

December 28, 2012 · Narrative

Now if you happen to find yourself at the Adventure Aquarium and need a bite to eat, you’re in the perfect area to check out The Pop Shop. Located just four miles away in the cute downtown of Collingswood, it’s a little throwback joint that has received some national acclaim by being featured on Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay. If you’re not familiar with the show, the chosen restaurant dishes up the dish that they are most known for, and Flay then competes, using all of his chef prowess (and two helpers) in a throwdown, to see whose end product really is the best. When The Pop Shop competed, it was with their grilled cheese (they offer 31 varieties of it!).

But beyond the brush with fame, The Pop Shop was popular in its own right. Soda fountains, decorating reminiscent of the 1950s, and breakfast served all day, it’s a cute spot with a fun, cheery vibe. They have won numerous “best of” awards for their pancakes and their grilled cheese. On street parking and an easy-to-find location, we were lucky enough to snag a booth with no waiting. Although we had to ask for them, they have soda jerk hats and crayons to keep the kids busy while waiting for food.

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Recipes: Game Day Nachos {Or Any Day!}

September 21, 2012 · Narrative

Just about a month ago, my stepdaughter (The Ex’s daughter) was coming over for dinner and I was trying to menu plan. Because the kids weren’t with me during the day, I figured I would take advantage of the extra time and cook up a few different things.

I love planning a menu of finger food items, which is exactly why the appetizer section of a restaurant menu is always where I look first. And for the kids, planning an at-home menu of just appetizers is a chance for tasting many small bites, and at the same time, it gives me a chance to try out a few new recipes. So this particular night was all about the finger food. We opened up the coffee table, sat on the floor, found a movie we could all agree on (for the record, Soul Surfer, which everyone loved, especially Madeline, and what a good message for all), and chowed down.

Nick is a sucker for nachos. Any kind. I first spied this recipe for Big Dish O’Nachos in the April issue of Food Network magazine. It’s the first time I’ve made nachos in my cast iron skillet (and I do love another excuse to dig it out, although I hate cleaning it) and the first time I’ve seen a recipe that called for layering the cheese amongst the chips. Which totally make sense. I mean, really, who doesn’t need more cheese?

Although it has a couple extra steps, it really is super simple and didn’t take more than the 30 minutes the recipe called for. And we got through eating probably a little more than half of it (and would have eaten more had we not had two other dishes on the table, competing for real estate in our bellies). Whether you fancy a laid-back evening of appetizers in your living room, or are looking for the perfect food for Game Day, give these nachos a whirl.

Alright folks, that’s a wrap on the week. I have a to-do list a mile long that I have every hope of getting through. Well, getting through at least half of it anyway. xoxo

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Recipe: Alton Brown’s Roasted Vegetable Spread

August 30, 2012 · Narrative

One of my favorite ways to start a lazy Sunday morning is by stopping at a local bagel shop that Mystic turned me on to.

Toasted salt bagel with smoked salmon spread.

That with an iced coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts.

And the Sunday newspaper.

Pure perfection.

And we have done that for many, many Sundays during the course of our relationship.

Except for the past six months.

Because I have trying to cut back on carbs.

Emptiness that just weighs you down.

In more ways than one.

Although it’s not nearly the same, I have somewhat appeased my cravings with a whole wheat English muffin or deli flat.

Toasted.

With a homemade spread.

Or schmear, if you will.

It’s satisfying and filling, without quite so much emptiness as a big fat bagel.

And as I very nearly caved in a “screw it, one in six months is no big deal” moment this weekend, I didn’t.

Because once you hop back on that train, it’s hard to find where it ends.

So instead, I visited the Thomas’ retail outlet and stocked up on whole grain english muffins.

And made this spread.

And all was right with the world.

Or the breakfast eating corner of it.

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Recipe: All-Purpose Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder {and a Melissa d’Arabian Cookbook Giveaway!}

August 14, 2012 · Narrative

Is that not the most gorgeous picture ever? It makes me want to make the recipe all over again.

Melissa d’Arabian first burst onto the public food scene when she competed on The Next Food Network Star a few years ago. I watched as she held her own against other, sometimes more flamboyant and edgy, competitors, staying the course. She went on to win the competition, earning herself her very own spot on the Food Network line-up.

Her point of view? Ten dollar dinners.

A movement I can get behind.

Especially when it’s a well-balanced meal.

That’s kid-friendly.

And features recipes that don’t have you hunting all over heck and creation to find ingredients you’ll likely never use again.

Amen.

She is a stay-at-home mom of four, who has lived in Paris. As such, her menus have many different cultural influences, and aren’t just relegated to plain, ordinary fare. She learned her frugal tendencies from her mom, who was a single mother putting herself through college and medical school, and those lessons have clearly served her well.

So when I heard that she was coming out with her first cookbook, I was all in. After looking through it, the recipe for the pork shoulder caught my eye.

And the fact that it was a slow cooker recipe, when it was still plenty hot outside, was a bonus.

Pork shoulder, white wine, onion, garlic, salt, pepper.

People, it doesn’t get easier.

It smelled heavenly a few hours in.

And once done, it shredded up in nothing flat.

It was moist, flavorful, and kid-friendly.

Which is my favorite kind of recipe.

One of the features I like best about the cookbook is that Melissa gives you suggestions for how to use the recipe. The page following the pork shoulder recipe features 10 different ways to use the meat, everything from chili and tacos to hash, turnovers, and tamale pie.

Because who wants to eat the same thing for days on end?

The cookbook includes recipes for Salmon Cakes, Four Step Chicken Piccata, Kale and Crispy Bacon Salad, Roasted Garlic and White Bean Chili, Zucchini Carpaccio, Chicken Marengo, Bulgur-Stuffed Veggies, Fennel-Onion Quiche, Provencal Tomatoes, Cheesy Popovers, Double Chocolate Pound Cake, Homemade Yogurt, and much more.

And now how about a chance to win her cookbook? It’s over 350 pages of colorful photographs, easy and delicious recipes, and as Bobby Flay said, “Melissa’s real-life experience as a wife and mom makes her the perfect person to help all of us get dinner to the table.”

Amen to that.

TO ENTER: Comment on this post and tell me your favorite chef/cook.
FOR MORE ENTRIES: … Tweet this post. Or Pin this post. (You can do that by using the handy little buttons at the bottom of this post). Or follow me on Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram, if you don’t already (and come back and tell me you did).
GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Friday, August 17th at 11pm EST
WINNER ANNOUNCED: In this upcoming weekend’s Weekend Photos in Review post
NUMBER OF WINNERS: One
FINE PRINT: The winner will be selected using random.org.

All-Purpose Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder
Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian

1 3-to-4-pound boneless pork shoulder (or 4 1/2-pound bone-in pork shoulder)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1/2 cup dry white wine

Rinse the pork, place on a cutting board, pat dry with paper towels and rub in the salt and pepper. Set the pork in the bowl of a slow cooker, scatter the onion over the pork, sprinkle in the garlic and add the wine. Cook until the meat easily pulls apart with a fork, about 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Turn off the slow cooker and transfer the pork to a platter. Use two forks to shred the meat.

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can braise the pork shoulder in a 325 degrees F oven for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.

I served ours shredded on whole wheat buns, with sliced red onion, avocado, and a bit of Dijon mustard.

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Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Greek Meatballs {Eat. Live. Be.}

April 25, 2012 · Narrative

It seems we’re on a “new meatball recipe” kick in the O’Malley household lately. Purely by happenstance. Last week, it was these Asian-inspired meatballs. Last night? It was a batch of Sweet and Spicy Greek Meatballs.

“Is there cinnamon in the meatballs?” Nick asked me after a few bites.

Um, yes.

I was honestly surprised that he was able to pick out the flavor. You could tell there was a hint of something different, but I don’t think the flavor was so pronounced that you could put your finger on it.

Someone has pretty good taste buds.

I found the recipe in the May 2012 issue of Redbook Magazine (follow them on Twitter right here > @redbookmag). It is from Food Network chef Giada De Laurentiis, and is also featured in her newest cookbook, Giada’s Weeknight Meals. Which coincidentally ended up in my Easter basket last month (thanks, Mom!).

I was intrigued in the recipe, not by a new take on the meatball because we have several that we like already, but by the marinara sauce being paired with the couscous, and the couscous being used as a binder for the meatballs.

And I kind of loved that idea.

It’s something I hadn’t seen before, and it totally worked.

On both counts.

Nick loved the couscous part with the marinara. He didn’t so much love the meatballs, but ate them.

Madeline ate everything.

Now my caveat for the recipe… couscous is used as the binder for the meatballs, and the finished dish is also plated on top of the couscous. Which kind of means that the couscous that you’re using for plating gets a little dry and clumped while you’re busy rolling, making, and cooking the meatballs. Not a huge deal, but worth noting. A little drizzle of olive oil into the couscous fixed that right up.

It wasn’t a wow, but it was a solid weeknight meal that was eaten by all at the table, and made without guilt. So that’s a plus or three.

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