What to Watch: Holiday Episodes of Iron Chef America and Chopped
Janet Rhodes, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P.
This weekend, Food Network is starting the holidays early with festive episodes. First thing Saturday morning, watch Ree throw an impromptu dinner party for her dad. Then on Trisha's Southern Kitchen, Trisha invites her friends and sister over for a cocktail party. On Giada at Home, Giada shows how she makes treats for holiday gift giving. And on a special night, watch Iron Chef America as teams of Food Network and Cooking Channel chefs face off in a battle of Holiday Ingredients Past.
On Sunday morning, start the day with Rachael's plan for easy entertaining. Afterward, Guy makes grilled lamb ribs with matching sides. Then on Southern at Heart, Damaris shows Buddy how to use bourbon to give his holiday meal with his wife a special touch. On Farmhouse Rules, Nancy Fuller hosts a dinner party with farm flair. In the evening, tune in for all-new episodes of Guy's Grocery Games and Restaurant Express, followed by a special episode of Chopped, where TV stars Antonio Sabato Jr., Dawn Wells, Anthony Anderson and Teri Hatcher cook with holiday-themed baskets.
Ree's home alone and throwing an impromptu dinner party for her dad and stepmom. She's making her dad's favorites, including Steak Oscar: fillet topped with roasted asparagus spears, juicy shrimp and a drizzle of hollandaise sauce. Mushroom Pilaf is on the side, and for dessert, Pots De Creme with Brandy Whipped Cream.
Trisha has invited her friends and sister over for a marathon party to watch Sex and the City. She cooks up easy to eat yet delicious Southern finger foods for them to enjoy while they gossip and watch the show. They cook up Warren's Chicken Bites, Cream Cheese Roll-Ups and Mamie's Teacakes for the perfect finger food menu. And they mix together a little Summer in a Cup, served in a martini glass, of course!
The perfect way to thank a host or hostess is with a homemade treat. Giada De Laurentiis makes a handful of easy and delicious recipes that can be taken to any party, like Double Ginger Cookies, Crispy Chickpeas, Spicy Rosemary Nuts, raw Goji Berry Trail Mix, Moscow Mule Cocktails and even Peanut Butter Dog Bone Treats for the host's pets. Giada also shows us how to wrap up these edible gifts in creative and fun packaging.
Three teams go head-to-head-to-head in this festive holiday battle as Iron Chefs are paired with Cooking Channel chefs: Michael Symon with Ching-He Huang, Masaharu Morimoto with G. Garvin and Jose Garces with Bobby Deen. Judges are Simon Majumdar, Karine Bakhoum and Ed Schoenfeld.
Here's everything you need for a stress-free soiree: Chutney Chicken, Potted Beef with Pears and Cipollini Onions and Horseradish Cream, Mustard-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes with Parsnips, Veal Ragu with Gorgonzola, Fancy Fisherman's Stew, and Braised Pork with Caraway, Apples and Onions.
Guy Fieri has a real cast of characters over for a cook-off, and the first challenge is Guy's grilled lamb ribs coated in a toasted spice rub, slow-roasted over a bed of onions, then finished on the grill with a rich pan sauce. If your mouth is watering now, just wait until you try them with Apricot Mint Chimichurri, a bright, sweet-savory herb sauce that takes those ribs to the next level. On the side, how about some Smashed Tri-Color Potatoes? Baked under a layer of Parmesan cheese, they're creamy inside and golden and crispy on top.
Kentucky's magical elixir is a key ingredient in this holiday-inspired dinner that Damaris creates to help Buddy give his wife an extra special holiday meal. Roasted Chicken with Bourbon Pear Butter Glaze is an easy and perfect centerpiece. Her gratin-inspired Curry Cauliflower and Rice Casserole elevates the holiday feast, which is topped off with a decadently satisfying Bourbon Pecan Cake.
Nancy Fuller's 1650s home is the perfect backdrop for an old-fashioned Dutch dinner party. Nancy's making juicy Simple Roast Chicken with Chestnut Breading, Sweet Corn Pudding and a Rustic Fruit Tart. She even swings by the local vineyard to pick up a few bottles of red for her spicy Mulled Wine. It's going to be an old-fashioned dinner party with farm flair!
Guy starts off the games by handing the chefs his unusual Grocery List, and they scramble to make their best egg dish. In the second game, the chefs struggle to figure out how to make a dinner party for four with less than $8. It all comes down to improvising when Guy swaps the shopping bags of the final two chefs: With up to $20,000 on the line, which chef will make the best gourmet lunch?
The remaining four contestants are given their biggest budget challenge: create a supper club with $1,000 and an empty restaurant shell. They first attend an auction with items that could be a big benefit during dinner service, challenging them to spend wisely for an advantage, with enough money left over for food and supplies.
Four stars who love to cook compete in the Chopped Kitchen for a favorite charity. The party begins with sparkling cider and doughnuts in the first basket. Wagyu steaks are served up for the entree round. And the final moments of the competition are filled with drama and suspense as the competitors rush to get their plum pudding desserts plated.
