After their first week of Worst Cooks Boot Camp, the celebrity recruits had their official day of lessons and challenges in Wednesday night’s second episode. Both teams faced a Hawaiian cooking challenge, preparing not one dish, but two: an appetizer and an entree.

For those with limited culinary experience, and just 60 minutes on the clock, that’s a feat easier said than done. Unfortunately two recruits ended up being nominated for the elimination challenge, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and I Dream of Jeannie’s Barbara Eden. The one who passed the blind judging would live to see another week of grueling Boot Camp, but the other would be going home.

Remembering the sheer volume of information and finding all the tools, equipment and ingredients needed for her dishes proved to be the most-difficult part for Barbara. All the searching around and the moments of pause ended up affecting her dishes: She didn’t prepare the most-perfectly cut fish for her poke, and she burned her pork cutlet. For those reasons, Rachael put Barbara up for elimination. There she faced off against the Red Team’s bottom-performer, Mike.

After the celebs sliced and diced their way through the knife skills challenge, the mentors blind-judged the results and found Barbara’s cuts were a good effort, but they thought Mike’s were more uniform. Barbara leaves a slightly better cook than she came in, along with a check for $5,000 to her charity, PATH (People Assisting the Homeless).

Although it’s been a short time for you here on the show, how has it been overall for you?

Barbara Eden: I had a very good time — had a wonderful time. And I met some lovely, lovely people and people that I will have as a friend when I get back.

What have you learned from the experience? Do you feel that you learned a little bit to get you going?

BE: Oh, I did. I learned a lot about cooking, because I came in with absolutely zero. You know, I don’t cook at all. But, yes, I did — I learned a lot.

Do you think after this you’ll want to spend a little more time in the kitchen? Maybe take a cooking class?

BE: I may. I know indeed the two recipes that I was given here I’ll go home and do. I will for sure.

How was it working with Rachael, having her as your mentor?

BE: Oh, she’s darling. Rachael is adorable and kind and very clear in her direction, which I appreciate.

What were some of the struggles you had during the poke and pork challenge? What held you back?

BE: Oh, my goodness. I don’t know. Leaving my pork chop in the frying pan too long on one side. That was the biggest thing. Everything else was pretty good.

At one point during the cooking round, it looked as though you lost your way. Luckily Rachael swooped in to help you.

BE: Oh, I was grateful to her. ... She told me to take [the pork] out. I was very grateful to her.

Did you imagine ending up in the bottom two after that challenge?

BE: Yeah, oh, sure. I was expecting to be in the bottom all along, so it’s no surprise to me. No. I’m just happy I stuck it out as long as I did.

Were you nervous at all headed into the elimination challenge, having to do all that knife work?

BE: No, I wasn’t. I wasn’t nervous with that. Very nervous, though, with the poke and the pork. Very nervous. All those condiments and things that we had to put into the sauce. Oh, my goodness.

Do you have any regrets? Do you think you would have done anything differently?

BE: No, I don’t. I don’t think I would have at all. I gave it my all, and I guess I wish I had more skills coming in, but I don’t.

What was the camaraderie like with the other celebs? How did you enjoy being in their company?

BE: They were the finest group of people I’ve worked with. They’re just wonderful, each and every one of them. They’re all kind and good, and they help each other, which is great. They helped me.

Is there anyone in particular that you’re rooting for?

BE: Absolutely not. No, no. I don’t play favorites.

Watch Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition on Wednesdays at 9|8c.

Related Links:

Rachael Ray Returns for a Second Celebrity Edition of Worst Cooks

Anne Burrell on the New Celebrity Season of Worst Cooks on Why She Thinks Her Record Is Unbeatable

Worst Cooks in America, Season 9: Meet the Celebrity Recruits