Prime-Time Bites

TV show finale recipes from Modern Family, 30 Rock, Glee, and The Office.

From: Food Network Magazine

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Photo By: Ali Goldstein ©NBC Universal, Inc.

Photo By: Steve Giralt

Photo By: Dean Hendler ©NBC Universal, Inc.

Photo By: Steve Giralt

30 Rock

When Carvel sends diva sketch-comedy star Jenna Maroney a "Free Ice Cream for Life" card on an episode of 30 Rock this season, she enlists the help of underling Kenneth and guest star Kelsey Grammer to con the company by intentionally ordering misspelled cakes and returning them for cash. Co–executive producer Matt Hubbard says the idea for the story line came from an alleged 2010 incident involving Lindsay Lohan’s mother, Dina, and an actual free ice cream card from Carvel. "What celebrities do in real life is often inspiration for Jenna's stories," he says. "So the germ of the idea was 'What would happen if Jenna got one of those cards?'"

Ice Cream Crunch Cake

After the episode aired, Carvel appropriately sent the cast and crew a cake with "Tank You" written on top. Misspell your own message on this cake from Food Network Kitchens. (30 Rock airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.)

Get the Recipe: Ice Cream Crunch Cake

Modern Family

Fans of this family comedy will remember an episode earlier this season when precocious 12-year-old Manny has to choose how he'd like his chocolate milk: plain, as his mother, Gloria, serves it, or with a pinch of salt, as his cute new study partner, Kelly, suggests. He chooses the salted kind and hurts his mother's feelings — but we later learn that Gloria secretly agrees the salted one is delicious.

Salted Chocolate Milk

The idea came from real life, says writer Elaine Ko, who crafted the scene. "When I bake chocolate cupcakes, I add a pinch of salt even if the recipe doesn't call for it," she says. "So I thought, if it works in baking, maybe it will bring out the chocolate milk flavor, too." Try this version and see for yourself. (Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.)

Get the Recipe: Salted Chocolate Milk

Glee

Early in the season of this high school musical-comedy, glee club director Mr. Schuester offers the winners of a duet competition a free dinner for two at BreadstiX, the fictional date-night spot for kids of William McKinley High School. Rumor has it, the restaurant's bottomless salad bowl stops only if a customer passes out, and the free breadsticks can be carted out by the wheelbarrow-ful.

Garlic-Herb Breadsticks

Sound familiar? "It feels exactly like the Olive Garden," says actress Heather Morris, who plays Brittany, a glee club member and cheerleader. "But the breadsticks aren't as good. On set, they are hard and smell like dog food because they are old props." Food Network Kitchens created this recipe so you can eat better than the stars when you host your Glee party. (Glee airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.)

Get the Recipe: Garlic-Herb Breadsticks

The Office

Spoiler alert: Actor Steve Carell will leave The Office before this season's finale. We can't tell you who the new boss will be, but we can tell you the perfect thing to serve at your Office party: scones, inspired by the episode when married colleagues Jim and Pam Halpert run out of food during their baby Cece's christening reception, only to discover that their coworker Angela has been putting all of the scones in her purse.

Jumbo Maple-Pecan Scone

"When you arrive at a celebration where there are 70 people and 15 scones, it's about survival," jokes Peter Ocko, who wrote the episode. Keep guests from going hungry at your own party by serving our giant 8-inch scone — Ocko suggested the idea himself! (The Office airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.)

Get the Recipe: Jumbo Maple-Pecan Scone