Yearly Mauro family trips to the sun and surf of coastal Mexico have left Jeff with a love of Mexican food. Jeff likes it all, but saves a special place in his "corazon" for tacos al pastor, or slow-roasted marinated pork. Jeff brings his Spanish-fluent brother Frank with him to his favorite state-side pastor joint to learn the secrets of this delectable meat from a master. He takes what he's learned back home and makes his own version of Tacos al Pastor with readily available ingredients, stirs up a smoky and spicy Roasted Salsa for his Lime Tortilla Chips, and finishes off with a classic Mexican Torta sandwich, featuring a breaded and fried steak cutlet topped by jalapenos and cool avocado slices.
The Hungry Detective hits the streets of the Windy City as he cracks the case of the best off-the-beaten-path Chicago hot dog at a colorful restaurant on the north side known as Hot Doug's. During his investigation he also uncovers: delicious deep-dish pizza at the legendary Gino's East, with a little help from a Chicago detective; Gyro's and saganaki at Greek Island's, on a hot tip from the manager of a grocery in Chicago's Greektown neighborhood; a bargain steak dinner served up with several sides at Myron and Phil, a classic Chicago steak house that has been in business for 35 years; and down-home barbeque smack-dab in the middle of Chi-Town, courtesy of Calvin's BBQ.
Ina Garten is focusing on easy French food that you can make at home. First, her Easy Coquilles Saint Jacques is a typical French bistro take on scallops. A classic French cheese board that includes Herbed Goat Cheese and a toasted baguette is perfectly paired with Ina's Green Salad with the Ultimate French Vinaigrette. Her fancy Raspberry Tart only looks difficult to make, and a French 75 cocktail will make you think you're in France. World-famous chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud shares the secret to a perfect French Charcuterie Platter.
Christina Tosi, the incredibly creative, award-winning pastry chef and founder of the fabulous Milk Bar dessert empire, joins Ina Garten for a perfect day of cooking and conversation at the barn. Christina loves to snack, so Ina is making her Smoked Salmon Tartines with gravlax sauce to eat while they share incredible stories about life-changing career decisions, rising up through the pastry chef ranks, and dessert revelations. Then, Christina shares the secrets to assembling Milk Bar's legendary Birthday Cake and how to get professional bakery results at home.
The Kitchen hosts create a home-cooked holiday menu inspired by their own traditions, starting with Geoffrey Zakarian's Moroccan-Spiced Pork Rack paired with Katie Lee's Spinach and Three Cheese Phyllo Pie. Jeff Mauro bakes his family's favorite, Pull-Apart Parker House Rolls, and Sunny Anderson whips up an Easy Apfelkuchen, or German apple cake, inspired by her childhood. Chef and party planner Mary Guiliani shares her crowd-pleasing appetizer, Italian Pigs in a Blanket, and helps the hosts set the perfect table complete with Geoffrey's Dark and Stormy Punk and DIY party crackers.
Rachael's in her hometown of Lake Placid, exploring this exciting winter wonderland. She'll kick off the trip by stopping at Adirondack Arts & Crafts. Wanting to relive old memories, Rachael drops by Howard Johnson's for some flapjacks. Since Lake Placid was home to two Olympic games, Rachael tests her Olympic skills by ice skating, taking a sleigh ride and bobsledding. She also visits the Paradox Lodge to sample their delicious food. Rachael's last stop is Lumiere, where she and her husband John cozy up to a delicious meal--the perfect ending to this winter adventure!
Jeff and his son Lorenzo head up to the Mars Cheese Castle in Wisconsin in search of the perfect cheese. With the help of the resident cheesemonger, they taste a staggering array of cheeses and even grill a few up to check their "meltitude" to figure out which ones will accompany them back home. Once back in their kitchen, father and son get slicing as they pile up both adult and kid versions of the venerable cheese steak, and then Jeff melts down a block for cheddar for a classic Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup.
It's a breeze to join Guy Fieri in the lowcountry with these affordable ldown-home recipes. His Chicken Fried Steak with Drunken Pork Gravy is star of the table, with tenderized top fried in a crunchy, golden crust and doused in creamy pork gravy. On the side, a basket of homemade buttermilk biscuits, and a plate of Baby Glazed Carrots, round out the meal. To drink, a tart and refreshing Ruby Smash makes the perfect front porch sipper. Chicken Fried Steak with Drunken Pork Gravy; Buttermilk Biscuits; Baby Glazed Carrots; Ruby Smash.
The Kitchen has the perfect menu for a delicious date night at home! Katie Lee Biegel and Geoffrey Zakarian kickoff happy hour with Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates and a Pink French 77 before Jeff Mauro makes a special Cocoa-Chile Rubbed Salmon with Roasted Rainbow Carrot and Crispy Quinoa. Then, Geoffrey Zakarian's Warm Zucchini Salad with Almonds is sure to impress, Tiffany Derry and Stephanie Boswell from Food Network's "Hot List" 2024 join in to make a White Bolognese and Carolina Reaper Chocolate Sauce, and Sunny Anderson takes on dessert with her Easy Brownie BonBons.