For Ina Garten, good vanilla extract makes all the difference. That's why she makes her own Home Made Extract and then uses it in a showstopping Vanilla Rum Panna Cotta with Salted Caramel. She whips up a batch of Vanilla Shortbread Hearts with a vanilla glaze and bakes her moist and delicious Vanilla Cream Cheese Pound Cake. Finally, a cup of White Hot Chocolate hits the spot.
Guy Fieri searches out some neighborhood favs including the St. Louis tavern cranking out authentic international dishes like home made German spaetzle; the Virginia café where calzones are a taste of New York; BBQ at what looks like a New Jersey diner, in Arizona; and the Philadelphia area diner that's so local the regulars have their own coffee cups to help wash down the scrapple.
Three teams made up of an expert pumpkin carver, a cake artist and a sugar master compete in the first of three qualifying rounds. Zak Bagans introduces them to the famously haunted city of New Orleans and asks them to cast a sweet spell with the voodoo queen, Marie Laveau. Host Eddie Jackson and fellow judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira decide which team gets sent home.
Beautiful homes, amusement parks, rustic barns, and ornate churches all made of America?s favorite holiday treat: gingerbread! A record 300 gingerbread creations (decorated with gum drops, Necco wafers, and chow mein noodles!) were brought to this 12th annual championship in Asheville, North Carolina. Watch as participants spend months planning their structures and then cringe with every pothole as they drive their creations to the show.
From marching bands to two-story Santa balloons, there's nothing that gets a community into the holiday spirit more than a Christmas parade. Host Carla Hall challenges the baking teams to create gingerbread versions of spectacular holiday parades and incorporate a baked item made with everyone's favorite winter beverage -- hot cocoa! Judges Stephanie Boswell and Kalen Allen help decide which team will march home with $10,000.
If there's one thing Guy could eat all day, it's Italian food. And on DDD, he's tasted all kinds of authentic varieties derived from all over the boot. From scratch-made tortellini and house-cured bresaola at the Italian Corner to the native Italian chef at Cafe Citti dishin' out polenta with porcini sauce to the decadent pork sandwiches at Marie's Italian Specialties. And who could forget the legendary lobster ravioli at Rino's Place, or the out of bounds beef cheek manicotti they're serving up at Torinos' at Home? These joints are cranking out homemade Italian dishes that'll rival Nonna's home cooking.
Chef Robert Irvine heads to Starlite Restaurant and Pizza in West Orange, N.J. after receiving a plea from the owner Patty's son. Patty has worked there since she was 13 years old and considers it home, but hasn't made a profit in almost ten years despite cashing in her retirement and mortgaging her home. When Robert arrives, he finds an extremely dirty kitchen and an old-school staff that is completely unwilling to change, including Patty herself. Will Robert be able to return this beloved restaurant to its former glory, or will the Starlite shine no more?
It's back to basics on comfort food for company. If you are having people over for dinner the shortcut to making them feel right at home is to serve comfort food. It's warming, delicious, totally unexpected, and always works. Ina makes a comfort dinner to go for a friend who is renovating her kitchen. On the menu: Company Pot Roast and Baked Potatoes With Yogurt and Sour Cream Dressing. This is comfort food for company with the volume turned up.
Whether smoked, sauced or rubbed, Kelsey never met a barbecue she didn't love. Usually she satisfies her barbecue craving with a trip to her favorite local spot ... until today! Elizabeth Karmel of Hill Country Barbecue in New York is stopping by to share her essentials for barbecuing at home! Armed with Texas-sized tips and tricks, Kelsey uses a stovetop smoker to create a Spicy Sweet Potato Salad, some Garlicky Smoked Shrimp, and Tangy Coleslaw With Smoked Corn and Lime Dressing.
Holiday cookies are more than mere sweets: they are gifts, mementos of childhood, and most certainly made with pride. In this Christmas Cookie Challenge hosted by Jonathan Bennett, five confident and daring bakers compete to prove their holiday cookie-making skills. Tough-love judges Duff Goldman, Damaris Phillips, and Sherry Yard are on hand to crown the holiday cookie master, who will go home with a $10,000 prize!