Giada heads to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, to attend a spectacular bash celebrating 50 years of Disney theme park magic. With more than 3,000 VIP’s invited to a 50th anniversary celebration of Walt Disney’s first theme park, the catering team at Walt Disney World kicks into action to make sure it’s a party worthy of the Disney name. On the menu are such delectable treats as Mongolian Beef, Shrimp with Crab Claws, Two Terrific Tacos, and a Butterfinger Cheesecake that would do Mickey proud. But as the clock ticks down to the big event, the team has a lot of challenges to deal with — including a brewing storm that threatens to rain on Mickey’s parade!
Jeff Corwin uncovers tantalizing foods on his culinary quest through the Louisiana bayou, starting his journey by scouring the banks of Lake DesAlmond in search of busters, the holy grail of blue crabs. He learns local cooking methods as he prepares a spicy wild boar in a special Cajun microwave and deep fries savory gar balls made from a prehistoric looking fish. He hops on a boat with a sustainable shrimper in Terrebonne Bay to harvest shrimp they fry and eat whole on the water. Then, Jeff canoes down the Pearl River in search of wild rice to use in a goose gumbo. He gets down with the locals at a ragin’ house party with moonshine and a crawfish boil with piles of spicy seafood.
Jeff Corwin tears through Thailand exploring the unique foods indigenous to the land. He samples deadly wasp and bamboo larvae straight from the groves of Mae Hong Son, and then he and his guide use traditional bamboo materials to catch and cook catfish mixed with forest-grown greens and spices in the Pai River. Jeff veers off the beaten path in Bangkok for a feast of silk worms, grasshoppers, and live shrimp that literally “dance” into his mouth and helps prepare Moo Yaang Trang, roasted pig cooked in underground ovens, in the Trang Province. Then, in the Muslim fishing village of Palian, Jeff learns the extensive production process of fish sauce and trudges through coastline mud to harvest and eat fresh blood cockles. Loy Krathong (The Festival of Lights) and delicious street food wrap up Jeff’s culinary quest.
Chef George Stella is right at home as he cooks up a smorgasbord of his favorite Italian dishes. He assembles a beautiful antipasto platter of sliced meats and cheeses topped with fresh basil that takes only a few minutes to prepare. He makes an Anaheim shrimp scampi with spaghetti squash in lieu of pasta; a radicchio salad with a simple and light raspberry vinaigrette; and he finishes the meal off with low carb neopolitan parfaits topped with strawberries and mint for garnish.
Top 5 Tips
1. Don't peel cucumbers -- the skin is full of vitamins and nutrients.
2. Remember to buy unsweetened cocoa powder for the parfaits, not a cocoa drink mix.
3. Radicchio is a great Italian lettuce you can buy in most grocery stores. Cut the core off the bottom, throw it away, and peel off the leaves.
4. If you can't find fresh raspberries for the salad, substitute frozen ones without added sugar.
5. Stock your pantry with a low carb staple: hearts of palm.
George heads to the Far East, and returns with some low-carb inspiration. Teriyaki sesame chicken skewers, Szechuan vegetable stir fry with kim chi, bok choy and sliced bamboo shoots, a simple ginger salad with iceberg lettuce, and a Shrimp Egg Foo Young dish top his menu. Forget ordering in, start cooking!
Top 5 Tips
1. Sesame oil is a heart-healthy alternative when you want to add a nutty flavor to your dishes.
2. Since milk should be avoided on a low carb diet, eat veggies like bok choy and spinach. They’re high in calcium, so your daily intake won't suffer.
3. Sesame seeds have zero carbs and are full of fiber. Use them to coat fish as an alternative to bread crumbs.
4. Vegetable choices don't need to be limited to your everyday staples. When cooking low carb Asian cuisine, bamboo shoots, kimchee, straw mushrooms and bean sprouts are great alternatives.
5. Cook with canola oil when you want the flavor of the food to shine. Canola oil is healthy, like olive and sesame oils, without the strong flavor.
Michael gathers his best chef friends and gives them a mission - remake pot luck classics with no more than 5 ingredients, no more than 10 steps, it must be finished and ready to eat, and no exotic ingredients. Church suppers will never be the same!
Gameplan Day of Potluck Challenge:
Peel, and cut celery for Rockin’ Celery Boats
Mix, coat, and put pecan nuts in to bake for Celery Boat filling
Prepare Celery Boats for soaking, soak for crunch
Puree nuts with cream cheese, stuff into Celery Boats and top with jalapenos.
Chop, juice and dress the Ambrosia Salad
Blanche and cool green beans for Green Bean Casserole with Fried Onions
Mix, heat and reduce mushroom brandy sauce for Green Bean Casserole, mix in green beans, set aside.
Boil pasta shells, mix cheese sauce for Macaroni and Cheese My Way.
Add spinach, shrimp and bake in the oven.
Fry up onion rings to top Green Bean Casserole with Fried Onions
Wine Recommendation Chiarello Cabernet Sauvignon, Gargiulo Vineyards Pinot Grigio
Invite your friends over for appetizers that are really dinner! Instead of 2 larger dishes, we’ve got 4 small dishes with all the intense flavors you love, plus an easy dessert to just pop in your mouth. We're breaking all the rules today with this easy sit down meal.
Gameplan
2 Days Before Party
Scoop out individual balls of ice cream for Creamy Orange Bon Bons.
Melt chocolate to coat Creamy Orange Bon Bons.
Chop vegetables, combine with tomatoes and lemon juice for Gazpacho.
Coat re-frozen ice cream scoops in powdered orange, coat in melted chocolate, and re-freeze for Creamy Orange Bon-Bons.
1 Day Before Party
Coat and braise artichokes and place in oven for Roasted Artichoke Pesto on Crostini.
Saute shrimp, halibut and clams on the stovetop to combine in the Gazpacho.
Leave mixture on oven on stovetop to reduced.
Coat and refrigerate goat cheese rounds to top tomatoes for Grilled Goat cheese on Tomato Rounds.
Puree and refrigerate Roasted Artichoke Pesto.
1 Hour Before Party
Combine blue cheese and cream with other ingredients, and begin to reduce for Blue Cheese Fondue.
Skewer and marinate skirt steak for Pesto Marinated Skirt Steak Skewers with Blue Cheese Fondue.
Remove Fondue from heat. Reheat right before guests arrive.
Grill Pesto Marinated Skirt Steak Skewers.
Saute Goat Cheese Rounds for Tomato Steak, place on tomato slice, top with herb salad.
Mix seafood and popcorn with gazpacho and serve.
Eat and Enjoy!
Even cutting the tree is a party when friends gather at a Christmas tree farm for a warm and cozy meal by the fire of cioppino, roasted garlic bread, hot peppermint chocolate and Christmas cookies. Turn a Christmas chore into a unique celebration!
GamePlan
Day Before Party:
Cook sugar, blend with whipped egg whites, and assemble dough for Torrone, allow to mix in mixer for 15 minutes.
Place prepped and tin foil wrapped garlic in the oven to roast for Roasted Garlic Bread.
Finish dough for Torrone, pan it and refrigerate overnight.
Remove garlic from the oven, mash into paste and mix into a butter. Refrigerate.
2 Hour Before Party:
Begin broth and sear fish and scallops for Cioppino, allow to broth to simmer without fish for 30 minutes.
1/2 Hour Before Party:
Add fresh herbs to Cioppino, sear and remove clams, crabs and shrimp.
Mix and heat up mulled wine, pour into a pre-heated thermos.
Mix hot chocolate, pour into pre-heated thermos.
Place Schnapps, two thermos’, bread, garlic butter, Torrone, Cioppino broth, and seared fish into a preheated cooler to transport.
At Party:
Serve hot cocktails.
Grill garlic for Roasted Garlic Bread.
Reheat Cioppino broth.
Take out softened jalapeno chilies from broth and mash into a garnish.
Spread Grilled bread with garlic butter, allow it to melt and serve.
Add fish and shellfish back into Cioppino, simmer for one minute and serve.
Slice up Torrone, eat and enjoy.
Wine Recommendation
Gargiulo Vineyards Merlot
Jack asks Frederic for some fresh and easy pasta salad recipes.
Episode Guide
Below you’ll find a helpful episode guide for cooking along with Frederic and Jack, as well as tips and recipe rescues.
Equipment List:
Large pasta pot
Colander
Rubber spatula
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Pairing knife
Pepper mill
2 large bowls
Measuring spoons
Zester or vegetable peeler
Medium saucepan
Liquid measuring cup
Dry measuring cups
Wooden spoon
Tips:Cooking pasta:
Cook any type of pasta in boiling, salted water; the salt adds flavor to the otherwise bland pasta.
You need about 6 quarts of water per pound of pasta.
Stir the pasta as soon as you dump it into the boiling, salted water to keep it from sticking together.
Extra-virgin olive oil:
Produced from the first cold-pressing of olives
Has a low (less than 1%) acidity
Has a more assertive olive flavor than virgin olive oil or olive oil
No chemicals are added
In general, the most desired and most expensive type of olive oil.
Couscous:
Though couscous looks like a grain, it is in fact a tiny type of pasta.
Couscous is usually made from granules of semolina, but it can be made with other grains such as barley, corn, millet, or even crushed acorns and breadcrumbs.
Recipe Rescues:If your couscous is clumpy – Fluff it with a fork to separate the individual granules.
If your fusilli is overcooked – Drain pasta as soon as it is al dente, meaning that it is still slightly firm to bite into yet tender. Overcooked pasta is mushy and may fall apart in the salad.
To make pasta salad into a more complete meal – Serve either the pasta salad or couscous salad with chicken or shrimp.
For leftovers – Both the pasta salad and couscous salad will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.