What to Watch: Budget-Friendly Eats on The Kitchen and an Unusual Lesson in Flavor on Worst Cooks
This weekend it’s all about keeping things simple, fast and affordable in the new year. Up first, Ree Drummond has five-ingredient meals and sheet-pan suppers like Spanish Baked Salmon and Teriyaki Pork. Then Trisha Yearwood is planning ahead for a busy week with slow-cooker beef brisket that gets transformed into multiple meals throughout the week. After that, The Kitchen co-hosts have all the best ways to save money in the kitchen, including two easy weeknight dinners and the best mix-ins to enhance inexpensive liquor. Finally, Valerie Bertinelli is using up foods from her fridge and pantry to create money-saving meals like pot roast and stuffed mushrooms.
On Sunday morning Guy Fieri is cooking his green chile chicken burritos with rice and quick black beans for a low-cost meal. Then Giada De Laurentiis has all the ways to save some cash while you’re entertaining, including eats like Caesar salad taco bites and churros. After that, Damaris Phillips is hosting game night and serving red beans and rice topped with crispy country ham and coconut creme brulee. Next, Bobby Flay is making a brunch that is easy on the wallet, and his menu includes an Italian Egg Bread Bowl and Whipped Ricotta Toast with Quick Jam. On Sunday night it’s Part 3 of Guy's Grocery Games’ Triple D tournament, a taste test of unusual flavor pairings on Worst Cooks and a new slate of sabotages on Cutthroat Kitchen.
It's all about stunning five-ingredient meals, and up first is Ree's Chicken Fennel Bake. Next, three varieties of sheet-pan suppers: Sausage, Spanish Baked Salmon and Teriyaki Pork. Then there's Spaghetti Carbonara, Eggs in Tomatoes and, last but not least, a dreamy Veggie Tortellini Soup.
Trisha has a busy week and needs to plan ahead to stay fueled. For breakfast she makes a hearty Spinach Frittata, then takes a few minutes to prep a light but satisfying late-night dinner for when she gets home: Roasted Beet Salad and a Black Bean, Feta and Quinoa Bowl. And she makes a versatile Slow-Cooker Beef Brisket to use in a variety of meals for the rest of the week.
Learn what foods you can freeze and save — and which you should use now. Also find out how to save money in the kitchen with an economical Pork Osso Bucco, and learn how to make two easy weeknight dinners using affordable chicken thighs. Plus, demystify grocery store offers to tell if they actually save you money.
Valerie and her husband, Tom, are creating a lazy Sunday meal that allows them to use up food in their fridge and pantry to save time and money. They entertain some good friends with a menu that includes Pa V's pot roast with veggies and potatoes, Tom's Green Beans with Shallots, and Stuffed Mushrooms. For dessert, there's Apricot Clafouti and a lovely Irish coffee done Valerie's way.
Guy puts a gourmet spin on the ultimate low-cost meal: burritos. His Green Chile Chicken Burrito is packed with chicken, potatoes and peppers, smothered in chile sauce and topped with melted cheese. On the side, there's rice with Quick Black Beans and a Cilantro Lime Cream Slaw. This meal has so much flavor that you can't afford to not make it!
Giada has come up with the perfect way to host a great party without breaking the bank. Because every great party ends in the kitchen, she starts there and invites friends over to make some of their favorite dishes with her, including Caesar Salad Taco Bites, Pulled Pork Tacos, Cheater Churros and Strawberry Basil Aqua Fresca.
Damaris and her husband, Darrick, have a standing game night where they bust out their favorite board games and invite friends over for family-style food and fun. The menu features Kentucky Red Beans and Rice Topped with Crispy Country Ham, Mango Chutney Green Beans, and Coconut Creme Brulee.
Bobby is serving a brunch that's easy on the wallet but full of flavor. His straight-from-the-pantry menu features an Italian Egg Bread Bowl, a Spinach Salad with Everything Bagel Croutons and a Lemon Caper Dill Vinaigrette, Whipped Ricotta Toast with Quick Jam, and a shaken cocktail with gin and jam.
The heat is on as chefs make a hot sandwich without shopping in the meat, cheese and deli aisles. Next they're challenged to create an out-of-this-world international dish determined by tumbling dice, and finally, they must make a pork dish with wild ingredients picked out of the claw machine. The winner goes on a shopping spree for up to $20,000 and earns a slot in the tournament finale.
The recruits learn all about flavor combinations by taste testing some unlikely pairings, then the Skill Drill tests their creativity as they construct unique ice cream sandwiches. The flavor showdown continues when the recruits must create their own unique filling for empanadas, and two recruits fail to deliver.
Two chefs have to play croquet with their ingredients as they make croquettes. Then two chefs have a sumo showdown as they make yakitori. Finally, one chef has to ride on a banana boat while making bananas Foster.
