What to Watch: Back-to-School on The Kitchen, and a Pie Fight on Cooks vs. Cons
Todd Plitt
Get set for a weekend of kid-focused cooking and over-the-top competition on Food Network. On The Pioneer Woman on Saturday, Ree Drummond and her husband are heading out for the evening, so Ree’s prepping dinner for her kids at home. She'll offer make-your-own Caesar salad kits and deconstructed mixed-berry shortcakes. Then, school’s back in session on The Kitchen, where the hosts will give tips on how to turn kids’ lunchbox foods into crafts, and Justin Warner will demonstrate some easy food-based science projects. Next, two kid chefs from Kids Baking Championship are stopping by Valerie Bertinelli’s house for lunch, where she’s serving up tasty bites like grilled Italian panini and soft pretzels with a chocolate-hazelnut dip.
On Sunday, jet off to Milan with Giada De Laurentiis on Giada in Italy as she reminisces about the life of her grandfather with her great-aunt Raffy as they prepare Raffy’s favorite dish, Ziti Stufati. Later, on Guy's Grocery Games, chefs from around the world are spicing things up in Flavortown Market as they bring the heat and compete to make the best fiery dish for Guy Fieri and the judges. After that, the contestants on Chopped are competing in a chili cook-off where they’ll have to incorporate the classic American dish into each round. Then, on an all-new Cooks vs. Cons, pros and amateurs will be put to the test in two back-to-back kitchen challenges.
Ree is having a night on the town with Ladd at a big bash for the Osage Cattlemen's Convention, so she's making dinner for the kids to eat back at home. She prepares a slam-in-the-oven Mini Meatballs Pasta Bake and a kit for Make-Your-Own-Salad with Caesar Ranch Dressing. For dessert, she makes all the components to build a Mixed-Berry Shortcake.
The Kitchen Academy is back in session with Sunny Anderson's easy as 1-2-3 Pizza, banana bread recipes from Marcela Valladolid and Katie Lee, and tips on how to make kids' lunchbox foods into crafts. Then, Geoffrey Zakarian teaches Jungle Book star Neel Sethi how to make Burrata Ravioli with Fresh Tomato Sauce, Parmigiano and Basil, and Food Network's Justin Warner stops by with easy food-based science projects for your kids. Finally, comedian Carey Reilly shares "Lunchbox Cocktail" ideas using foods your children bring home from school.
It's a Kids Baking Championship reunion as Season 2 kid chefs Jane Haviland and Matthew Merril drop by for lunch! Valerie does not disappoint, making Grilled Italian Panini with Provolone, Genoa Salami, Black Forest Ham and Roast Turkey, served with Salt and Vinegar Zucchini Chips, and Soft Pretzels with Chocolate-Hazelnut Dip. As a special dessert, Valerie makes Chocolate Cupcakes with Neapolitan Frosting and the kids decorate them with treats sent by Duff Goldman.
Giada’s grandfather, Dino De Laurentiis, was one of many children from a large Italian family, but his sister Raffaella is the only sibling still alive. Giada and Aunt Raffy travel by train to visit Great-Aunt Raffy at her home in Milan and prepare her favorite baked dish, Ziti Stufati, to enjoy for lunch.
Chefs from around the world are spicing things up in Flavortown. First, the chefs must make a dish bringing some big hometown heat with a small twist. Next, chefs must bowl over the judges by making a spicy American classic. In the last round, the final two chefs make an upscale spicy dinner with a double-whammy game that will turn the heat up on the competition.
The chefs battle in a Chopped chili challenge as they put their own spin on the classic American dish. Chocolate and sausage are two of the mandatory ingredients in the appetizer round, and degrees of spiciness and levels of creativity are big factors in the entree round. For dessert, chili-inspired sweet dishes are requested.
It's sloppy joe day in the kitchen, and the pros and amateurs must use pies as the surprise ingredient. Some cooks get crusty, but for others the path to the cash prize is as easy as pie! Judges Josh Capon and Daphne Oz share cooking ghost stories in the second round, when the remaining cooks must use campfire treats in their dishes.
