It’s a weekend of celebrations, game-day get-togethers and competition on Food Network.

On Saturday Paula and her brother Bubba are preparing for a birthday celebration with lots of grilled and fried foods. On The Pioneer Woman, Ree is hosting a family game day on the ranch and she’s cooking up lunch afterward. Then Trisha’s having over her girlfriends for a game day filled with food. On Barefoot Contessa, Ina’s in Napa learning Thomas Keller’s secret to fried chicken. And finally Giada’s putting her twist on game-day grub.

Sunday morning Guy’s cooking with friends in Kentucky and he’s got a cocktail recipe to cap off the meal. Then on The Best Thing I Ever Made it’s meat lovers’ madness. Sunday evening it’s girls vs. boys on Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off as the celebrity teams must cater to groups of kids. And finally on Iron Chef America, it’s Iron Chef Michael Symon vs. Chef Celina Tio, former competitor on Season 3 of The Next Iron Chef.

Read about the shows

This weekend it’s all about cooking classic recipes with a twist, budget-friendly ideas and hard-core competition on Food Network.

On Saturday, both Paula Deen and Trisha Yearwood have a few Southern classics to share with friends and family. On Barefoot Contessa, Ina’s still on vacation in California and she’s meeting up with Tyler Florence for a date, then it’s off to a picnic with Jeffrey. On Giada at Home, Giada’s sharing her budgeting tips for making three meals out of one chicken.

Start Sunday morning off with a Cuban feast on Guy’s Big Bite. In the evening it’s off to the diner on Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off followed by an international battle on Iron Chef America.

Read about the shows

When it comes to the holidays, you must have a strong resolve to get through the rigors of gift giving, meeting the day-to-day demands of a hungry household, and entertaining a crowd. Let Food Network help you out with all three.

Don’t know what to do about gifts this season? Let Trisha show you how to make your own treats and package them. If you’re looking to refresh your winter recipe repertoire, get five brand-new ideas from Rachael. And don’t get stuck in a rut when entertaining a crowd this holiday. The chefs of The Best Thing I Ever Made are here to show you how to do it right.

Trisha’s Southern Kitchen: “Trisha’s Favorite Foods to Gift“

Trisha and her friend Kim get together in the kitchen for the classic Southern tradition of making edible gifts for the holidays. There’s Hot Corn Dip to snack on while they cook and assemble the gifts. Trisha uses nostalgic recipes like Margaret’s Raisin Bread, Slow Cooker Chocolate Candy and Peanut Brittle. You can’t go wrong with a homemade gift.

Tune in: Saturday, December 15, at 11am/10c

More shows to watch

All month long, Food Network has a bunch of holiday episodes and specials that are sure to give you some great ideas for celebrating the holidays. This weekend it’s all about entertaining family members and dear friends. Visit with Ree, Trisha and Giada as they show you how they celebrate with their loved ones. From Rachael you’ll get five great dinner recipes that you can rely on when entertaining this season. And finally, if you’re looking for the best cookie and cake recipes to serve for dessert, the chefs from All-Star Cookies and The Best Thing I Ever Made have you covered.

If you missed any of last week’s holiday episodes, be sure to check out our Program Guide to see when they air again.

The Pioneer Woman: “Christmas Is Coming“

Join the Drummond family on their ranch to see how they celebrate Christmas over three days. Ree makes Rigatoni and Meatballs, which is the perfect meal to enjoy after the work of trimming the tree. On Christmas Eve, Chocolate Mint Brownie Bites are put out for Santa in case he gets tired of all those cookies. And for a traditional ranch-style Christmas Day brunch, it’s Drop Biscuits and Sausage Gravy.

Tune in: Saturday, December 8 at 10:30am/9:30c

More holiday episodes from Trisha, Giada and Rachael

Can’t wait to start the holidays? This weekend, Food Network has all new episodes including exciting holiday specials to get you in the spirit — you won’t want to walk away from your television set.

Paula, Trisha and Jeff have new episodes showing their individual take on the holidays. Giada teams up with HGTV’s Sabrina Soto to renovate a deserving family’s kitchen and family room. In a special episode of Barefoot Contessa, Ina and her husband Jeffrey take a trip back to Brooklyn. On The Best Thing I Ever Made, watch Food Network chefs create holiday treats that are perfect for gift-giving. Plus there are new episodes of Rachael Ray’s Week in a Day, Sandra’s Restaurant Remakes and Guy’s Big Bite.

Paula’s Best Dishes: A Very Chatty Christmas

When Paula and her longtime friends, sisters Amy and Suzette, get together in the kitchen, it’s a fun-filled day of cooking and catching up on old times. Paula makes Crawfish, Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Beef Tenderloin. Amy and Suzette make an Eggplant Rice Dressing. For dessert, Paula reinvents the classic fruitcake as a bread pudding and serves it up with whiskey sauce. It’s a Southern meal worthy of the holiday, all wrapped up in love and memories.

Tune in: Saturday, December 1 at 9:30am/8:30c

More holiday specials after the jump

Trisha Yearwood is back with even more Southern charm in season two of her show, Trisha’s Southern Kitchen. Join Trisha and her family in Oklahoma as they enjoy great music, delicious food and nostalgic stories. This season will be themed around celebrations such as Southern brunch, Sunday dinner and holiday gatherings.  The show will feature old family-favorite recipes like Miss Mickey’s Peanut Butter Balls, a No-Baste No-Bother Roasted Turkey and even lighter dishes like Corn Flake Chicken With Apple Ambrosia that are light in calories yet still full of flavor. Tune in tomorrow at 11am ET/PT to watch Trisha create delicious meals and tell great stories while surrounded by family and friends.

We caught up with Trisha to get the scoop on upcoming episodes and she told us that looking ahead, viewers can expect the return of everything they enjoyed about her first season: simple, relaxed food and plenty of family and friends in the kitchen. She’s especially looking forward to preparing dishes like a Thai-inspired salad and Black Bean Lasagna for her husband, musician Garth Brooks.

Keep reading

Country music star Trisha Yearwood invites y’all into her Nashville kitchen starting tomorrow morning (10:30am/9:30c) on Food Network. She’ll cook up Southern favorites, share stories and keep her door open for family and friends.

Yesterday, Food Network Facebook, Twitter and Google+ fans got the chance to ask Trisha about her favorites, like Sunday meals, comfort foods and potluck pleasers.

@paint_it_golden on Twitter asked: What’s your favorite dish to cook on a regular basis?
TY: Basic stuff like spaghetti and black-bean lasagna.

@kongatoast on Twitter asked: What’s your favorite Sunday meal?
TY: Having roast beef, rice and gravy always reminds me of Sundays growing up.

Ann Garvin on Facebook asked: How do you plan out your weekly menu?
TY: Haha! I don’t. I have good intentions, but I never seem to plan ahead.

Read more »