Jamie's Back on the Food Network!

I'm really excited: the first chef I ever saw on the Food Network is back! Have you ever heard of the Naked Chef? (It's the food that's naked!). Jamie Oliver is a fabulous English Chef. The first time I ever watched the Food Network was while I was watching a Mariner's game with a friend years ago. During a commercial we were flipping through the channels and came across this English guy making bread dough on a counter top. He had the flour in a mound and then created a space in the middle where he added the water, salt, sugar, and yeast, and then mixed it up with his hands. We were hooked. After a couple of years and some different series, Jamie focused on some other things in England (including his family). A month or so ago I saw a commercial for a new Jamie Oliver show on FN! Happy day!


Tonight, Jamie will be battling Iron Chef Mario Batali on Food Network's Iron Chef America. The episode airs at 10pm. (If you missed it, click on the link and you'll find a list of when it airs again---6 more times in the next week!)

Then, at 11pm, Food Network is showing a sneak peek of Jamie's new show, Jamie at Home:

Jamie's back doing what he does best — cooking at home with simple, accessible ingredients, including fruits and vegetables that he recently started growing in his garden kitchen. In each episode, Jamie focuses on a specific ingredient and shows viewers several completely different recipes.

I'm looking forward to it!

Top 100 FN Recipes of 2007

The Food Network has announced the Top 100 Recipes of 2007!

They have listed all 100 recipes, plus broken them down into categories such as "Champion Chicken," "Perfect Pasta Plates," and "Spud-tacular."

The Top Ten recipes are:

1. Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

2. Baked Macaroni and Cheese

3. Good Eats Roast Turkey

4. Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup

5. Good Old Country Stuffing

6. Chicken and Rice Casserole

7. Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

8. S'more Brownies

9. Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

10. Melt-In-Your-Mouth Barbecued Ribs

They all sound good! If you are looking for something new to try for the New Year, why not start with this awesome list of 100 top recipes?

Emeril Live Cancelled!

This is sad. I am a huge Food Network fan and "Emeril Live" is the show that sort of put the channel on the map. If anything, they should cancel "Essence of Emeril." I really think he's better with the studio audience to play off of. This is a sad day!

AP: Food Network canceling `Emeril Live'---

NEW YORK - Food Network is kicking Emeril Lagasse down a notch.

The celebrity chef's "Emeril Live," which has been on the air for 10 years, will cease production Dec. 11, Food Network publicist Carrie Welch told The Associated Press.

"However, Emeril is under contract with Food Network," Welch said Tuesday. "We love him, we support him and look forward to a long partnership with him."

Welch wouldn't comment on Lagasse's contract.

Asked why the show was canceled, she told the AP: "The only reason would be that it hit a ton of television milestones and, you know, all good things come to an end."

FN will still show re-runs of "Emeril Live" and Emeril will still have "Essence of Emeril," and take place in FN Specials.

Next Food Network Star: Vote for Amy!

The only reality tv show I watch is really more of a competition: The Next Food Network Star. There is only one episode left, next Sunday night, 22 July, at 9pm.

There are two competitors left, Amy (my favorite since the beginning!) and Rory. You can vote twice a day until Tuesday July 17 at 9am/8c, once a day online and again with your cell phone. Read the rules, see videos of the contestants, and vote here.

Vote for Amy!

Photo: Food Network
She's a stay-at-home mother and attended culinary school in France. She is "The Gourmet Next Door" and is very relatable. I think she will be perfect for the Food Network because is she organized, down-to-earth, friendly, cute, smart, knowledgable, and the FN doesn't really have a French show. You can read Amy's MySpace page here.

So, go vote for Amy! Don't forget to watch the finale next Sunday, 22 July, at 9pm!