Cooking Simplified: Why We Watch The Food Network

Right before Thanksgiving a friend randomly dropped me off a Turkey. It was frozen. He had gotten it as a gift from his job. He had other plans for dinner out of town so he decided I should cook the Turkey. The only flaw in that plan was I had never cooked one.

How I got this far in life without ever having to cook a turkey is a whole other story but how I managed to get the turkey cooked, well that is thanks to hours of watching the Food Network. I don't cook much but I do know a lot thanks to all the crazy shows they have available that offer good culinary advice to those of us who have never spent time in the kitchen with food other than eating it.

What Food Shows Can Teach You How To Cook?

My favorite shows to watch are Chopped and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Turns out I am not the only person in the Hudson Valley who enjoys those shows. I am going to gauge from the response I got on Facebook when I ask the question "What Food Network show would you want to be on?" that I am not the only person taking cooking lessons off the TV.

Many of you chimed in with your favorite shows that included the two mentioned above plus Rachel Ray's 30 Minute meals a great show for cooking tips. Also mentioned were Pioneer Woman, Cupcake Wars, Guys Grocery Games, and Worst Cooks. All of these shows will make you think you can conquer anything in the kitchen.

Full disclosure I did get a few tips on turkey tricks from my Aunt who has cooked a turkey for the last 50 years or so. She was the person who said to make a rack under the bird in the pan with celery and carrots. Every other trick and tip was gathered from shows I have watched on Food TV.

Try one of these Hudson Valley Speciality Shops for Your Next Recipe