Many of you know just how obsessed the girls and I are with cooking shows. We are currently besotted with both Top Chef (only 2 more episodes…boo hoo hoo!) and Chopped. The first thing out of their mouth most days when they come home from school is “Mama, is there a new Chopped?” We are so happy when we get to curl up and watch it together.
It certainly beats anything on the Disney Channel.
So for those of you unfamiliar with the rules of Chopped, I’ll explain. Four chefs compete in 3 different rounds: Appetizer, Entree, and Dessert. They are given an crazy small amount of time for each round (20, 30 and 30 minutes) and a basket with 3-4 mystery ingredients they must use to create a dish to wow a panel of three judges. A recent basket included animal crackers, fish, Chinese spinach, and Salmon Jerky for the entree round. The dessert round required them to get creative with Granola Bars, Chinese Five Spice Powder, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, and Piloncillo (a very strong dark brown sugar). After each round, the chef with the most unsuccessful dish is CHOPPED and sent packing. Last chef standing wins 10000 dollars.
It is great fun to watch.
And perhaps useful in other ways as well.
Last time my sister was here she was trying to decide when she would be leaving. She would mention one day and then the next and just couldn’t quite decide. Elena piped up with this suggestion.
“I know. Every night you can cook dinner for us. If we like it, you get to stay another day. If we don’t, we’ll chop you and you have to go home!”
Go here to give an episode of Chopped a try. Betcha you’ll be hooked just like we are!
LOL!! Elena’s solution is just too precious! I can just imagine y’all sitting around the dinner table voting on your sister’s food! So tell us….did she EVER get to go home? LOL!
Bahahahaha! Love that show as well! Elena that’s a great idea!!!!! If Ann cooks anything like you have talked about I’m positive there will be no CHOPPING of her anytime soon! Xoxo
I love that kid!! We are also fans of those shows. I was sad when Fabio was booted, I really liked him. I also enjoyed the show with Elmo, gotta love cute little Elmo!Hope you’re well. I miss you.
I may have come very close to being Chopped a couple of times.
I LOVE the show Chopped, and I’m especially loving Chopped All-Stars…those people are crazy talented. Plus, I learn about new ingredients all the time!
Elena’s idea is precious as well as priceless… out of the mouths of babes.
Mama, you’re not alone. Had this rule been in effect when I was there in October, I’m sure I would have been sent packing the first night I cooked – all because I couldn’t find her soy sauce and I was used to using coarse sea salt (which you use less of) and she had coarse Kosher (which now I know I should have used more of, but thought, since it was coarse, it would be the same as the sea salt, so I used less). It was pretty bland! But the good news is that there was enough left to doctor up for the second night, and then it wasn’t so bad! I’m really nervous now, though, for the next visit!
HAHAHAHA!!!! I think that’s what I’m going to tell the grandparents when they come to see the baby!
why thank you for the link! and that elena is HILARIOUS! glad to hear a smile in your words. xxoo
It was so nice to meet you and your sister today as we got our tootsies prettied up She’s pretty special so I say you keep her around no matter what! Did you have Chicken Parmesan tonight? Hahaha! I think you know what I mean by that.