My cooking show tastes have changed significantly over the past few years. I used to prefer shows that displayed cooking a meal start to finish, but now those are relegated to background noise at best. If there's meaningful discussion about ingredient choices or cooking methods I'm all ears, but beyond that the recipes are a google search away and I no longer feel I gain anything from watching someone dice an onion or throw a chicken cutlet on a grill pan. Sorry Giada, Ina, and especially Ree, but while you've each got excellent recipes which I almost consider T&T before even trying, your shows have become painful for me to watch. Unlike others who have commented above, I now actually prefer some of the competition shows. Chopped, Iron Chef... what can be more inspirational than watching accomplished chefs pull creativity out of their @sses under the pressure of competition and time constraint, and see what works and what doesn't? Much more interesting to me than watching someone execute a recipe. If you were to judge by my DVR or dinner table you'd see that I take the most inspiration from shows that "observe food" and at most give a few minute Cliff's note of the preparation. They give me an idea from which I can google and/or improvise on my own. To that end, while the goofy catch phrases and grease-dripping-down-the beard are a major turn-off, Guy's DD&D has influenced my kitchen most in recent memory. It's typically nothing gourmet (heck, look at the name of the show) but it's got some good looking food. I'm also a growing fan of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown because it's so not boring.

I was born in '44, and I never had "fast food" until I dated my husband in the late 60's. My family considered McDonald's food to be trash, though none of us had ever tasted it. While in my late teens I drove to Hartford, CT for my bassoon lesson, and I used to pass a Friendly's and read the sign that said Ice Cream on one line and Sandwiches on the line below. I wondered if they were a sandwich shop or if they sold only ice cream sandwiches. I didn't find out until one was built in Stratford and I finally decided to eat there. Awful Awfuls were incredibly large and think milkshakes at Friendly's. They were awful good and awful big. Eventually, they had to change the name to the Fribble. I think it was due to a another store using the name first. Somehow, when the name changed, Fribbles just weren't as good as Awful Awfuls. Friendly's made the best cheesburgers in the world back then. They were made as a square burger added to a grilled cheese sandwich and were always cut into three pieces. Does anyone recall a canned meat called Veal Loaf? The can was ths same as a Spam (UGH, no matter how poor I may ever be, I will NEVER again eat Spam) can but the meat tasted gteat. The can was opened with a roll-up key. We had a sandwich grill and made the sandwiches on Wonder Bread. Making sandwiches for four people from that one can made for pretty thin sandwiches. I wonder if German hard rolls were what we called water rolls. I never found them outside CT and haven't had one in 40 years. Going back to my parents' distain of fast food, and when we were still very poor, our Sunday night supper was always eggs and potatoes. My father always cooked the potatoes, usually as slices fried in a ton of butter on a two burner long griddle pan. When he was in a good mood he would take the time to make real french fries. A can of Crisco was melted in a deep pot and we peeled REAL potatoes for him to deep fry. Each batch was placed into a clean paper bag and shaken to remove extra grease. Then, they were shaken with salt and we had the best fries I have ever tasted. I recall making real fries once when my kids were little. They shared them with their friends and they sure disappeared fast! Oh, yeah, how about going to the local drug store and getting a good sized Hershy bar with almonds for a nickel???? Another treat was parking near the local airport to watch the planes land and take off. There was a hot dog stand nearby and sometime we got foot long hot dogs. No Belgian Waffle has ever tasted as good ones I had first at the World Fair in New York in the 60's. My family was terribly poor and a special treat was a Sunday ride and a stop at the God Humor truck. I think they cost 15 cents back then. A quick lunch, considered healthful, was a Horlick's Choclate Malted milk with a raw egg beaten into the whole milk!!! God they were good!

DVR... best $10/month I spend! Not as much for the recording as for the pausing and rewinding. This isn't from the show, but I found Momocho's Machaca recipe which says 300 deg for 3-4 hours. Here is a link that might be useful: Momocho's Machaca

Stacy your Shepherds Pie looks wonderful...so what about the instructions for posting a pic!!! Kathleen your soup presentation is outstanding, you set such a beautiful table. I could handle that frittata too. Ann I have been thinking it was time for stuffed ribs and now I have a serious craving! Last night was good old fashioned spaghetti with meatballs. Clive is out tonight so I may just have to have some of Diane's cabbage rolls. I made about 50 ,or so, last weekend , they are sooooo good!