Get Kelsey's Fan-Favorite Recipes 26 Photos
All of Kelsey's recipes are pretty great, but her fans cook these classics over and over.
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Kitchen Essentials
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See Episode GuideHot and Cool Desserts
When it comes to dessert the most popular trend right now are "hot" cool desserts. Kelsey visits Max and Mina's whose ice cream is anything but vanilla when she helps them create a new ice cream flavor: salt and vinegar potato chip ice cream. Then she heads over to Just Sweet Cafe who is turning shaved ices upside down with their Asian inspired flavors. Back in her kitchen Kelsey creates her own innovative desserts by making a curried butternut squash ice cream and then a dessert sushi topped with fresh fruit.
Dinner and a Movie
The latest trend in movie theatres are their gourmet concession stands! Kelsey heads to Nitehawk Cinema where they are taking a gourmet approach to dinner and a movie by serving up shrimp sofrito and chocolate cigars. Kelsey then visits Jen and Jeff at Pipcorn who are reinventing popcorn by making their popular herb spiced popcorn. Inspired Kelsey heads back to her kitchen to make her version of gourmet bites. On the menu: duck and dogs on a blanket, s'mores granola bites and a cherry lime vanilla glacier.
My Trip to France
Kelsey Nixon shares some essential cooking tips she discovered while in France as she makes Seared Duck Breast With Fig Sauce, Haricots Verts Almondine and Apple Tarte Tatin.
On the Go
Going to the game? A picnic? Or a family outing? Kelsey flips fast food on its head and makes delicious and portable food in no time. On today's grab and go menu; homemade crunchy and warm Baguettes drizzled with sweet honey and milky ricotta. Then a Peach and Feta Salad mixed with bright heirloom tomatoes and sherry vinegar. Finally, it's the ultimate to go dish -- a decadent Ham, Leek and Gruyere Quiche. You won't think of food on the go in the same way!
Small Plate Party
Small plates are a great way to show off big flavor and a fun way to entertain a large group of people. Kelsey will show the viewer some of her favorite twists on classic hors d'oeuvres. Pickled Shrimp is paired with a refreshing Lemon and Chive Aioli and the classic Deviled Eggs is topped with homemade Candied Bacon. And for a quick no nonsense small plate, she'll take favorite Antipasto and wrap them up in crisp Cups of Lettuce. Then, fresh Stone Fruit gets chopped up and combined into delicious Salsa, paired with Cinnamon Chips. She'll top everything off with sweet and refreshing Vanilla Bean Lemonade. It's a small plate party that will prove that good things do come in small packages.
Pickling Class
Kelsey introduces us to the latest retro-cool trend in food: pickling. A whole generation is re-discovering classic age-old pickling techniques to inspire anyone and everyone to "Do It Yourself." Kelsey pickles radishes and pork chops with McClure's founder and pickling magician, Bob McClure. After the class, Kelsey channels what she learned at Pickle U into a Butter Lettuce Salad with Pickled Sugar Snap Peas and Creamy Thousand Island Dressing and a Pickle Brined Pork Chops With Mushroom Escabeche and Smashed Potatoes.
Seafood
Kelsey shares her essential tips for cooking seafood. Recipes: Roasted Whole Black Sea Bass With Herbed Israeli Couscous, Crispy Skin Arctic Char With Butter Braised Cabbage and Oyster Chowder.
Burgers
Kelsey Nixon shares her essential tips and recipes for the best burgers. Recipes: Asian Chicken Burger With Spicy Lemongrass Mayo and Pickled Asian Slaw, Custom Blend Beef Patty Melt With Pimento Cheese and Rocky Mountain Pastrami Burger.
Kelsey's Favorites
Kelsey shares her favorite recipes and essential methods of cooking. A vibrant Sesame Ginger Salmon en Papillote -- a foolproof way of cooking fish that is sure to satisfy. Craving a creamy risotto? Try this quick and simple substitute -- a tangy and creamy Lemon Basil Orzotto whipped up in just 10 minutes. And a sumptuous Honey Glazed Apple and Pear Tart, made with a time-saving frozen pastry dough. Quick, easy and delicious -- a triple delight!
Chocolate
Kelsey's essential tips for working with chocolate! Yes, you can have chocolate in your savory dishes, like in Kelsey's Pan Seared Scallops With a Tomato and White Chocolate Beurre Blanc. For a decadent dessert, she makes Chocolate Pasta With Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Sauce, White Chocolate Shavings and Fresh Berries.
Sauces
A good sauce transforms an ordinary meal into an extraordinary one. Kelsey takes us through the three basic sauce groups: cream, meat and butter. First, brace yourself for the best Mac and Cheese you've ever tasted, made with a bacon and creamy Bechamel sauce. Next, a pan seared Pork Tenderloin drizzled with a Rosemary Balsamic and Orange Sauce. And finally, Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto bathed in a butter sauce. Pour it on and bon appetit!
Butchering
Kelsey shares her essential tips for butchering. Recipes: Chicken Fried Steak With Spiced Milk Gravy; Sausage, Shrimp and Peppers Over Cheesy Grits and Braised Greens.
Veggie Bliss
For anyone who wants to add fresh and delicious ingredients to their dishes, finding the freshest vegetables is essential. To start, Kelsey makes a classic French dish, Ratatouille, filled with caramelized onions, elegant eggplant and homemade tomato jam. Next, an Italian bread salad, Panzanella, is a tangy mixture of smokey mozzarella and bread, with a mixture of peppers, cherry heirloom tomatoes and sugar snap peas -- all fresh from the market. And last, but certainly not least, a pan-seared Pacific Cod will be paired with a silky, smooth Creamed Corn and topped with a homemade Cilantro Vinaigrette. The variety of what you can do with the right produce is endless when it comes to flavor and freshness.
Stews
The essential one-pot meal -- the stew! Kelsey treats us to a simple technique that cooks up some winning creations: a savory Sausage, Bacon and Duck Confit ready in just 45 minutes; a Chicken Cacciatore flavored with onion, mushrooms, red peppers and garlic; and a steamy Fish Stew or Bouillabaisse featuring clams, mussels and shrimp. Amazing to eat and only one pot to clean up!
Eggs
Kelsey introduces a whole new way of looking at eggs: for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. A flavorful Frittata made with red bliss potatoes, basil, tomatoes and cheese; Poached Eggs With Bacon in a savory, Frisee Salad; and a luscious Lemon Curd Tart topped with fresh berries. Eggs: the perfect protein ... nutritious and delicious. Eggs-actly!
Cast Iron Skillet
Kelsey's favorite kitchen essential takes center stage -- the cast iron skillet. It's so versatile, it works magic in the oven or on top of the stove. Cumin Scallops seared to perfection for Tacos With Tomatillo Guacamole, crispy-bottom Skillet Corn Cakes With Bacon and Skillet Blueberry Cobbler -- all prepared in one essential pan. Kelsey's Cast Iron Skillet rules!
Quick Breads
Kelsey shares some quick and simple bread recipes to satisfy all of your senses: crusty buttery Pull-Apart Rolls, sweet Pecan Cinnamon Rolls drizzled with a gooey glaze, fresh Lemon Blueberry Muffins, and a flaky Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Biscuit guaranteed to make your mouth water. Baking doesn't have to take all day, if you have the essential recipes. Is there any thing better than the smell of fresh baked bread?
Classic Steak with a Twist
Knowing how to cook different cuts of beef is an essential technique for any home cook. Today, Kelsey is taking three cuts of steak and cooking them three different ways. First, Kelsey pan sears a Filet and tops it with a Porcini Mushroom Marsala Sauce made from the filet's pan drippings. Then she marinates a Flank Steak in a tangy blend of garlic mustard and brown sugar and broils it for a fresh Salad mixed With champagne grapes, bitter greens and blue cheese. Finally, she grills Skirt Steak and slathers it in a Pomegranate Glaze for fun and feisty Fajitas!
Knife Skills
Kelsey reveals the secrets to great-looking, great-tasting meals -- it's all in the knives! And there's no better way to hone those knife skills than creating a perfectly chopped Cobb Salad topped with Roquefort Dressing, a fragrant French Onion Soup and a Shortcake filled with sweet, delicate Strawberries. So sharpen those knife skills and take your cooking to a whole new level.
Sweet Treats
Kelsey's sweet tooth gets a mind of its own! Kelsey makes her own Homemade Candy Bar with layers of milk chocolate, sweet caramel, and homemade nougat. Who knew you could make lollipops at home? These Pomegranate and Lime Lollipops will make you feel like a kid again. Finally, it's a one of kind recipe when Kelsey takes a piece of frozen pie, blends it with vanilla ice cream to create a Pie Shake. It's a sweet treat you won't forget!
Fresh Pasta
Kelsey teaches the essentials for making fresh pasta in your own kitchen. Hand-cut Cannelloni with luscious Italian sausage, spinach and ricotta in a simple red sauce, and Fettuccine with savory yellow squash and parmesan-lemon cream sauce. With the essential tools, you can have fresh pasta any day of the week. Mangia!
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