I’m constantly guilty for looking at the clock and realizing that it’s 2:00 and I need lunch…like now! It’s usually a mad dash scanning the refrigerator for leftovers or resorting to a PB & J. If I’m not dying of hunger, I’m usually patient enough to boil pasta. But lately I’ve added something to my lunch lineup that has me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. It falls into the comfort food category which is always good during these long winter months. It also can be pulled together quickly and is super satisfying.

Introducing my new-found love during lunch: the Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Bacon, Apple, & Cheddar. The ingredients all paired together are like a match made in heaven. Whole grain mustard smeared on each slice of toasted bread is the finishing touch that makes this sandwich one of the best out there. The creamy melted cheddar is the perfect contrast for the crispy applewood smoked bacon and the tart granny smith apple gives off a slightly sweet note that is balanced by the tangyness of the mustard. A real winner in my book. Just writing this post is making me excited for lunch today!

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Hosting your first Thanksgiving dinner can be a daunting yet exciting task. Whether you have been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for years, or this year will be your debut performance, I don’t know anyone who feels like it’s a snap! Yesterday alone I had several conversations with friends and family members who are starting to plan their menu for the big event. I cannot believe that it is just around the corner!

About 6 weeks ago I did a big batch of Thanksgiving recipe development for cookingchanneltv.com. I tested multiple turkeys, researched stuffing, and did my darndest to find an alternative to pumpkin pie (because let’s be honest, Costco makes a delicious option that no one should feel guilty for serving!). If you are a planner like myself and have already started thinking about what you will serve at your dinner table this year, check out the recipes that I came up with and will be serving myself this year. The turkey is hands down the easiest I’ve ever made and was a HUGE hit in the test kitchen. (the secret…order a fresh turkey in advance!)

When it comes to tips for the big day, well…we could chat for an hour. But hands down my best advice is to make a plan and write it out. In fact, print that plan and stick it on your refrigerator! There are plenty of things that you can make in advance and it is a good opportunity to delegate a few of the responsibilities to willing guests who offer to help. Finally, if you are tackling this dinner on your own for the first time, I would suggest to focus on a few key items for the dinner (turkey, stuffing, etc.) and take a few shortcuts elsewhere. Consider ordering fresh rolls from your favorite local bakery, or picking up a pumpkin pie from Costco (I’m serious about how good I think these are).

Don’t forget that the goal should be to enjoy what a special day Thanksgiving is and to not get too caught up in the hustle and bustle in the kitchen. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Welcome to the weekend! I hope that your weekend plans include fitting in a big hearty breakfast. If you were able to catch Kelsey’s Essentials last week you know that the episode was dedicated to all things breakfast/brunch. This was one of my favorite episodes to film and the recipes are some of my best from this season. I feel like breakfast is incredibly approachable. For me, the ingredients, techniques, and tools used to make classic breakfast foods are all essentials. Growing up my dad didn’t EVER cook…unless it was breakfast. It was the one meal that he could tackle and he always did a great job. For many years we had the tradition of making breakfast for a late night dinner every Sunday night. Breakfast is comforting, nostalgic, and by darn it’s deemed the most important meal of the day for good reason.

I’m looking forward to the upcoming weekend because we’ll be hosting my in-laws and sharing some of our favorite city spots with them. I’m also looking forward to the finale of Food Network Star. I’ve been addicted to this season and feel very invested. I had the chance to meet some of the finalists at the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival a few weeks ago and it was a great experience. It is such an exhausting process to be on the show and once you are alum…it’s like you’ve joined a club. I know exactly what it feels like to get so close to obtaining your “dream job” and then be sent packing. Your emotions are so invested in the experience and making your next move after being on the show can be overwhelming as well. What I do know is that whether you win or lose, an experience like Food Network Star will benefit you for the good. Melissa D’Arabian wrote a fantastic blog post about The Art of Losing in regards to the show and I couldn’t agree with her more. “Losing” was the best thing that ever happened to me on the show. If you’re a fan of Food Network Star, you should definitely read it. Have a good one!

Cooking breakfast this weekend?

Stuffed Potato Skin Skillet Hash, Stuffed French Toast, Homemade Breakfast Sandwiches

photos: cookingchanneltv.com

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If I had to list recipes that remind me of summer most, corn salad would definitely be in the line up. My mom has been making Ina’s famous corn salad for years and it’s one of my favorites. Inspired by one of Ina’s best recipes, I wanted to take a whack at writing my own corn salad recipe. I tested this recipe a lot. In fact at one point I think Robby specifically asked me to stop making corn salad. He’d had enough! After rounds of testing and compiling some of my favorite summer ingredients into a salad, I had found a winner. My Charred Corn Salad with Basil Vinaigrette will be featured in an upcoming BBQ episode, but I highly suggest that you get a sneak peak at cookingchannneltv.com. I love this recipe and have made it at least half a dozen times already.

One of the main goals for me on Kelsey’s Essentials is to inspire home cooks to get creative in the kitchen. Once you learn an essential technique or recipe, the options/variations are endless. I implemented my advice this weekend as I made a variation of my own corn salad. I made this exact same recipe but just swapped the basil for cilantro. We had tacos for Sunday dinner yesterday and by swapping out the basil for the cilantro it ended up being the perfect flavor profile for the meal. It was so simple and I loved the opportunity to play with the recipe a little bit. I had Robby pat me on the back.

Do you find yourself taking risks with recipes in the kitchen? Are you willing to cook from the hip and experiment a bit here and there? This is one of my favorite things about cooking and I hope that I can inspire viewers to do the same!

p.s. Do you love my ghetto fabulous way of charring corn sans grill?! I’m not sure about the safety of the method, so take my tip with a grain of salt.*

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