""30 Minute Meals""
Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray, host of the Food Network's ""30 Minute Meals,"" does not lie when she declares at the beginning of every episode that, by the time the show is over, she will have prepared a delicious and nutritious meal in a mere half hour.
Each episode is centered around a particular theme, ranging from a basic ""Make Your Own Take-Out"" to classier cuisine in ""Cosmopolitan Lifestyle."" Ray features dishes from specific regions, like ""Quick Italian Classics"" or ""Miami Heat,"" but also gives recipes for particular occasions, like ""Game Night,"" which includes mini grilled cheese sandwiches and patty melts.
The episode ""All Nighter,"" which features a recipe for veggie scrambles with pesto, may hit the spot for students burning the midnight oil. Another student-friendly episode, ""Take it to the Bank,"" provides tips on how to stretch your dollar.
She always uses a variety of fresh ingredients with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
There are usually two main courses during each show, topped off with a dessert or a special drink—like a peanut butter cup sundae or Campari citrus soda. For the dessert lover who still attempts to watch what they eat, Ray's show is one of few that features lighter and smaller treats, many times including fruit to make it healthier.
The trick to appreciating the show may be the viewer's ability to get past Ray's overly enthusiastic and somewhat annoying personality. However, if you can handle that, the simplicity of the food makes the show worth watching.
""Barefoot Contessa""
Ina Garten
Ina Garten has a reputation for starting every recipe with a pound of butter. Most of her food on this French-themed show is time consuming to make, but well worth it.
Garten takes a more elegant approach to entertaining than most Food Network chefs. She claims her food is simple to prepare, and this is relatively true for some items, such as brown rice with tomato and basil or the crunchy noodle salad. Her chicken pot pies are also on the simpler side, and they are worth trying out for sure.
Many of her recipes that are rated as ""easy,"" however, still take at least an hour to prepare.
A good tip would be to make sure you have the right ingredients and supplies to take on the job because she often specifies that you must use ""good"" vanilla or ""good"" brandy for a given recipe. The ""good"" items are definitely pricier, as is the KitchenAid standing mixer that she uses all the time.
Her desserts are especially over the top, and I have tried and loved many of them, including the chocolate truffles and the vanilla armagnac ice cream, which are not hard to make.
While Garten does not pride herself on offering many healthy recipes, her food is so good it does not matter. As the chef herself says, ""How bad can that be?""
""Semi-Homemade Cooking""
Sandra Lee
Although the name makes this show sound appealing, anyone interested in cooking will agree saving time with recipes from Sandra Lee's ""Semi-Homemade Cooking"" is not worth sacrificing taste.
Lee's claim to fame is her ability to combine ""30 percent fresh ingredients with 70 percent store-bought items and creative touches."" The result will make you lose your appetite because many of the ingredients Lee uses are generic substances that have probably been sitting in her pantry for weeks.
Many of her recipes might be convenient as a fast meal during the week, but having guests over for a meal is one occasion when it is not appropriate to use as many shortcuts as Lee does.
The food is always served on a table that is decorated to suit the theme. Lee always likes her ""tablescape"" to be full of cutesy items that look like they would be more appropriate in your grandmother's house.
In general, although her meals sound tasty and are decorated with over-the-top themed table settings, the food's appearance is enough to make someone say ""no, thank you.""
""Everyday Italian""
Giada De Laurentiis
There is a saying that one should never trust a skinny cook, but for ""Everyday Italian"" host Giada De Laurentiis, an exception needs to be made.
As the granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada's confidence in front of the camera can be explained by the presence of film and acting in her family.
Although she chose culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu over the family business, she has not entirely escaped it, and as a result, her passion for cooking really comes through.
For the most part, De Laurentiis' food is proof that Italian dishes do not need to be fancy. She prepares a variety of pastas, sandwiches, meats, drinks and desserts that are easy enough to prepare whether you're entertaining guests or throwing together a quick dinner in the middle of the week.
One of De Laurentiis' strengths is she does not forget dessert, which almost always reflects her love for chocolate. One of the most appealing recipes has got to be the Nutella ravioli.
Many of De Laurentiis' recipes do call for specialty Italian ingredients that can not be found at every grocery store. As students in a state that is proud of its cheese, we can relate to De Laurentiis' desire for quality when the food is cheese. The type of cheese she uses most often is probably parmigiano reggiano, which can be expensive for the college student on a budget.
De Laurentiis' love for her large Italian family is obvious. She enjoys sharing memories and recipes from her early experiences in the kitchen, and even brings a few of her family members in to be guests on the show. If you are not drawn in by the tempting chocolate desserts, the warmth and friendliness of De Laurentiis will definitely do the job.
