I don’t know about you guys, but lately I’ve been watching a lot of TV and doing a lot of eating. I thought it might be fun to share what I’ve been up to in the living room as well as the kitchen. I’ve recently discovered some really cool shows and new recipes that go oddly well together. TV and food are kind of synonymous, am I right? 🍫📺🍿

The Outsider/HBO GO:  This is a new show shrouded in mystery and suspense. It begins with a horrific crime committed in a small southern town. The police are absolutely sure that they have the right man and arrest him in a very public fashion. Only, as the investigation continues it becomes apparent that things are not at all as they appear to be….

This show is very complex. One that you have to pay very close attention to the dialogue or you will miss a key piece of information. All of the twists and turns will make your brain hurt. Therefore, I paired this show with sugar cookies because they are simple to make and provide a little sugar and spice amidst the many dark forces hovering around….🤭😨🤫

Little Fires Everywhere/Hulu: The first four episodes have already been released. You can catch new ones every Wednesday. This show is set in the 90’s. It’s about a family with a few secrets who move to Ohio. A lady who initially tries to “help” them ends up growing suspicious and digs into their background. The plot gets thicker from there as other events and families in the small community are interwoven into an even bigger web of lies. 🕷🕸🕷

I paired this show with a cheesy casserole. First, casseroles are very Midwest although they generally refer to them as hot dishes. This one could be anything until you look beneath the surface and discover that it might not be what you think (elbow noodles instead of lasagna).🤷‍♀️ It represents how we make assumptions based on appearances even without realizing it because that is what we are used to. Only when we seek understanding by looking on the inside vs. outside can we truly judge a person or their situation. Yep, it’s getting real deep over here.🤔

Love is Blind/Netflix: Whew! I needed to lighten things up a bit and had been seeing a lot of online buzz about Love is Blind. I’m a sucker for a good reality show so I tucked into this one pretty quickly. They employed Nick and Vanessa Lachey as hosts for a little star power I guess. However, the real stars are the people that subjected themselves to this so called “social experiment.” 

In a nutshell, the people basically “date” in these connected rooms (pods) without ever seeing each other. The premise is to see if people can fall in love while removing looks from the equation. I paired this with fried apples. Reason being is they smelled soooo good while cooking on the stove. They taste delicious and are wonderful served warm. In essence, the other senses that this dish engaged mattered way more than sight.🙈🥰🤗

Top chef/Bravo: One of my favorite shows is back with gusto! Top Chef-all stars! ⭐️👩‍🍳👨‍🍳⭐️ I always give this show credit for getting me in the kitchen. It taught me that cooking can be fun and exciting. It can also be challenging and completely frustrating!🥵 I wish that I could taste the food that the chefs make each week and judge the dishes for myself. 

Presentation is heavily scrutinized and can often make or break a dish. The viewer certainly relies on appearance to stay enticed and trust that the chefs know what they are doing. Thus, I paired this with fried apples/cool whip and cereal. It’s a challenge right now to use what you got, try make it taste delicious and look pretty. If that doesn’t scream Top Chef, I don’t know what else does!🤩

Homeland/Showtime On Demand & Hulu:  Homeland is a show that I tried out of pure boredom. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could get into the subject matter but knew that it was critically acclaimed. Also, I really like both the lead actors (Claire Danes & Damien Lewis). It also has 7 seasons to binge on which is how I prefer my television viewing in the streaming age. I’m spoiled, I know. 

This show is fascinating. I’m hooked.😳 Great acting, plot lines and drama, drama, drama! It also raises thought on ethical and moral dilemmas, human flaws and gray areas that people can find themselves operating in. I’m closing in on the second season now. If I talk about it too much, I may inadvertently come under government surveillance by accidentally using trigger words (like the one I just did). I paired this with my take on apple pie because you know, America!🇺🇸 Only my Apple pie has a twist…. it’s crushed sugar cookies, warm sliced apples and cool whip.😋

Walking Dead/Netflix:  Some folks can’t help themselves right now and want to watch the doomsday stuff. Contagion, Outbreak, zombie films, you get the picture. I say if you’re going to go this route, make it binge worthy with the Walking Dead. A lot of people have already seen it and are up to date. Others, like me, may have picked it up and put it back down a few times. 

To me, this show is a more realistic take on a zombie apocalypse without being too cheesy. It gives the sense that it could actually happen and these are the people you want to team up with if it does. Have you been stockpiling Ramen? This may be a good time to start. Or is it too late….😱🧟‍♂️🤣

Anything/Disney: I need to travel a happy place. Back in time where anything is possible. I want my imagination to rule over logic and any grim realities. This too will pass. Until then, it’s time for fun, play and whimsy.🤪 Even having the Disney channel just play in the background has a calming effect with all of the music and lively characters versus the drone of dismal news headlines. 🎶

So I paired anything animated with….another casserole…whomp whomp.😒 But wait, this has Doritos on it! Kids love it! 😍 Casseroles signify comfort which is what we could all use a little more of right about now. They also remind me of childhood and family meals around the table. So dust off those snuggies, cuddle up with your people and eat something yummy. Doritos casserole is both a snack and dinner all rolled into one. Watch something that makes you feel good and hopeful. Or at the very least, nostalgic.👸🤴🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️🦹‍♀️🦹‍♂️🧝‍♀️🧝🏿‍♂️🧞‍♂️🧞‍♀️

Thanks for reading and remember to stay calm and cook on!✌️💜🍴

Categories: Uncategorized

Tagged as: cooking entertainment social distancing tv shows zombies

Mood Ring Kitchen

I’m a self teaching home cook and aspiring foodie entrepreneur. I enjoy coming up with creative ways to prepare flavorful food such as snacks, desserts and everything in between. Cooking is a way for me to challenge myself and satisfy curiosities about different ingredients.

The hope is to produce something thoughtful, memorable or every once in a while maybe even wonderful. I enjoy following my “gut” and exploring new recipes that can be comforting, exciting and nourishing. Above all else, I enjoy exploring the emotions surrounding food and writing about those experiences. 😝👩‍🍳👩‍💻