Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving Warms My DVR

It's beginning to look a lot like holiday, which means I'm on the verge of lifting the holiday movie ban for the season and my holiday TV staples are emerging from their year-long hiatus to rejoin my DVR. Though not the focus of this article, can we take a moment for the Thanksgiving Day Parade? Seriously, no matter how old I get, that darn thing never gets old in my book.

Always a sap for anything holiday, you can imagine my excitement over not only holiday-themed television, but holiday food-themed television. This week, my obsession with holiday TV ramps up with Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving. Airing each night this week at 9pm on Food Network*,  the celebrity chefs take viewer questions regarding their past Thanksgiving Day disasters and beg for help in making this year's Turkey Day table one for the record books. Not sure if it's my undying love for holiday time or the fact that the chefs are dumbing it down for the commoner, but Dear Food Network: [insert any holiday here] is a staple on my holiday TV schedule. And much to Shaun's dismay, yup I watch it every night that it airs. With recipes like Pear Cranberry Pie, Sausage Cornbread Stuffing, and Cinnamon Apple Cranberry Sauce, how could I not?

Though in more recent times, Food Network has brought on some 'chefs' who aren't exactly chefs, but just people who like to cook and are veritable unknowns in the culinary world. Those-who-shall-not-be-named (you know who I mean) seem to eat up many of the time slots allotted for actual cooking, rather than the travelesque or challenge cooking shows. Call me old-fashioned but one of my favorite weekend activities is waking up to Paula Deen whipping up some butter-soaked anything. During Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving, you can expect appearances by some of my own personal favorites including Bobby Flay, Giada DeLaurentis, Ina Garten, Alton Brown and Tyler Florence.

Am I the only one slightly obsessed with holiday television? Food Network? The Thanksgiving Day Parade for that matter? Are there any FN pundits to whom you feel a particular liking? Talk back in the comments, and happy food watching!

*Check local listings. I'm an East Coast gal, but I realize that not all of my fabulous readers are East Coasters!

Comments

[Catherine]

I'm a big fan of Paula as well. She brings out the best things about cooking - comfort and indulgence! She's a true EARTH, just like you! I feel the same about Mario Batali - I just want to be his friend.

[Rachel Cannon Humiston]

Aw, I'm so happy that Paula and I are kindred spirits...my only aspiration is to make my own cooking with slightly less butter/mayo but just as much heart :)

Oh, and Batali is awesome and now I want his cookbook after your raving about it!