Ep 5. Finger Lickin' Finger Foods

In season 5, episode 5 of the popular cooking show Delicious Miss Brown, host Kardea Brown focuses on the irresistible and always-popular category of finger foods. With her usual enthusiasm and charm, Kardea shares her secrets and techniques for making a range of delicious appetizers and snacks - all perfect for any occasion that calls for (or justifies) finger foods!

The episode opens with Kardea introducing the theme of finger foods, noting that there's something special and fun about eating with one's hands. She shares her philosophy that food is always best when it's made with love and enjoyed with good company, and promises that the recipes she's chosen for today's episode are sure to delight both the cook and the guests.

First up is Kardea's take on the classic finger food of meatballs, but with a twist. She's making "sweet and sticky maple-glazed meatballs", which combines a mixture of ground beef and pork with a range of spices and seasoning. Kardea explains the importance of cooking the meatballs slowly and carefully in order to keep them moist and tender, and how the maple glaze can be tweaked to be more or less sweet depending on one's preference. The meatballs look absolutely delicious - juicy, succulent and coated in a glistening maple syrup glaze.

Next, Kardea demonstrates how to make "spicy fried chicken bites". She shows how, with just a few simple ingredients and a well-made batter, one can create crispy, flavor-packed chicken bites that are perfect for snacking or as a party food. She advises that the key is not to overcook the chicken, so that the inside remains juicy even as the outside gets crunchier. She also shares a quick tip for making a dipping sauce that complements the spicy chicken bite flavors perfectly.

Third on the menu is Kardea's recipe for "shrimp and grits bites". Using the flavors of the classic Southern dish but in a smaller, bite-sized format, Kardea transforms shrimp and grits into a finger food that's perfect for any party or gathering. She shares her secret for making grits that aren't too dry or grainy, but instead silky and smooth. The shrimp is pan-fried and coated in a deliciously seasoned breading mix, adding a crispy texture to the creamy grits base.

Kardea's fourth recipe for the episode is "pan-fried beef dumplings". She shows how easy it is to make a basic dumpling dough, and then shares her tips for the filling - a flavorful mixture of ground beef, ginger, soy sauce, and scallions. She advises to keep the filling quite moist, to help the dumplings keep their shape and not break apart during cooking. She then demonstrates the pan-frying process, which creates a lovely crispy skin on the dumpling but leaves the filling moist and juicy.

Finally, Kardea wraps up the episode with a recipe for "sweet potato tots", which she describes as "basically like tater tots, but even better". She shows how to use a simple potato grater tool to shred sweet potato into the perfect consistency, and then how to shape the tots so they will hold together in the oven. She then bakes the tots until they're golden brown and crispy on the outside, and moist and sweet on the inside. She notes that these tots are also great for incorporating into other recipes like salads or breakfast hash.

Overall, season 5, episode 5 of Delicious Miss Brown is a delightful and mouth-watering exploration of finger foods. Kardea Brown's warmth, humor, and expertise make for a fun and engaging viewing experience, and her recipes are sure to inspire any home cook to try their hand at making these tasty treats.