Ep 12. More Family Favorites

Lidia's Kitchen season 2 episode 12, entitled "More Family Favorites," features renowned Italian chef Lidia Bastianich preparing some of her family's favorite recipes on her weekly cooking show. The show is shot in her kitchen, with Lidia providing step-by-step instructions to the viewers on how to recreate the dishes.

In this episode, Lidia focuses on recipes that are perfect for families to enjoy together. She starts by making a classic Italian dish, chicken cacciatore. Lidia shows viewers how to cook the chicken in a tomato-based sauce with onions, garlic, and mushrooms, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. She serves the cacciatore with polenta, a cornmeal-based dish that complements the rich flavors of the chicken.

Next, Lidia turns her attention to a dish that is especially popular with kids: macaroni and cheese. But as an Italian chef, Lidia doesn't settle for the bland, processed version commonly found in grocery stores. Instead, she shows viewers how to make a rich, creamy cheese sauce from scratch, using ingredients like sharp cheddar and Parmesan cheese. The pasta is then baked in the oven until it is golden brown and bubbling.

Lidia also prepares a healthy and flavorful side dish of roasted vegetables. She shows viewers how to chop a variety of vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, and zucchini and toss them with olive oil and a few herbs before roasting them in the oven. The result is a colorful and nutritious dish that is perfect for rounding out any meal.

Finally, Lidia prepares a dessert that is sure to please the whole family: apple strudel. She shows viewers how to make the flaky, buttery pastry dough from scratch, before filling it with a mixture of apples, sugar, and cinnamon. The strudel is then baked until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender.

Throughout the episode, Lidia provides helpful tips and tricks for home cooks, from how to measure ingredients accurately to how to make sure chicken is cooked through. She also shares stories about her own family, including her grandchildren's favorite dishes and how she learned to cook from her grandmother. By the end of the episode, viewers will have a new set of recipes to add to their rotation and a deeper appreciation for the joy and tradition of cooking for loved ones.