Reality

I know I?m in the minority here, but I?ve never seen The Amazing Race, American Idol or Survivor. Except for Deadliest Catch, which Dan and I have been watching pretty much since it premiered, I don?t watch any of this stuff. After every DC episode, I thank Dan for not choosing crab fishing as a profession. I greatly admire those who have mad skills I will never, ever come close to possessing, and I absolutely dig those salty guys on DC.

When it comes to the reality cooking shows, though, I have mixed emotions. On the one hand, the fact that anyone can get through one episode without having a complete mental breakdown?let alone not get chopped, sent home or told to pack her knives?is completely amazing to me. On the other hand, I think, WTF? Why can?t you just cook for the sheer joy of cooking and not put your business in the street about it? The ?drama,? which I know is part and parcel of the genre, makes me want to smack someone.

The appeal of this type of show was a complete mystery to me. I had to see what all the hype was about. So, this summer I started watching The Next Food Network Star.

I know the shows are scripted and employ a pretty obvious three-act structure. I know the episodes are edited to show certain contestants in a better or worse light. I still got sucked in big time. Just as when I watch Law & Order and like figuring out who the killer is and what his motivation was, I like figuring out who will win each challenge and who?ll be departing at the episode?s end. I?m a bit embarrassed about how into this show I am and how, like with most crime shows, I can almost always predict how it?s going to end.

During the first NFNS episode I picked my favorite, Melissa d?Arabian, who has made it to the final two. Melissa is an upbeat, extremely capable home cook and mom of four, and I really think she will win. And it?s not just because I love her hair, which, by the way, is perfect. Melissa, despite being the underdog home cook who?s pitted against ?professionals,? brings home the bacon every flippin? week. She creates a positive effect on others via food. This is no mean feat. I completely indentify with Melissa, and I want to be like her when I grow up.

I think I finally get the interest in reality-competition shows. Competition is part of human nature. We want to see people win, and that?s a pretty sane thing. Watching someone create something out of nothing successfully will always inspire me?especially when that someone is a total underdog with perfect hair. Go Melissa!


White Bean and Roasted Eggplant Hummus
Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis, 2008
Vegan
Serves 4-6

This is one of my all-time favorite things to eat. I don?t often watch Giada?she?s suspiciously skinny for a chef and she cooks with a lot of meat?but I caught the show where she made this, and I?m glad I did. I sometimes make a half portion of this for dinner when neither of the boys is home. In addition to eating it with cucumbers (I just use a regular organic one), I like to smear it on flatbread. I get this stuff called Croccantini at Whole Foods, and I could just live on it. I think the hummus is best right after you make it, but it?s pretty good after spending some time in the fridge too.

1 (1½-pound) eggplant or 3 Japanese eggplants, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
Olive oil for drizzling plus ? cup
Sea salt for seasoning plus ½ teaspoon
Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning plus ¼ teaspoon
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
? cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 hothouse cucumber, cut into ¼-inch thick slices

1. Preheat oven to 450°F and place oven rack in the middle.

2. Place the eggplant on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

3. In food processor bowl, combine cooled eggplant, beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the processor running, through the feed tube, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

4. Transfer hummus to a bowl and serve with cucumber slices. You can also spoon the hummus over the cucumber slices and arrange on a serving platter. That?s not how I roll, though.