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Holiday Living Dec 13, 2012

Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian Shares Her Favorite Holiday Family Traditions

With cooking shows on both the Food Network and Cooking Channel, a cookbook, and four kids under the age of 8, Melissa d'Arabian has her hands full (and then some).

by Lisa Horten

With cooking shows on both the Food Network and Cooking Channel, a cookbook, and four kids under the age of 8, Melissa d'Arabian has her hands full (and then some). But the chef mom takes time out of her busy schedule every year to honor a tradition that she started more than 30 years ago with her late mom.

"I was raised by a single mom. We were on a tight budget, and she was putting herself through college, then medical school. When I was in kindergarten and my sister was in second grade, we invited friends for hot cocoa and cookies. It was just a lovely time to connect with girlfriends. Some years we went all out and did a big buffet. We'd start cooking a week in advance. It was our one party of the year, and we really put all of our energy into it," Melissa said.

She hosted 15 mother-daughter teas with her mom before she passed away. "I always said that if I ever had a daughter, I'd continue the tradition, and now I have four," she continued. "It's part of the holiday season for us. The girls get new dresses for it, they select the invitations . . . we're all in it as a team. It's a real lesson in hostessing."

This year, some 125 lucky little girls and their moms gathered for the d'Arabian mother-daughter tea, which featured delicacies like Melissa's signature potato bacon torte, yogurt granola trifle, cookies, coffee cakes, scones, and her favorite French tea from Le Palais des Thés. Click through for three of Melissa's favorite "tea time" recipes and her best holiday entertaining tips for busy moms.

Photography by: Melissa and Philippe d'Arabian

Melissa's 3 Foolproof Tips For Holiday Entertaining

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Melissa D'Arabian's Kid-Friendly Pasta Recipe

Food and Fun Aug 31, 2012

Dinnertime Crunch: Melissa d'Arabian's Quick and Affordable Crisper Drawer Pasta

Our tasty and easy Dinnertime Crunch series continues with celebrity chefs and restaurateurs sharing their favorite 30-minute weeknight dinners that help Mom and Dad spend more time with the kids each night.

by Rebecca M Gruber

Our tasty and easy Dinnertime Crunch series continues with celebrity chefs and restaurateurs sharing their favorite 30-minute weeknight dinners that help Mom and Dad spend more time with the kids each night. Today's recipe comes from Melissa d'Arabian, host of the Food Network's Ten Dollar Dinners and author of Ten Dollar Dinners: 140 Recipes and Tips to Elevate Simple, Fresh Meals Any Night of the Week.

With four daughters running around her home, Melissa d'Arabian knows about the chaos that can occur at dinnertime. The Food Network host and author of Ten Dollar Dinners also knows that busy moms can't always remember what's hiding in the corners of the refrigerator. That's how she came up with "Crisper Drawer Pasta," a quick and productive weeknight meal — the whole recipe can be made in 30 minutes — that helps use up everything in the crisper drawer.

"The most expensive food is the one you have to throw away because you forgot to use it," Melissa says. "Once a week, be sure to take a quick peek into your crisper drawer to take stock of veggies and herbs. My two favorite ways to use the odds and ends from the crisper drawer is to make either an anything-goes pasta or a kitchen-sink–style soup (also in the book!). This is a plug-and-play recipe, meaning you can use any of the vegetables you have in the house simply by following the parameters given."

Keep reading to get Melissa's recipe.

Crisper Drawer Pasta

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red or yellow onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon dried herbs, such as basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme, plus a squeeze of lemon juice, or herbes de Provence
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 to 2 cups soft vegetables or leafy greens (sliced bell peppers, corn, chopped and salted eggplant, escarole sliced crosswise, sliced fennel, sliced mushrooms, peas, chopped spinach, chopped Swiss chard)
Kosher salt
14.5-ounce box pasta
1 to 2 cups cut-up hard vegetables (chopped beets, carrots, celery, zucchini, green beans; broccoli or cauliflower florets)
2 tablespoons sour cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1 tablespoon finely chopped aromatics or fresh herbs (basil, chives, crushed red pepper flakes, dill, fennel fronds, flat-leaf parsley, lemon zest, scallions, tarragon)

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in the dried herbs and the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then stir in the soft vegetables or leafy greens and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the greens are wilted, 30 seconds to 4 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook for 3 minutes. Add the hard vegetables and continue to cook according to the package instructions until the pasta is al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and vegetables and return them to the pot. Stir the sour cream and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt into the pasta, then add ½ cup of the Parmesan, the aromatics, and ¼ cup of the pasta water. Stir to combine, add the cooked soft vegetables or leafy greens, and add more pasta water if needed. Serve with more Parmesan on the side.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Tips For Cooking For Families From Melissa d'Arabian

Food and Fun Aug 16, 2012

Melissa d'Arabian Cooks With Her Kids — and Tells Us How

Melissa d'Arabian is as busy as ever.

by Sarah Lipoff

Melissa d'Arabian is as busy as ever. With her successful Food Network show, 10 Dollar Dinners, in its seventh season, and a new cookbook, also titled 10 Dollar Dinners, out this week, Melissa is seriously passionate about food and healthy eating.

In a special episode airing Sunday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m. EDT, on Food Network, Melissa invited a few guests to cook and eat with her in the kitchen: her four adorable daughters! We had a chat with the chef to find out more about the motivation behind her recipes, her family cooking traditions, and one of the family's favorite breakfasts. Keep reading for more along with exclusive pictures.

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TV Jun 05, 2011

Next Food Network Stars: Where Are They Now?

Get excited: Food Network's number one series, Food Network Star, premieres its seventh season tonight at 9 p.m.

by Susannah Chen

Get excited: Food Network's number one series, Food Network Star, premieres its seventh season tonight at 9 p.m. As we once again count down to more hopefuls competing for their own show (get acquainted with the new cast!), we take a look back at winners and finalists from seasons past and come to a conclusion: what happens on the Food Network stays in the Food Network. To see what we're talking about, keep reading.

All Photos Courtesy of Food Network

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Q&A Interview With Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian

budget Dec 01, 2009

What's New With Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian

Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian is at the top of her game.

by POPSUGAR Food

Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian is at the top of her game. It was only four months ago that she was announced winner of the Next Food Network Star; now her new show, Ten Dollar Dinners with Melissa d'Arabian, has been renewed for a second season.

I spoke with the energetic young mom, who seemed surprisingly grounded in spite of her recent TV success, about her whirlwind year, her show, and her favorite $10 dinner of all. See what she has to say after the jump.

Thanksgiving Pointers From Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian

Thanksgiving Nov 24, 2009

Melissa d'Arabian's Helpful Hints For Feasting on a Budget

Of all the year's celebrations, Thanksgiving often is the most expensive.

by POPSUGAR Food

Of all the year's celebrations, Thanksgiving often is the most expensive. In 2008, roughly a quarter of you said you were spending $150 or more. This year, to help you stay well within your budget, we've enlisted the help of Melissa d'Arabian, winner of the Next Food Network Star and host of Ten Dollar Dinners With Melissa d'Arabian.

On her Food Network show, Melissa makes dinner for four for under $10 — and her Thanksgiving is no different. She's partnered with Walmart to come up with a turkey day feast that's only $20, and plans to serve it to her own family this holiday. "My family is really getting the $20 thanksgiving!" she says. Regardless of how much you've got in your wallet, she has some pointers to help you stay under budget. See them when you read more.

Poll: Will You Watch Ten Dollar Dinners With Melissa d'Arabian?

TV Aug 07, 2009

Will You Watch Melissa d'Arabian's New Show?

From the beginning of The Next Food Network Star, mother of four Melissa d'Arabian seemed to be an unlikely candidate.

by POPSUGAR Food

From the beginning of The Next Food Network Star, mother of four Melissa d'Arabian seemed to be an unlikely candidate. She proved everyone wrong last week when she took the title on the season finale of the series.

Now she has her very own show, Ten Dollar Dinners With Melissa d'Arabian (a notable departure from her Kitchen Survival Guide pilot shown on the finale). It premieres on the Food Network this Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Will you be checking it out?

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TV Aug 03, 2009

Were You Surprised by Who Won The Next Food Network Star?

Last night was the season finale of The Next Food Network Star, and I couldn't wait to tune in to find out the winner.

by POPSUGAR Food

Last night was the season finale of The Next Food Network Star, and I couldn't wait to tune in to find out the winner. Was it going to be the laid-back, well-spoken world traveler, Jeffrey Saad — or the resourceful, vivacious mom, Melissa d'Arabian?

In my opinion, it was obvious which contestant was more marketable, so I wasn't the least bit surprised when the winner was announced. What about you?

Source

Melissa d'Arabian The Next Food Network Star and Mother

motherhood Aug 03, 2009

The Next Food Network Star Keeps a Kid-Friendly Kitchen

There are barely enough hours in the day for moms to get everything done so some cut corners in the kitchen.

by POPSUGAR Moms

There are barely enough hours in the day for moms to get everything done so some cut corners in the kitchen. But, now that The Next Food Network Star, Melissa d'Arabian, a stay-at-home mother, will be cooking up quick, budget friendly recipes to inspire fellow busy women, we may see more parents tying on aprons. The 40-year-old Texas mama explained that her show, which will air next Sunday, focuses on feeding four people a meal for $10 or less. The competition's self-proclaimed dark horse who had no professional culinary experience, used tidbits about cooking for her daughters (like serving raw brussels sprouts so they have the crunch of an apple) to wow the judges in an unconventional way. Prior to winning, Melissa explained why she wanted to be The Next Food Network Star. She said:

I have four kids (aged four and under), but I think the fact that I'm not "supermom" makes me accessible. I want parents across America to breathe a sigh of relief when they see me on TV and to say to themselves, "if she can do it, then so can I."