America's Test Kitchen: The Complete 2nd Season (2008) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I would have given more stars, what is lacking is an INDEX of the contents and WRITTEN recipes. Often they forget to mention quantities on the video, hence the need for the written recipes. You would think they would have been included with the DVD set, without having to join www.americastestkitchen.com to obtain them. Also noticed that not all episodes/recipes shown on http://www.americastestkitchen.com/episodelist.asp?iseason=2 are not on the DVD's, see my index below of Disc 1.
But, I have learned a lot from the videos, just wish they would have included an index and recipes.
Season 2 - Disk 1
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Episode 1 - Pureed Vegetable Soups
Making pureed soups is a balancing act. Small changes can have major effects. The test kitchen has worked out all the kinks and created three great soup recipes.
# Recipes:
- Cream of Tomato Soup
- Creamy Green Pea Soup (Not on DVD)
- Butter Croutons (Not on DVD)
- Creamy Mushroom Soup
- Sauteed Wild Mushrooms (Not on DVD)
# Equipment Center
- Blenders
# Tasting Lab
- Commercial Chicken Broth
Episode 2 - Pesto, Carbonara and Salad
Spaghetti alla carbonara and pasta with pesto are quick and easy ways to put an outstanding pasta dish on the table. The test kitchen pairs the pastas with a simple green salad.
# Recipes:
- Balsamic Vinaigrette (Not on DVD)
- Walnut Vinaigrette (Not on DVD)
- Mediterranean Vinaigrette (Not on DVD)
- Mixed Herb Vinaigrette (Not on DVD)
- Leafy Green Salad
- Tricolor Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette (Not on DVD)
- Arugula Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette (Not on DVD)
- Bow Tie Pasta with Pesto
- Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
# Equipment Center
- Salad Spinners
# Tasting Lab
- Supermarket Extra-Virgin Olive Oils
Episode 3 - Spaghetti and Meatball Supper
With the right techniques, a spaghetti supper can rival any fancy meal. The test kitchen reveals the secrets for success.
# Recipes:
- Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Spaghetti and Chicken Meatballs
- Classic American Garlic Bread
- Chipotle Garlic Bread
- Herbed Garlic Bread
- Parmesan and Asiago Cheese Garlic Bread
# Equipment Center
- Bread Knives
# Tasting Lab
- Jarred Tomato Sauces (Not on DVD, see Season 5 - Ep. 18)
- Parmesans Cheese
# Science Desk
- Taming Garlic (Not on DVD)
Episode 4 - Pizza Night
To satisfy everyone, the test kitchen developed two pizza recipes--a deep-dish pizza that bakes in a pan as well as a cracker-thin pie that's in and out of the oven in just 10 minutes.
# Recipes:
- Deep-Dish Pizza
- Fresh Tomato Topping with Mozzarella and Basil (Not on DVD)
- Four-Cheese Pizza Topping with Pesto (Not on DVD)
- Crisp Thin-Crust Pizza (Not on DVD)
- Crisp Thin-Crust Pizza with Arugula (Not on DVD)
- Crisp Thin-Crust Pizza with Tapenade (Not on DVD)
- Quick Tomato Sauce for Pizza (Not on DVD)
- 10-Inch Deep-Dish Pizza (Not on DVD)
# Equipment Center
- Box Graters
# Tasting Lab
- Mozzarella Cheese
# Science Desk
- How Yeast Works (Not on DVD)
Episode 5 - Simple Sandwiches
Lunch is ready in the test kitchen. Two classics--tuna salad and grilled cheese--along with a fancy steak sandwich are being served.
# Recipes:
- Classic Tuna Salad
- Curried Tuna Salad with Apples and Currants (Not on DVD)
- Tuna Salad with Balsamic Vinegar and Grapes (Not on DVD)
- Tuna Salad with Cauliflower, Jalapeno, and Cilantro (Not on DVD)
- Tuna Salad with Lime and Horseradish (Not on DVD)
- Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Grilled Fresh Mozzarella Sandwiches with Olive Paste and Roasted Red Peppers (Not on DVD)
- Flank Steak and Arugula Sandwiches with Red Onion
- Garlic Soy Mayonnaise (Not on DVD)
- Quick Food Processor Mayonnaise (Not on DVD)
# Tasting Lab
- Canned Tuna
# Science Desk
- Mayonnaise Emulsification
Episode 6 - Shrimp Classics
Shrimp is quick to prepare, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Step into the test kitchen and learn how to become the shrimp expert in your home.
# Recipes:
- Herb-Poached Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
- Cocktail Sauce
- Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine
- Simple Shrimp Scampi
- Scallops Fra Diavolo with Linguine (Not on DVD)
- Monkfish Fra Diavolo with Linguine (Not on DVD)
- Gas-Grilled Shrimp (Not on DVD)
- Grilled Shrimp with Spicy Garlic Paste (Not on DVD)
- Grilled Shrimp with Southwestern Flavors (Not on DVD)
- New Orleans-Style Grilled Shrimp (Not on DVD)
- Grilled Shrimp with Lemon, Garlic, and Oregano Paste (Not on DVD)
# Equipment Center
- Garlic Presses
# Tasting Lab
- Dried Pasta (Not on DVD)
- Buying Shrimp (Not on DVD)
# Science Desk
- Changing Garlic's Flavor


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America's Test Kitchen is the public television cooking show filmed in the test kitchen of Cook's Illustrated magazine just outside Boston, Massachusetts. Watched by more than 2.5 million viewers per episode, America's Test Kitchen demonstrates the secrets to foolproof home cooking along with no-nonsense reviews of kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients. This 4-DVD set includes all 26 episodes of Season 2!Disc 1: Pureed Vegetable Soups, Pesto, Carbonara & Salad, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Pizza Night, Simple Sandwiches, Shrimp Classics, Steak FritesDisc 2: Fried Chicken & Fixin's, Chicken Cutlets 101 ,All-American Cookout, Middle Eastern Barbecue ,Fajitas & Margaritas, Thanksgiving DinnerDisc 3: Christmas Dinner, Winter Supper, Ham, Biscuits & Greens, Muffins & Scones, Bacon, Eggs & Home Fries, French Toast, Waffles & Strata, Bar Cookies Disc 4: Two French Tarts, Diner Pies, Apple Pies, Peach Pie, Chilled Summer Puddings, Chocolate Dessert

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