Family "Chopped" Challenge

I've mentioned before that we're big Food Network watchers and we especially love the variety of challenge shows like Cutthroat Kitchen,  Guy's Grocery Games and our old favorite, Chopped.

On Chopped,  four chef-testants are given "mystery boxes" containing 3-4 ingredients which they must use in a corresponding course (appetizer, entree and dessert); one contestant is eliminated after each course with the winner taking home $10,000. The mystery boxes are complicated at best and disturbing at worst with ingredients that don't fit the course like Parmesan cheese for dessert or are weird (bull testicles), foreign (piloncillo) or gross (canned whole chicken).

This show resonates so well with our family since my dad and I used to play very similar make-believe kitchen games. One, which started when I was very little, involved making up random, gross ice cream flavors that only Oscar the Grouch could enjoy, like saw dust ice cream with a motor oil swirl or pork and bean frozen yogurt. My parent also have an open pantry in their kitchen packed with all sorts of random goodies, and while we ate in the kitchen we'd pick an ingredient from each shelf and try to figure out how to make a meal from ingredients like sweetened condensed milk, Spaghetti-O's, kosher dills and butterscotch chips.

Now that all of our cooking skills (and palates) have improved and we have a chef in the family, we've started taking these childhood games and TV shows into our own kitchens.

About a year ago, J and Dad did a Chopped-style challenge where they had to feed all four of us three courses by spending only $15 at our local discount grocery store, GO Grocery Outlet. GO fits the Chopped bill perfectly because while their chefs never know what will be in their baskets, GO shoppers never know what they'll find.

GO stocks a variety of products that were surplus at big box stores; have appearance flaws (crooked labels etc.); non-perishable seasonal goods (Christmas cupcake mix available in February); new and/or weird products that are too risky or flopped in traditional stores (like Sunmaid's barbeque flavored raisins); and items close to their expiration date at deep discounts. We love shopping here regularly for the exact reason that you never know what they'll have. You can try new products that you're unsure of at little cost or stock up on your favorite products without breaking the bank (I bought 10 boxes of Oat Revolution! instant oatmeal for 50 cents apiece).

One of those "weird' items...

Last night we went shopping and tonight, we start our new round of Chopped competition. I'm cooking tonight, Dad has tomorrow and J's doing Monday night.

Here are our rules:

1. We must make three courses for four people.
2. There can only be 60 minutes between courses. Pre-prep is allowed. 
3. We can only spend $16 at GO for all of our main ingredients. 
4. Cannot use coffee/caffeinated items (including chocolate) for dietary restriction reasons
5. The following pantry staples are allowed free of charge

• Up to 2 c. flour
• sugar
• "basic" spices - not things like zatar or Chinese five spice
• onions
• Up to 4 eggs
• milk
• oils/butter
• "basic" condiments - ketchup, mustard, mayo 

And, our family saboteur added in a Cutthroat Kitchen-style twist. Mom purchased three items at GO; we each draw a course from a hat in which we must use the ingredient (options are re-entered, so we may all get dessert etc.), then we choose a colored bag and must use the item within. She is evil.

J and Dad do have the advantage of doing this before (minus mom's curveball) and they did a great job last time. They both came up with good meals that were filling and delicious and really creative! J actually made the coolest dessert ever - he blended Little Debbie Nutty Bars into powder, made them into balls with chocolate syrup, chilled  then dipped them in pancake batter and deep fried them to make delicious peanut butter fritters. Quite a high standard to live up to.

I'm starting some of my prep now, and praying a lot, for tonight's meal. I'll keep you all posted on our exciting meals and feel free to let us know who YOU think the clear winner is!