Mary's Ways to Impress Without the Stress
With Mary’s step-by-step guidance, even beginner cooks can feel confident in the kitchen.
Episodes
See Episode GuideGuests to Impress
To impress guests, Mary Berg recommends a kitschy retro theme. She starts with Spinach and Artichoke Mac 'n' Cheese and then makes a Cobb-ish Salad with Marinated Salmon and juicy Maple-Brined Pork Roast before finishing with Butterscotch Pudding.
Bare Bones Baking
Mary Berg proves that you don't need to break the bank on fancy gadgets to whip up some delicious and impressive baked goods. Mary uses everyday household items to cut her Classic Cake Donuts before frying on the stovetop and drizzling melted chocolate on top with a DIY Piping Bag. Then, there's no pie plate or rolling pin required for Mary's Chocolate Cherry Galette, and she's got a nifty hack for pitting fresh cherries. Top it all off with a No-Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream that's simple enough for kids to pitch in.
Feelin' France-y
Mary Berg shares a crash course in French cuisine, demystifying classic techniques with recipes that only sound fancy. She makes a Croque Madame with caramelized onions, Steak Frites, PB and J Mille Feuille and an Omelette Soufflé.
Livin' on the Veg
Vegetarian cooking can be so much more than just a bowl of greens. Mary Berg celebrates the veggie life by making Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas with crumbled tofu and topped with a homemade smoky enchilada sauce and queso fresco cheese. Protein-packed Chickpea Socca is the perfect vehicle for a dairy-free green goddess dressing full of fresh herbs, and a Salad Topper includes toasted nuts and seeds, dried cranberries, and crispy fried wonton strips. Mary's Veggie Pakoras are made with chickpea flour, garam masala spice and whatever veggies and legumes you've got in the crisper.
Healthied Up
Mary Berg boosts the nutrients in her favorite comfort foods and makes them healthier without sacrificing flavor. She skips the chips for her Roasted Veg Nachos and makes Oven-Fried Chicken, Eggplant Parmesan and no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.
Supermarket Swap
Mary Berg loves a grocery store shortcut to make cooking smarter, not harder. Starting with bagged slaw, Mary cooks up golden brown Japanese pancakes, Okonomiyaki, topped with tonkatsu sauce. Then, Mary shows how to jazz up a store-bought rotisserie chicken by turning it into Quick Coq au Vin that will wow any table. For a weekend treat, Mary makes Butternut Squash and Kale Strata, using pre-cut butternut squash, frozen chopped kale and day-old bakery loaf. She finishes with a Creamy French Onion Dip, made with frozen pre-chopped onions, perfect for dipping pita, chips or crudités.
Budget Bites
Mary Berg satisfies cravings and stacks up savings with recipes that prove delicious dishes don't have to cost a fortune. She makes Balsamic Mushrooms with Polenta, Pork Tenderloin with Fennel, a potato-filled Spanish Tortilla and Ginger Scallion Noodles.
Cast Away
A cast-iron pan is at the top of Mary Berg's must-have items list, but it can be intimidating, even for experienced cooks. Mary channels her inner cowboy with a hearty Vegetarian Chili Cobbler with Cornbread Dumplings, and she keeps down the number of dishes with her One-Pan Breadcrumb Chicken Thighs with orzo and greens. Then, Mary gets sweet with Peach and Berry Crisp, and her husband, Aaron, shares all the secrets to caring for cast iron.
One-Pot Wonders
Mary Berg makes kitchen cleanup a breeze with four one-pot recipes that practically eliminate the mess. She pairs fish with cheese for Sheet Pan Cod, makes Coconut Daal and hearty Scalloped Potato Pork Stew and wraps up with Coconut Cherry Crumble Bars.
Livin' in the Past-a
Mary Berg and her husband share their new tradition of at-home date night, born from quarantine-life cravings for Italian-American chain restaurants. Mary recreates the checkered tablecloth magic with Classic Italian Restaurant Salad dripping with homemade Italian dressing and deliciously Stuffed Banana Peppers filled with beef and sausage, topped with herby tomato passata sauce. For a fuss-free, make-ahead dessert, Mary's simplified Tiramisu has thick layers of mascarpone cream with coffee and booze-soaked ladyfingers. And don't forget the pasta! Mary's rich and creamy Fettucine Alfredo loaded with shrimp will have you singing "that's amore!"
Mary Bakes It Easy
Baking may be a science, but Mary Berg proves that it doesn't need to be complicated. She skips yeast and kneading to make Irish Soda Bread and dresses up Raspberry Almond Croissants. Mary also makes Toffee Brownie Cheesecake and easy Butter Tart Squares.
Make and Take
A potluck is a great way to bring people together, and Mary Berg has recipes to impress your pals at the next gathering. Her Confit-ish Tomatoes, also known as Tomato Slop, feature slow roasted tomatoes loaded with olive oil and topped with crumbled goat cheese. Homemade Crackers are thrown together with just a few pantry staples, and Mary brings the Oktoberfest vibes with Soft Pretzel Knots with Beer Cheese. For dessert, Mary's Blueberry Cream Cheese Turnovers are a party-perfect treat with a thick and jammy filling.
Cheese Please
If cheese was a food group, it would be Mary Berg's favorite. She pays homage to fromage with four recipes starring cheese, starting with Paneer Tikka and Cheesy French Toast. She also prepares Vegan Chili Cheese Dogs and finishes with Grilled Brie.
Fake It 'Til You Bake It
Whether you're a newbie baker or a pro who wants to take it easy, Mary Berg has recipe hacks to raise your baking game. Mary's Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes feature a sneaky surprise center thanks to a roll of cookie dough from the refrigerator aisle, and store-bought pie crust is the perfect texture for Blondie Pie with apricot jam filling. Hummingbird Cake is an impressive dessert that tastes as if carrot cake and banana bread had a baby. Mary jazzes it up with canned pineapple, cream cheese peanut butter frosting and crunchy Peanut Butter Feuilletine-like topping made from breakfast cereal.
Date Night
Mary Berg settles date night nerves by serving up recipes sure to impress a special guest while keeping cool in the kitchen. She starts with Pavlova for dessert and then makes Porcini Pasta and Steak Bourguignon, all in less than 30 minutes.
The Short List
Mary Berg takes on the challenge of creating the most flavorful dishes from the fewest number of ingredients. Her Peach Bourbon Chicken features a golden caramelized peach pan sauce, and Red Pepper Roast Salmon includes a bright roasted pepper side salad with fresh pesto, olives and pine nuts. Mary's Zucchini Capellini saves on both ingredients and time, coming together in under 10 minutes, and her two-ingredient dessert, Affogato, is impossible to stress over with vanilla ice cream topped with espresso coffee.
Pie in the Sky
Piemaking can be daunting, but Mary Berg's pastry crash course with three types of dough makes pie-in-the-sky dreams come true. She covers classic Apple Pie, a Curried Potato and Pea Galette with vegan pastry and a sturdy Steak and Stout Pie.
