Chef Over Your Shoulder: Cooking Tips, Recipes & Kitchen Inspiration

With Thanksgiving almost here, we are bringing back one of our favourite episodes, and if turkey is on your menu this year, this one is a must-listen.

When we first recorded this episode, I had never really cooked a turkey. Well, I am very happy to report that I have now successfully cooked a turkey, and in this episode, you can hear exactly how I got there. Jody and Kirstie share their best turkey tips, including how big a bird you really need, why a good thermometer is your best friend, and how to make lots of homemade gravy. Plus, the tip that surprised me most: you can cook your turkey a day or two ahead, so you can spend less time stressing and more time enjoying the people around your table. Whether you are a seasoned pro or roasting your very first bird, there is something here for everyone!

Key Topics & Takeaways:
Kitchen Stories: Kirstie shares a "Weekly Win" recipe for a Zucchini Meat and Cheese Lasagna, perfect for using up garden gluts or eating gluten-free..
The Turkey Manifesto: Jody introduces the ultimate guide to decision-making for your bird. This includes choosing between fresh or frozen and determining the right size (aim for 1.5 lbs per person).
Brining Basics: The chefs explain the difference between wet and dry brining.
Tip: Dry brine with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of turkey for 24 to 48 hours.
Temperature Matters: Stop guessing and use a thermometer.
Breast meat should reach 157°F to 160°F.
Thigh meat should reach 175°F.
The Make-Ahead Hack: Jody’s secret to a relaxed holiday is cooking the turkey the day before, carving it cold, and reheating it in stock and butter.
Gravy Gold: How to use turkey necks and roasted bones to create a rich stock, ensuring you never run out of gravy.

Chef Over Your Shoulder is our podcast about the connections we make through cooking. Pairing professional Chefs Jody O'Malley and Kirstie Herbstreitand from the Culinary Studio with me, a burn-to-the-bottom-of-the-pan expert, creates the perfect “recipe” to demystify the kitchen and bring back the joy of cooking…without the pressure.

Links and Resources
Zucchini Lasagna
Jody's Turkey Manifesto
Guide to Brining Turkey

Connect with us!
The Culinary Studio Website
The Culinary Studio Instagram
Amy Schlueter Instagram
The Culinary Studio Facebook
The Culinary Studio TikTok

Many of us have all learned something in the kitchen from our grandparents, whether it was a recipe, a shortcut, or a certain way to cook a turkey or make a dessert. Sometimes those lessons included food safety habits that get passed down from generation to generation without anyone ever stopping to ask if they still hold up. Jody puts her one hundred and ten percent chef school food safety mark to good use, walking us through the rules that actually matter at home, and the ones we can let go of.

We are talking best before dates versus expiry dates, the truth about washing your chicken, why your freezer is not actually a magic time machine, and the four hour rule that could save your next potluck. We also get into the truth about rice, including what Jody and Kirstie call the danger zone.
There is a lot of great knowledge in this episode and I think it will help many of us update what’s passed down to the next generation of cooks.

Key topics covered:
Best before versus expiry dates, and what they really mean
Cutting mould off cheese: when it is fine and when it is not
The truth about rice and grain safety, including the "danger zone"
How to properly cool, freeze, and reheat rice (the wet paper towel trick)
Why washing raw rice and grains is about texture, not dirt
Why you should never wash raw chicken, and what actually kills salmonella
Cutting boards at home: wood versus plastic, and keeping raw meat separate
The four hour rule for food left at room temperature, including potlucks and groceries
How to properly store your fridge, and where the raw meat actually goes
The three to four day rule for leftovers, and reheating to a safe temperature
Cross contamination basics: hands, pets, hair, and cutting boards
Amy's raw chicken parmesan confession

Chef Over Your Shoulder is our podcast about the connections we make through cooking. Pairing professional Chefs Jody O'Malley and Kirstie Herbstreitand from the Culinary Studio with me, a burn-to-the-bottom-of-the-pan expert, creates the perfect “recipe” to demystify the kitchen and bring back the joy of cooking…without the pressure.

Links and Resources
Food Safety Blog
Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Greek Quinoa Recipe

Connect with us!
The Culinary Studio Website
The Culinary Studio Instagram
Amy Schlueter Instagram
The Culinary Studio Facebook
The Culinary Studio TikTok

Welcome to the Season 2 premiere of Chef Over Your Shoulder! After an unforgettable first season filled with memorable stories, kitchen tips, helpful recommendations and of course lots of laughter, we are ready to do it again in Season 2.

What better way to embark on this adventure than getting out of the kitchen? From lobster rolls in Nova Scotia to beachside mussel boils in Newfoundland, Jody and Kirstie retrace their summer travels across the East Coast of Canada. There was a lot to learn outside the kitchen. In between hilarious travel stories, Jody and Kirstie pass along great recommendations and even a few cooking tips. But the biggest lesson of all…letting the road take you where you were meant to be.

Links and Resources
Skipper Jacks
Cow's Ice Cream
Squid Jigger on Caplin Bay
St. John's Walking Tours
Duke of Duckworth
Linda's Bar
East Coast Kitchen Party: Season 2 of Chef Over Your Shoulder Is Here!

Connect with us!
The Culinary Studio Website
The Culinary Studio Instagram
Amy Schlueter Instagram
The Culinary Studio Facebook
The Culinary Studio TikTok

On today’s episode Kirstie walks us aisle by aisle through the grocery store to answer one very relatable question: do you make it, or do you buy it? We talk soft sandwiches, spinach dip, pasta sauce, chicken fingers, pierogies, and muffins. And I think you might be surprised which things our chefs recommend you make and which ones they think are better to buy.
So join us as we head to the grocery store!

Chef tips
Roast whole bananas in the oven for five to ten minutes to ripen them fast for baking
Macerate harsh aromatics like onion and garlic in a little acid to soften their bite before adding them to dips
Use a thicker batter, fill each cup about three quarters full, and skip every other muffin cup so the tops have room to dome
Look for the pack date from harvest on the bottom of a good quality can of tomatoes
Fry breaded items in a little olive oil for a golden finish, then finish in the oven if needed

Chef Over Your Shoulder is our podcast about the connections we make through cooking. Pairing professional Chefs Jody O'Malley and Kirstie Herbstreitand from the Culinary Studio with me, a burn-to-the-bottom-of-the-pan expert, creates the perfect “recipe” to demystify the kitchen and bring back the joy of cooking…without the pressure.

Links and Resources
Make It or Buy It Blog
Devilled Eggs
Tomato sauce

Connect with us!
The Culinary Studio Website
The Culinary Studio Instagram
Amy Schlueter Instagram
The Culinary Studio Facebook
The Culinary Studio TikTok

Today, we are talking about potlucks. And I must confess that I’m the person who signs up for water the second a potluck spreadsheet goes live. Today, Jody and Kirstie are going to help me change that. Our chefs walk me through real life, low stress ideas for what to bring to potlucks, team parties, backyard barbecues, and those last minute “can you bring something to share” invitations. From entry level ideas like simple Caesar pasta salad, or an apple and cheddar cheese platter, all the way up to devilled eggs, and ham and cheese sliders.

Along the way, we get into how much to make, what actually travels well, and how to find your own “thing” for a potluck. If you have ever felt intimidated or just too tired to think about what to bring, you are going to finish this episode with a variety of fun and yummy ideas and permission to show up exactly where you are that day, from fancy Chicken Prosciutto Skewers to really good potato chips and a case of water.

Links Resources
Devilled Eggs
Broccoli Salad
Tuna Salad
Potato Salad
Lemon Cucumber Gin Punch
Mixed Bean Salad
Chicken Prosciutto Skewers

Chef Over Your Shoulder is our podcast about the connections we make through cooking. Pairing professional Chefs Jody O'Malley and Kirstie Herbstreitand from the Culinary Studio with me, a burn-to-the-bottom-of-the-pan expert, creates the perfect “recipe” to demystify the kitchen and bring back the joy of cooking…without the pressure.