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

Stir-Fry Masterclass: Easy Homemade Sauce and The Art of Restraint | Cooking Tips, Recipes & Kitchen Inspiration

Is your homemade stir-fry lacking that special something? Do your vegetables turn out soggy instead of crisp? In this episode, Jody, and Kirstie break down the science and the art of the perfect stir-fry. Our chefs share an easy four-ingredient sauce that is infinitely better than anything you can buy in a bottle. We also discuss why you should not cook all your vegetables at the same time and a secret technique called velveting.You will not believe how simple it is to achieve that authentic restaurant flavour at home. It just requires a little bit of knowledge and a little bit of restraint.In This Episode, You Will Learn:The 4-Ingredient Magic Sauce: Why you should stop buying pre-made stir-fry sauces. The chefs share their "golden ratio" ingredients: Shaoxing cooking wine, Oyster sauce, Soy sauce, and Sesame oil.The Art of Velveting: Jody explains the science behind using baking soda (not baking powder!) to change the pH of meat. This prevents tight protein bonds and results in that tender, silky texture you love in restaurant dishes.The Dance of the Wok: Why you must cook ingredients separately. We discuss managing heat and why treating your vegetables like they are in a "cold plunge" results in a soggy disaster.Wok Hei: Understanding the "breath of the wok" and whether you actually need a carbon steel wok to make a great meal.Restraint in the Kitchen: Why choosing just two or three vegetables is better than using everything in your crisper drawer.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 ResourcesForequarter Butcher ShopEasy Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry – Better Than TakeoutMastering the Stir-Fry: Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry (Faster than Take-Out!)Beyond the Recipe: Why Chefs Jody and Kirstie are Obsessed with CookbooksThe Wok by J. Kenji López-AltConnect with us!The Culinary Studio WebsiteThe Culinary Studio InstagramAmy Schlueter InstagramThe Culinary Studio FacebookThe Culinary Studio TikTok

The Midnight Snack Guide | Cooking Tips, Recipes & Kitchen Inspiration

Why does food always taste better late at night when you are standing at the kitchen counter? In this episode of Chef Over Your Shoulder, Amy, Jody, and Kirstie share their favourite midnight snacks. They talk about why the perfect sandwich is truly the pinnacle of late night snacking, and Jody talks about the art of making the perfect peanut butter toast. If you are looking for something a bit lighter, we also share our favourite healthy snacks that still satisfy those late night cravings.Even when it comes to snacking, Jody and Kirstie still bring their professional expertise to the kitchen. They share how to revive yesterday’s pizza so the crust stays crispy and the cheese stays melty.Of course, not all late night snacks are eaten in the comfort of your own home. Kirstie shares a legendary New Year's Eve story that ended at a 7-Eleven with the perfect midnight snack that saved the night.Kirstie and Amy also confess that raw cookie dough is one of our favourite treats, even while Jody expresses her professional concern over our raw flour intake. But in the end, they all agree that a simple bowl of cereal might just be the perfect midnight snack of all.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 ResourcesThe Best Ever Meatloaf RecipeThe Best & Only Bits and Bites Recipe You’ll Ever Need!Connect with us!The Culinary Studio WebsiteThe Culinary Studio InstagramAmy Schlueter InstagramThe Culinary Studio FacebookThe Culinary Studio TikTok

The Turkey Manifesto: Your Guide to a Stress-Free Feast | Cooking Tips, Recipes & Kitchen Inspiration

Today we are talking turkey. We are sharing our turkey memories and stories and lots of turkey tips. For many of us we are getting into the holiday season and that often includes a full turkey dinner. It can be one of the biggest joys of the year or one of the biggest culinary challenges you face.Either way, everyone will find some turkey inspiration from what Kirstie calls Jody’s Turkey Manifesto. It will answer all your questions. Should you brine? What temperature is safe? Can you cook your turkey the day before? Jody and Kirstie not only answer these questions and more, but they also break down the process into manageable steps and debunk a few turkey myths along the way. Whether you are a seasoned pro or roasting your very first bird, this episode is packed with turkey tips and inspiration to help you find the Joy of Cooking this holiday season. 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 ResourcesZucchini LasagnaJody's Turkey ManifestoGuide to Brining TurkeyConnect with us!The Culinary Studio WebsiteThe Culinary Studio InstagramAmy Schlueter InstagramThe Culinary Studio FacebookThe Culinary Studio TikTok

Kitchen Gadgets Guide: The Essentials vs. The Clutter | Cooking Tips, Recipes & Kitchen Inspiration

Jody and Kirstie’s Kitchen Gadget EssentialsAre your kitchen drawers overflowing with tools you never use?Today is going to be a fun one because we are raiding our kitchen drawers. That is right. We are talking about kitchen gadgets and the tools that actually spark joy versus the ones that are just gathering dust.We discuss the absolute essentials that every home cook should own. Including a bouquet of strainers and the right pair of tongs. Jody and Kirstie share the magic of the microplane, the importance of a Y-Peeler, how to treat your wooden cutting board and why you should recycle your pasta grabber immediately.Jody and Kristie also reveal who rolls out dough and cookies with a rolling pin and who bakes with a wine bottle.Find your next kitchen gadget here!Key TakeawaysWhat We Ate: Kirstie’s secret roasted potato snack (with a specific mayo-to-ketchup ratio) and Jody’s "duelling soups" challenge.The Bouquet of Strainers: Why you need a fine mesh strainer (the "Romper Room" size) and a bamboo spider for pasta and blanching.The Essential List: The magic of the Microplane (Rasp), why tongs are an extension of the hand, and the importance of a Y-peeler.Baking Tools: The debate between French rolling pins and wine bottles.Cutting Board 101: The truth about wood versus plastic and how to sanitize your wood board using salt and lemon.Gadgets We Love (and Hate): The practicality of an oyster shucker, the surprising utility of a pineapple corer, and why you should recycle your pasta grabber.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 ResourcesThe Culinary Studio’s Amazon StoreConnect with us!The Culinary Studio WebsiteThe Culinary Studio InstagramAmy Schlueter InstagramThe Culinary Studio FacebookThe Culinary Studio TikTok

Beyond the Recipe: Why Chefs Jody and Kirstie are Obsessed with Cookbooks | Cooking Tips, Recipes & Kitchen Inspiration

Jody and Kirstie's Favourite Cookbooks!This week, we are talking about an obsession that some of us keep very close to our hearts, and our bedsides! We are talking about cookbooks. Are they just collections of cold, hard instructions, or are they something more? We think they are much more. They are diaries and travelogues, filled with kitchen inspiration and cooking tips. When you open a great cookbook, you are not just getting a recipe, you are getting the author’s passion, techniques and sometimes their life story.Are your cookbooks gathering dust? Do you follow the recipe exactly, or do you experiment? This week, Jody and Kirstie are revealing their secrets to finding true inspiration. Funny enough, most of that inspiration comes from old notebooks, family recipe boxes and a cookbook that doesn’t have any recipes in it!Before we hit the books, Amy had some homework to do this week. She made Kirstie’s chicken noodle soup. Listen to find out if she had another kitchen disaster and what her family thought. Spoiler Alert: The Culinary Studio recipes are easy to follow so things turned out alright!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 ResourcesJody and Kirstie’s Top 10 CookbooksConnect with us!The Culinary Studio WebsiteThe Culinary Studio InstagramAmy Schlueter InstagramThe Culinary Studio FacebookThe Culinary Studio TikTok