Commentary: Food Shows are the Comfort Food during this Crisis

For the last month, since the COVID-19 crisis has hit our country pretty hard; I knew that I had to change some things in my daily route that was for the best and not. Yes, stay home and stay quarantine is the best way to keep the situation contained. But I'm talking about how I have added less of news coverage and added more food shows that have really put a comfort.

You could ask my family members, friends, that I don't start off my day or morning till I watch my Today Show to get my news, weather, and pop culture news; but during this COVID-19 crisis going the news coverage has been one giant of a news cycle. So I've at least taken their own advice by staying positive and finding distractions and that's where I come to food shows.

Whether it's the Food Network, Cooking Channel or old show that you could purchase on Google Play; it is the utmost positive thing that I could have ever add in my daily route. While my weekend mornings are all Food Network shows from The Kitchen, Valerie's Home Cooking, The Pioneer Woman, and more. And I've added the fun and thrilling competition shows like Chopped, Guy's Grocery's Games and Beat Bobby Flay.

I've learned a lot from these shows and even cooked dishes as well. I've been pretty much the cook in my family since being my grandmother's home care aide.

While The Kitchen helps you show the fun, healthy, and excitement in cooking in your kitchen. The co-hosts of Jeff Maruo, Katie Lee, Sunny Anderson, and Geoffery Zakarian (aka G-Z) all bring their own method, techniques, and recipes that I've enjoyed so much.

 The Pioneer Woman, Giada Entertains and Giada in Italy, Valerie's Home Cooking, and Girl Meets Farm cook fun and simple dishes that you could do. Also, their family stories are so good. I've really connected with them.

I do get my education with the classics like Good Eats and Good Eats Reloaded (both you can watch on Food Network and Cooking Channel). Good Eats stats Alton Brown who happens to be Mr. Wizard of food and helps dissect and educate the process of how to cook something like a steak, eggs, or even making shakshuka (for which I have made and blew my family's mind).

But maybe fun and excitement need to turn it up another level for you. That's where Guy's Grocery's Games come to play when Guy Fieri brings in chefs from around the country to compete on three tasks to make outrageous dishes under the minutes while Guy pulls off his tricks of the trade to make things really spicy and good.

While hearing the stories of the chefs that come to play are heartwarming; you just want to root them on. I do get a kick when Guy brings his friends to play and sometimes plays with their minds during April Fools episodes. It might keep your toes at times but you'll get a belly full of laughs.

And if you want some good old thrills and OMG moments, that's' where Chopped comes into play. At first, I wasn't into Chopped too much but since checking it out it's pretty good and wild on how some of these chefs get a task with what's in the basket. Right now there are two shows; the original Chopped is bring back former winners and going up against one of the judges. Last week's episode was so good; as four chefs had to beat each other to go against Scott Conant.

And there are Chopped Sweets hosted by Scott Conant as chefs come in to make desserts out of the mysterious box. It's enough to get me to eat chocolate and cupcakes after 9 pm. But why to stop there, there's  Supermarket Stakeout hosted by Alex Guarnachelli; as four chefs get $1000 and try to make a dish by taking shoppers groceries at the local grocery stores. And there's Beat Bobby Flay. Now, who doesn't want to see Bobby Flay get beat by other chefs?

But during this COVID-19 crisis taking away our March Madness; Food Network and Guy Fieri brings in the Tournament of Champions in the style of March Madness. 16 best chefs in the culinary and food network world going against each other to win it all. I disappointed not to get college basketball march madness. But the Tournament of Champions was the perfect replacement; as it had twisted and turns and moments that I thought one chef would win but didn't. I got my march madness thrills!

I've probably gone a little bit long here, but I'm just telling you what has helped me through this COVID-19 crisis. I've cut half of my news time for something that I could find that is helpful: cooking. I'm not looking to make a seven-course dinner. I'm just looking for something that could take my mind off of this chaos crisis not only by watching television shows; but cooking shows can make you laugh, cry, and even have some fun. Because isn't that what we need right now?

Telling the Truth: Chicago PD "Silence of the Night" Season Finale

The season finale of Chicago PD felt like a season finale as Atwater faces his biggest challenge yet. Here's a recap!

Tough Decisions: Chicago Fire "51st Original Bell" Season Finale

The season finale of Chicago Fire had us questioning whether someone was leaving Firehouse 51. Here's a recap!

Don't Give Up: Chicago Med "A Needle in the Heart" Season Finale

The season finale of Chicago Med might not have felt like a season finale but it probably gave us one moment that will help carry us through to the new season. Here's a recap!

In the season finale, Dr. Charles deals with how a patient been putting needles in his heart, while his teenage daughter has been acting strange due to teenage love stuff. But as he questions the patient's means of putting needles in his heart, he realizes that panic attacks might not be just the cause but a genetic condition. 

Will starts his day questioning Hannah's whereabouts; as she leaves him in the morning to go to a meeting but forgets her phone. At Med, Will deals with a strange patient that has a nasty skin infection; but the course of treatment almost kills him due to the fact that he used his friend's ID. 

But another patient comes in with needle marks on his arm and sees Hannah coming in. The other patient happens to be Hannah's former boyfriend. Will starts to worry and after a talk with Maggie, Will trusts Hannah and they leave Med for the night. 

Natalie and Crockett help a boy who has blood in the chest. During surgery, Natalie and Goodwin learn that the New Orleans police have a warrant or Crockett's arrest for murder seven years ago. Natalie does what she does best and learns about Crockett's past. She uses the information that he donated bone marrow and that the recipient who had his bone morrow still has his DNA. That got him cleared while the boy will make a full recovery. 

All seemed lost for the Chexton fans, but as Ethan been doing a ride-along with the paramedics. Ethan and his team get a call of a shooting and as they head over there, Ethan goes in to help a boy with a gunshot wound. While being held hostage, Ethan tries to help save the boy. After a few hours, Ethan gets through with the shooter and just as he was going to turn in, SWAT comes in. April is there to make sure Ethan is okay and it looks like they might be with them. 

"A Needle in the Heart" doesn't feel like your traditional season finale; that's the thing we need to put in our heads about. Yes, it's a regular episode but it left us with one question that could help carry us through the summer about April and Ethan. Also, Will and Hannah too. I still have doubts about her. Natalie does what Natalie does best she helps her colleagues no matter if she has disagreements or not with them. She cares and that's what we should realize about her character. Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10. 

You can catch Chicago Med available on all platforms NBC.com, Google Play, iTunes and others. Hopefully, we'll see the show back this fall! 

Relationships: Chicago PD "Buried Secret"

When Ruzek witnesses a kidnapping late at night, while the team searches for the victim secrets will be revealed. Here's a recap!

After calling it a night, the team heads home but Ruzek heads to a bar to what seems to try to take his troubles away. But when he's about to have a night with a woman; he witnesses someone getting kidnapped and tries to pursue until he crashes, while he's under the influences.

As the Intelligence identifies the victim, Voight and Ruzek visit the victim's parent's home to talk with the family; but apparently, the father had already known about it since the kidnappers had called for a ransom. But things take a twist when Voight and team learned that there something about the victim's father.

It turns out that the kidnapped victim's father had killed the kidnapper's son; because of a special relationship that he didn't want to be out in the world. Ruzek talks with the kidnapper but dies after Halstead took a shot. The victim's father on the only hand was charged and taken away.

In the end, Ruzek opens up to Burgess, who's been trying for the last few weeks, and go out to dinner.
"Buried Secret" was a very good episode and one that I very much enjoyed Adam Ruzek's character perspective. Mainly when he's drunk and about to have a night of fun; but goes full police mode even when he's drunk. It's fun and hilarious but all in all heart. That story in this episode was one that had me going with the twist and turns. I think all in all we can all agree that the ending with Burgess and Ruzek left us on a very good note. Overall, I give this episode an 8.5/10.

You can catch Chicago PD season finale Wednesday, April 15th at 10/9c on NBC.

Blindspot Season 5 (Final Season) Promo

On Friday, NBC has released the first promo for the new fifth and final season of Blindspot.

At the end of the last season, the FBI task team has been framed and on the most wanted list. But when the season begins someone won't survive.

Here's the promo:

Last season was great. I'm glad that we're getting one last season to close out the series.

You can catch the final season of Blindspot Thursday, April 30th on NBC.

Celebration: Chicago Fire "Light Things Up"

When in doubt, never go to work on your wedding day. Here's a recap!

Wednesday night's episode of Chicago Fire was crazy and emotional and ended happily. But one thing is sure: if it's your Wedding day, never do what Cruz did. It's Cruz's wedding day, and to get the jitters away, he decides to work the shift. That might have been a bad idea as residents from another side of Chicago decided to take a stand by protesting at Firehouse 51 about their firehouse station being closed.

Things escalated when more protesters took over Firehouse 51; even the CFD PR guy couldn't calm the situation. Casey goes to the alderman of that community and gets him to come down to talk with the protesters. But when one of the protesters suffers from crushed syndrome, Foster saves him by making an incision in the guy's arm.

Soon, things go from bad to worse when a brawl occurs, but the CPD comes in to make arrests. But Cruz is found on the ground and knocked out with a cut on his head.  Back at Med, Cruz is cleared and gets ready for the wedding, but the rest of the 51 meet with the protester to show what Gallo and Ritter had done on social media that made both share their message of one community.

Meanwhile, during the chaos at 51, Brett is grieving the loss of her biological mother, and Casey, Kidd, and Foster are there to help her. She gets a surprising visit from Julie's husband to tell her that he can't take care of the child and tells her to either take her or give her up for adoption. Brett tells Casey about the situation, and he confronts her, telling her that when Brett decides, he'll support her. After the chaos ends, she sees Julie's husband and advises him on whether to give her sister up for adoption or not.

With only minutes to spare in the episode, we finally get to the wedding, and what a wedding it was for the Chicago Fire. As Chole walks down the aisle, she sees Cruz's cut and tells him she loves him as he tells her to.  As they said their "I dos," the celebration began, and everything ended with smiles and maybe future engagements.

"Light Things Up" was the episode that didn't disappoint. Yeah, we knew a wedding was coming into this episode, but in the Chicago Fire style, we must deal with drama before celebrating with happy tears. This episode had so much balance with humor, emotions, and thrills that it felt like a bottle episode but, in a way, didn't. I wish there were a digital clip or episode of what Cruz's bachelor party was like. I want to know what Severide pulled off.

But the message or theme in this episode was as good as it could have been, and it's still a message we need right now. It had that decisive moment like in the "A Chicago Welcome" episode.

While Cruz's wedding and protest situation was good and all, the Brett storyline was so good as well. That storyline was so influential for even Brett to deal with her baby sisters. But I think that her talk with Julie's husband had changed his mind. Plus, I just ate up that Brett and Casey scene. Whether or not they end up together, I love their friendship. And I expect new music videos on YouTube of those scenes will be up by the weekend.

Overall, I give this episode a 9/10.

You can catch the final episode of the season of Chicago Fire next Wednesday at 9/8c on NBC.