Photo by Jon Mountjoy

Masterchef is back (and with another Houstonian in the mix)!

We've been loving the season so far, especially the pressure tests. But with a pissed-off Ramsay, daunting time restraints and cameras right in the contestants' faces waiting for them to break down in an ugly cry in front of the judges and all of America, it's no wonder these contestants succumb to the pressure.

Luckily, we don't have to. Making "stunning" versions of the challenges at home is actually not intimidating at all.

Last week, the contestants tackled a brunch staple: Eggs Benedict. The show may make it seem impossible, but with the right timing and a few simple steps, the hollandaise-drizzled dish is incredibly easy...and incredibly delicious.

Here's how to make it:

See also:
-The Non-Pressure Test: Make Lava Cake Like a MasterChef
-The Non-Pressure Test: Make Eggs Like A Masterchef Part I
-The Non-Pressure Test: Make Eggs Like A Masterchef Part II

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Photo courtesy of Fox

Support fellow Houstonian and MasterChef season 4 contestant James Nelson.

Here's another reason why you should love Houston so much. Another Houstonian has made it onto the fourth season of MasterChef and it looks as if he could go all the way. James Nelson, from Victoria, has advanced to the top 15 after wowing the judges with his audition recipe of pork belly with a lentil, asparagus and Portobello hash, and creating incredible dishes from each challenge to keep him safe.

Now, Houston, we need to support James Nelson, just like we did with Christine Ha. How cool would that be, to have back-to-back MasterChef winners from Houston?

This calm, cool, collected guy definitely has what it takes to win the title of MasterChef.

Nelson is the co-owner of Bravado Spice, a hot sauce company in Houston, along with longtime friend Jeremiah Tallerine. Nelson has informally taught himself everything about cooking. After watching every season of MasterChef, Nelson knew that he wanted to audition.

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Photos by Christina Uticone

A packed house at Brazos Bookstore for MC3 winner Christine Ha.

Well, it appears I'm not Christine Ha's only stalker huge fan here in Houston.

Last night, the MasterChef Season 3 winner spoke to a full house at Brazos Bookstore, promoting and signing copies of her cookbook, Recipes from my Home Kitchen. By 6:30 p.m., most seats were full, and by the time Ha took the microphone at 7 p.m., the cookbook had sold out, the crowd was standing-room-only and the temperature in the store had definitely risen a few degrees.

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LCBGlenn

The ninth season of Food Network Star might have a successful winner.

It's that time of year once again; Food Network Star premiered Sunday at 8 p.m. for its ninth season.

Last year, the three star judges, Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis and Alton Brown, served as judges and mentors to the contestants they chose to be on their team. This year, however, Food Network Star says goodbye to teams and hello to the original format. Twelve contestants, now 11 thanks to the first elimination, will compete individually to become the next face of Food Network.

You might recognize a few of these contestants, like Rodney Henry, the Pie Man, who has been featured on a few cooking and travel shows for his outstanding pies, or Viet Pham, who beat Iron Chef (and Food Network Star judge) Bobby Flay during an Iron Chef America competition. While the rest of the contestants don't have the same TV coverage these contestants have, most of them seem to have cooking skills and strong enough personalities to make this an entertaining season.

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Photo courtesy of MasterChef

The new season of MasterChef has premiered.

While most of your regular-season shows will take a break this summer, you can now tune in for new programs and seasons of food and cooking shows. If you're looking for a little inspiration in the kitchen or are just in dire need of a new television show to get hooked on, here are three you definitely need to watch this summer.

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The "Turtle" is now one of Screech's signature CrossFit moves.

During a relaxing champagne bubblebath, I dreamt up a 2k13 version of The Peach Pit
from Beverly Hills, 90210. Well, that "fan fiction" wasn't the end for me. Instead, it got me thinking about another '90s cult hit hangout -- The Max from Saved by the
Bell.

Here's what I'm fairly positive The Max would look like today:

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Photo by Katharine Shilcutt

Houston hosted Eat St. as it filmed food trucks this past summer.

Although the Cooking Channel was ostensibly created to air the kind of cooking-oriented shows that the Food Network used to air -- remember those shows where chefs actually showed you how to make food? -- it can't help itself from presenting more Food Network-y shows like Eat St., which describes itself as "a lip-smacking celebration of North America's tastiest, messiest and most irresistible street food."

See also:
- Houston's Top 10 "Fancy" Food Trucks
- A (Very Nearly) Comprehensive Guide to Houston's Food Trucks
- Burritos the Size of a Toddler: The 10 Best Food Truck Dishes

I'm not really complaining, of course -- I'll watch footage of shrimp corn dogs and pork belly tacos all day long. Especially if those shrimp corn dogs and pork belly tacos came from Houston.

Back in May 2012, Eat St. filmed food trucks in the Bayou City for a week straight. It was a hot, sweaty, humid affair for the Canadian production crew, but managed to hit a bevy of trucks during their stay.

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cbs.com

"The American Baking Competition" airs on CBS this summer.

Over the past several years, cooking shows have popped up on a variety of networks besides the mother ship of all food and cooking shows, the Food Network. If Cupcake Wars and reruns of Top Chef Just Desserts don't do it for you, this summer CBS will air a summer baking competition beginning May 29 at 7 p.m.

The American Baking Competition features an array of bakers from different backgrounds sharing the same passion, as on any other cooking show. But this time, the theme is baking rather than cooking.

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I was digging through Hulu for old episodes of Kitchen Nightmares -- the best TV show to fold laundry to, bar none -- when I found it: my new television obsession.

The Supersizers Go... is shamefully hidden deep within Hulu's bowels, when it should be front and center. It's far more than just a food or cooking TV show. It's not simply an idle way to pass an hour, like flipping between Chopped during the tedious commercial breaks.

It's a sharp, smart, funny look at the history of food through the ages, examined decade by decade and era by era. So of course it's from the BBC.

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Winter. Is. Coming.

If you are confused by that statement, stop reading now. We are no longer friends. (Jk, you can keep reading.)

This Sunday is a special day. Yes, I know it's Easter Sunday and that is a very special day to many, but that is not what I'm talking about here.

I'm talking about the battle for the Iron Throne...A Storm of Swords...the season 3 premiere of Game of Thrones. If you haven't seen HBO's hit show based on George R.R. Martin's series of fantasy novels, that's okay -- there's still time! Just On Demand or Netflix the shit out of seasons 1 and 2 right now.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm freaking pumped. Pumped enough to borrow my sister's Daenerys costume and throw myself a party full of GoT-inspired snacks and libations.

Join me in my Feast of Ice and Fire, but beware: There are spoilers ahead for those who haven't enjoyed the books or seasons 1 and 2 of the TV show quite yet.

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