Food Network (Thursdays, 10 p.m. ET)
Fun's on the menu in this weekly culinary competition, which is like Iron Chef without the pomp. Revved-up host JD Roberto provides the meal's main element—steaks, veal, whatever—then each two-person team gets a couple of hours to shop for other edibles (on a $20 budget) and whip up a dish that will please the judges and win a prize package of gourmet gadgets. Many of the participants don't cook for a living—matchups include cops vs. firefighters and moms vs. bikers—but they share a love for food and a flair for kitchen patter and improvisation. My favorites: the beer buddies with their "brew-collar" crab-cakes.
BOTTOM LINE: Tasty
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