Top Ten Cooking Shows of the Decade

I love to eat. Don't we all? I have never been much of a cook, always thinking that there was a mystery to it and that certain people just had a knack for it and others of us did not. But then I discovered the Food Network. Ah, the Food Network where even us ordinary folk can learn a trick or two. I have been a loyal viewer for 10 years now. Some shows I like more than others but there are very few that I never watch. Here are my personal picks for the top 10 cooking shows of the decade.

Barefoot Contessa with Ina Garten. This was one of the first shows I began watching way back 2002. I was drawn to Ina immediately. She has a friendly smile and a welcoming manner. Her home, where she films her show, is beautiful and her style is always gracious. She cooks regular food too...things like stew and pot roast and chicken pot pie. No matter what she is cooking she imparts warmth and welcomes you into her kitchen. Barefoot Contessa is one of the network's most popular shows bringing in one million viewers.

Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. Home cooks are just that...home cooks...they aren't gourmets or professional decorators. Believe me there are a lot more of "us" (home cooks) then there are "them" (professionals) and we want a show that shows us how to create simple meals at home. We want to learn how to decorate our home and set our table with charm and beauty in a way that won't drain our bank accounts or our energy. Sandra Lee does just that. This show began in 2003 and it continues to produce top ratings.

30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray. I love to watch Rachel Ray in the kitchen. She is so "at home" and friendly. Chopping onions, slicing cucumbers...tossing salads...all the while reminding herself not to burn the bread. The show began in 2001 and is targeted, in my opinion, to the younger set with tips and shortcuts you may not have thought of.

Rachel Ray's $40 a Day. This show began in 2002 and aired in the evenings but now seems to only air in the wee morning hours. You can also view episodes online at www.foodnetwork.com . I enjoyed this show because it was fun to watch Rachel spend that $40 on food and, of course, it was fun to travel vicariously through her to all the cities she visited while eating.

Iron Chef America. A competitive food show which began in 2004. I vaguely remember watching its predecessor Iron Chef on some obscure cable channel I used to get. But Iron Chef America is much more fun to watch because there is no translation needed. Watching this show gives me a chance to see masters at work not to mention to learn about foods I would never know existed otherwise. It's a real learning experience.

Throw Down with Bobby Flay. Who doesn't love Bobby Flay? I mean really...how could you not? He seems like such a nice guy. And he is a really good sport too. This show began in 2006 and centers around Bobby traveling to different cities around the USA and challenging local cooks to a "throw down". It might be pizza, or meatloaf or strawberry cake or donuts. Sometimes Bobby wins and sometimes he loses but either way it is still a win-win situation.

Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller. I have just recently begun watching this show. Robin Miller is a nutritionist and food writer who manages to make healthy food that actually tastes good too. But the best part of her show is the way she shows you how to save time, money and effort. Waste not, want not as my grandmother always use to say. Robin Miller takes ingredients for one meal and turns them into three meals with simple, easy tips and tricks that anyone can do.

Next Food Network Star. I love this show. It is the only "reality" TV show that I have ever watched or intend to watch. I found myself picking sides and rooting for my favorites on a weekly basis. If I missed a show I could hardly wait to get online and find out who got canned. Again, this show proves the point frequently that being a professional chef is not a requirement to being a good cook.

The last two shows that made my personal list of the the top 10 cooking shows of the decade are Cooking for Real with Sunny Wilson and Down Home with the Neely's. Sunny Wilson has a flair with good ol soul food sharing meals like crunchy catfish or macaroni and cheese. Real food for real people. Pat and Gina Neely revel in Memphis style BBQ serving it up with sweet and spicy fun-lovin' heat direct form their Memphis kitchen.

I have learned a lot from all of these shows but mostly I have learned to relax in the kitchen. And I have learned that you don't have to be a professional chef in order to cook a good meal, you just need to know a few tips and tricks of the trade and those you will learn watching any one of these wonderful cooks.