tarte-aux-pommes

The little "confessional" scenes where they cut to contestants talking are actually filmed after each episode, kind of like recaps. This means that the kids who are like "I don't want to go home!!" already know they got eliminated

Sorry for the wait!

Beef Mushroom Stew: Serves 8-10

2 Pounds Beef Stew Meat

3 tbsp. Flour

3 tbsp. Butter

Salt and Pepper TT

4 Yukon Potatoes, chopped

2 Carrots, chopped

2 Leeks, sliced into ¼ inch rounds

2 Yellow Onions, diced

½ cup Soy Sauce

1 cup Water

1 10.5oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1-2 pints Assorted Mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp. Lemon Juice

Slice stew meat into bite-sized cubes, place in a large freezer bag and coat with flour, salt, and pepper. In a large dutch oven, melt the butter at medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides. Add vegetables and mushrooms and sautee briefly until browned and flavorful. Add the water, soy sauce, and simmer with the lid covered on low heat for 1 hour, adding a few tablespoons more water if necessary to prevent burning. Finally, pour in the cream of mushroom soup and lemon juice, and simmer for 15-20 more minutes. Adjust seasoning and enjoy! This stew tastes better as leftovers.

He's a teddy bear. He likes to sneak up on contestants and their parents and scare them sometimes between taping. I never really saw him lose his temper.

She'd probably come back from the dead and hit me with a wooden spoon, so unfortunately I cannot

I wish I had known that the amount of exposure/opportunities I thought I'd have wouldn't be as much as I actually ended up with. Of course I'm super thankful for the whole experience, and the prize money did allow me to go on exchange in Japan and is going to be extremely helpful in my future. Also, my obsession with food has grown significantly since winning.