TV Dinners: November 19-25

What’s worth watching on food-TV this week?

Martha Stewart’s all about Thanksgiving this week; she even has a hotline up T-Day emergencies (email thanksgivinghotline@marthastewart.com). Her mashed potatoes tip? Use buttermilk instead of heavy cream or cream cheese—“Delicious,” she says. On Monday, she’s making sides and teaching people about heritage birds and how to find the perfect turkey. On Wednesday, she’ll be answering people’s last minute holiday questions—sent in via the hotline--throughout the show (Monday-Wednesday, Friday, 1pm, NBC).

Also on this week:

Wednesday on Kitchen Nightmares (9pm on Fox), Ramsay makes over Lela’s in Pomona, CA. On Saturday, check out Shopping with Chefs (1pm, Fine Living TV, Ch. 144), in which Chefs Jill Davie and David Myers give advice on shopping for everything from kitchen tools to ingredients.
Next Sunday After Hours with Daniel (Boulud) is on at 8:30pm on MOJO. And on PBS’ Sunday late afternoon food lineup (4-6:30pm, Channel 13), we’ve got Chef’s Story, featuring Chef David Bouley, then Complete Pépin, with part 2 of his episode on dessert essentials. The Best Recipes in the World with Mark Bittman follows with an episode on oysters. Next up is Lidia Bastianich’s Lidia’s Italy with an episode on brining, then Colameco’s Food Show .