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Even Chefs Buy This: The Honest Make It or Buy It Guide | Cooking Tips, Recipes & Kitchen Inspiration

Chef Over Your Shoulder: Cooking Tips, Recipes & Kitchen Inspiration·Jody O'Malley, Kirstie Herbstreit and Amy Schlueter with Cooking Tips, Recipes and Kitchen Inspiration ·1 August 2026·38 min

About this episode

On today’s episode Kirstie walks us aisle by aisle through the grocery store to answer one very relatable question: do you make it, or do you buy it? We talk soft sandwiches, spinach dip, pasta sauce, chicken fingers, pierogies, and muffins. And I think you might be surprised which things our chefs recommend you make and which ones they think are better to buy. So join us as we head to the grocery store! Chef tipsRoast whole bananas in the oven for five to ten minutes to ripen them fast for bakingMacerate harsh aromatics like onion and garlic in a little acid to soften their bite before adding them to dipsUse a thicker batter, fill each cup about three quarters full, and skip every other muffin cup so the tops have room to domeLook for the pack date from harvest on the bottom of a good quality can of tomatoesFry breaded items in a little olive oil for a golden finish, then finish in the oven if needed Chef Over Your Shoulder is our podcast about the connections we make through cooking. Pairing professional Chefs Jody O'Malley and Kirstie Herbstreitand from the Culinary Studio with me, a burn-to-the-bottom-of-the-pan expert, creates the perfect “recipe” to demystify the kitchen and bring back the joy of cooking…without the pressure.  Links and ResourcesMake It or Buy It BlogDevilled EggsTomato sauce Connect with us!The Culinary Studio WebsiteThe Culinary Studio InstagramAmy Schlueter InstagramThe Culinary Studio FacebookThe Culinary Studio TikTok