Cooking Channel Announces December 2015 Highlights

Youtube baking superstar Rosanna Pansino kicks off December with special Ro's Tasty Treats: Holiday on Sunday, December 6th at 8:00pmET/5:00pmPT, celebrating the season making adorable and scrumptious bite-sized snacks and treats for a holiday party with friends.

Need fresh easy ideas for meals for out of town guests? Tune in to Kelsey's Homemade Saturdays at 11am for recipes, tips and tricks for every occasion! Then, join host Tia Mowry as she gives a glimpse into her kitchen dishing up fun with family and friends including a holiday party of her own in a themed episode of TIA MOWRY AT HOME on Wednesdays at 8:00pmET/5:00pmPT. Cooking Channel keeps the party going all month long with premiere episodes of MasterChef Canada, Sinful Sweets, SUGAR SHOWDOWN and Unique Sweets. Plus, CookingChannelTV.com has the recipes, tips and tricks to help spread the cheer this holiday season with galleries of show-stopping desserts, perfect party bites, handmade holiday gifts and much, much more. Join the Cooking Channel conversation on Twitter and Facebook.

Give back this holiday season using #BakeItForward. Just bake a delicious treat for your holiday festivities, then share it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and tag and nominate a friend to participate. Using the hashtag #BakeItFoward means that for every post on social media now through December 31st, $1 will be donated to No Kid Hungry, the national nonprofit ending childhood hunger, and help in reaching the goal of serving 1 million meals to children in need.

PREMIERE EPISODES

Celebrity Kitchens- Premiering Friday, December 4th at 9:30pmET/6:30pmPT - SPECIAL!
When it comes to 5-star meals from a first class kitchen it does not get any better than what these A-listers have cooking in their amazing kitchens! First, reality television star NENE LEAKES gives us a tour of not one, but two amazing kitchens! Next, NBA star Steph Curry and his wife Ayesha are champions in the kitchen, but their chicken with parsley mint sauce is a slam dunk! Then, actress Constance Zimmer has a flair for design, and a flair for delicious home cooking with her family's favorite sausage and pasta dish. Finally, E! NEWS host Maria Menounos takes us on a tour of her luxurious kitchen, but it is her strawberry shortcake French toast that really hits the sweet spot.

Cookin' with Salt-N-Pepa - Premiering Thursday, December 17th at 10:30pmET/7:30pmPT - SPECIAL!
Cheryl "Salt" James and Sandra "Pepa" Denton are back on the road in a big way, and when they are touring, there is only one thing that Salt and Pepa love almost as much as performing...food! Every free moment on the road is spent searching for new mouthwatering experiences. They venture to three local hot spots in the city they are performing, one hand-picked by Salt who loves down-home cooking that reminds her of family and tradition, another selected by Pepa, who wants everything on the spicier side - the food, the people and the atmosphere, and a third destination is a spot suggested by a friend, a family member or even a fan! For their trip to Los Angeles, Salt picks hip eatery My Two Cents, for its chic rustic vibe and elevated Southern-inspired cuisine. They travel to Santa Monica for Pepa's pick, Cha Cha Chicken, for delicious Caribbean fare like jerk chicken and a funky island vibe. They finish the trip at Grub in Hollywood, to sample their quirky twists on comfort food favorites.

Kelsey's Homemade
Premiering Saturday, December 5th at 11:00amET/8:00amPT - "Breakfast for Dinner"
Host Kelsey Nixon shares her favorite family tradition of serving breakfast for dinner. First, Kelsey and her family visit EJ's Diner in New York City, where they find inspiration in their pancakes. Next, she prepares a sweet and savory dinner of Cheddar Jalapeno Waffles, Burst Tomato Bacon and Avocado Egg Scramble. Last but not least, she prepares a Mango Pineapple Punch Slush to wash it all down.
Premiering Saturday, December 12th at 11:00amET/8:00amPT - "Frozen Fixes"
Host Kelsey Nixon heads to Babeth's Feast in New York City to shop and learn about the versatility of frozen foods. Then, she takes her frozen finds back to THE KITCHEN where she whips up a freezer-friendly feast of Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas and Moroccan Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce. Finally, the meal is topped off by a dessert of Oat Crumb Topping paired with frozen berries.
Premiering Saturday, December 19th at 11:00amET/8:00amPT - "Girls Night In" - SEASON FINALE!
From table flowers to party favors to kitchen shortcuts, entertaining your girlfriends has never been this fun and easy. First, host Kelsey Nixon heads out to buy some handy kitchen gadget gifts for her guests. Then, back at home, she treats her friends to an Indian-themed feast of Roasted Cauliflower with Spiced Yogurt Sauce, CUCUMBER Raita Salad, Cilantro Chutney, Garam Masala-Glazed Carrots and Mango Lassis.

Online, flip through Kelsey's favorite Instagram and Pinterest photos! Follow the journey with #KelseysHomemade.

MasterChef Canada
Premiering Tuesday, December 1st at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Good Things in Small Packages"
MasterChef judge Graham Elliot presents the home cooks with a small Mystery Box, filled with tiny proteins, vegetables and greens. The home cook who wins the challenge receives an advantage in the Elimination Challenge, choosing which live underwater creature their fellow competitors must use for their dishes.
Judges: Claudio Aprile, Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung
Premiering Tuesday, December 8th at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Walking on Eggshells"
Three eliminated home cooks return for a chance to cook their way back into the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen. The home cooks then face a demanding Elimination Challenge, replicating the first dish that one of the judges mastered as a professional chef.
Judges: Claudio Aprile, Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung
Premiering Tuesday, December 15th at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Tea for Two"
The home cooks face a Mystery Box Challenge starring a rack of lamb, but they are not cooking alone: Judge Claudio Aprile cooks alongside them with the same ingredients, showcasing the skills of a true MasterChef. Then, the winning home cook receives a strategic advantage in a classic tag team elimination challenge, pairing up their competitors to replicate an elaborate afternoon tea tray.
Judges: Claudio Aprile, Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung
Premiering Tuesday, December 22nd at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Fine Dining Under Fire"
The top six home cooks confront their most difficult team challenge: the Restaurant Takeover. The pressure is on when the teams learn that the professional kitchen they take over is one of the finest in the country, and belongs to judge Michael Bonacini. The losing team faces a Pressure Test featuring a familiar comfort food that is deceptively difficult to master.
Judges: Claudio Aprile, Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung
Premiering Tuesday, December 29th at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "From Home, with Love"
The home cooks enter THE KITCHEN and discover two Mystery Box surprises: one box is filled with ingredients, and the other contains a message from their families back home. Emotions run high for the remaining home cooks when it is revealed that their families are in the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen, ready to cheer them on. The winning home cook gets to assign a piece of culinary equipment to each of their competitors in a strategic, high-stakes elimination challenge.
Judges: Claudio Aprile, Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung

Don't miss a special Christmas Day marathon of MASTERCHEF CANADA Friday, December 25th from 8:00amET/5:00amPT to 8:00pmET/5:00pmPT.

Online, watch web-exclusive video extras and find the judges' recipes, plus get a deeper look into the mystery boxes on CookingChannelTV.com. Follow the action with #MasterChefCanada.

Ro's Tasty Treats: Holiday- Premiering Sunday, December 6th at 8:00pmET/5:00pmPT - HOLIDAY SPECIAL!
Youtube baking sensation, Rosanna Pansino, rings in the holiday season with cute and tasty treats! Friends and family share stories and have fun helping Ro prepare unique seasonal goodies for a holiday party. Reindeer Pops, Snowman Pizzas and Ro's secret family recipe for Pizzelle cookies are some of the seasonal specialties she whips up!

Online, find recipes featured on the special and watch clips featuring host Rosanna Pansino.

Sinful Sweets
Premiering Friday, December 4th at 8:30pm ET/ 5:30pmPT - "Sweets & Treats" - SEASON FINALE!
Host Harry Eastwood goes in search of sweet treats, from chocolate caramels in Philadelphia, to chili truffles in Chicago and some good old salt water taffy in Charleston. Bring on the Sinful Sweets!

Online, check out CookingChannelTV.com's guide to the greatest regionally-specific desserts in the country. Join the conversation with #SinfulSweets.

Sugar Showdown
Premiering Thursday, December 3rd at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Princess Cupcakes"
Bakers take on figs in the elimination round and a princess theme in the $10,000 cupcake showdown hosted by Josh Elkin, with judges Elizabeth Chambers, Elizabeth Falkner and Sharone Hakman.
Premiering Thursday, December 10th at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Winter Wonderland Cakes"
Bakers compete in a speedy elimination round with saffron as the mystery ingredient. The last two standing compete for $10,000 in a winter wonderland-themed cake showdown hosted by Josh Elkin with judges Harry Eastwood, Johnny Iuzzini and Lorraine Pascale.
Premiering Thursday, December 17th at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Barnyard Donuts"
Before making it to the barnyard-themed donut showdown, three bakers first compete in the speedy elimination round with zucchini as their mystery ingredient, in this sugary battle hosted by Josh Elkin with judges Harry Eastwood, Johnny Iuzzini and Lorraine Pascale.
Premiering Thursday, December 24th at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Amusement Park Pies"
Bakers take on lavender in the elimination round, and an amusement park theme in the pie showdown hosted by Josh Elkin with judges Zane Caplansky, Johnny Iuzzini and Sherry Yard.
Premiering Thursday, December 31st at 9:00pmET/6:00pmPT - "Rock and Roll Cupcakes"
Bakers tackle grapefruit in the elimination round before competing for the $10,000 prize in a rock and roll-themed cupcake showdown hosted by Josh Elkin with judges Harry Eastwood, Johnny Iuzzini and Lorraine Pascale.

Online, check out web-exclusive video of the judges' expert baking tips for pies, cakes, cupcakes and more. Share sweet sentiments with #SugarShowdown.

Tia Mowry at Home
Premiering Wednesday, December 2nd at 8:00pmET/5:00pmPT - "New Friends"
Tia Mowry recently met Catherine McCord and they instantly hit it off. Tia's invited Catherine over for one of her favorite home-cooked meals so they can get to know each other better. She dishes up One Pot Chicken with Potatoes and Olives, an Arugula Salad with Candied Sunflower Seeds and Asparagus with Feta and Bacon. They finish the meal with a Bahamian Pineapple Tart.
Premiering Wednesday, December 9th at 8:00pmET/5:00pmPT - "Holiday" - HOLIDAY EPISODE!
It is time for the holidays and Tia Mowry is putting together some of her favorite holiday dishes to share with her closest friends. She is making Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin with a Horseradish Cream Sauce, Miso Brussels Sprouts, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and a Chai Spiced Bundt Cake before her guests arrive to toast the holiday season.
Premiering Wednesday, December 16th at 8:00pmET/5:00pmPT - "Tia's Guilty Pleasures Day"
Tia Mowry's treating herself to a day of decadence and is indulging in some of her favorite foods. She starts her day with a stop at a popular doughnut shop before heading home to make her own Salted Caramel Swirl Ice Cream with Spiced Pecans. She also makes her favorite Fried Chicken with Bacon Waffles and a Grilled Watermelon Salad.

Online, find Tia's advice for busy parents at CookingChannelTV.com and join the Tia talk with
#TiaMowryatHome.

Unique Sweets
Premiering Sunday, December 6th at 10:00pmET/7:00pmPT - "Maine Squeeze Sweets"
Unique Sweets heads to picture-perfect Maine for some soul-satisfying treats, starting at Scratch Baking Co. in South Portland, with the perfect breakfast pastry, the Toaster Jam Scone. At Wicked Whoopies in Freeport, the official state treat is turned into a massive five-pound whoopie pie.
For something cool, look no further than Catbird Creamery, where they whip up some out-of-this-world ice cream, like Tamari Caramel with soy sauce!
Premiering Sunday, December 13th at 10:00pmET/7:00pmPT - "Sweet Bay Area Bites"
Premiering Sunday, December 20th at 10:00pmET/7:00pmPT - "Nod to Nostalgia"
Premiering Sunday, December 27th at 10:00pmET/7:00pmPT - "Sweetlandia"

Online, flip through a gallery of the most decadent, mouthwatering desserts money can buy. Plus, watch new web-exclusive videos of the best doughnuts, pies, cupcakes and breakfasts across the country on CookingChannelTV.com. Join the conversation with #UniqueSweets.