The Side Dish from America’s Test Kitchen

Pineapple on pizza? Ketchup on a hot dog? Bridget and Julia tackle food’s most divisive debates, defending their hottest takes and settling culinary scores. Plus, hotline callers put them on the spot to settle the score on Illinois’ official sandwich and decide whether one oft-gifted holiday staple really deserves its bad reputation.

ATK Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Barbecued Beef Brisket on the Charcoal Grill

Hot-Smoked Whole Side of Salmon

Barbecued Pulled Pork on a Charcoal Grill

BBQ Beer-Can Chicken on a Charcoal Grill

Chicago Italian Beef Sandwiches

Caesar Green Bean Salad

Beef Tacos

From lunchbox favorites and after-school snacks to clever solutions for picky eaters, Bridget and Julia serve up kid-food inspiration for every age. Whether you’re feeding little ones or craving nostalgic classics, you’ll leave with plenty of delicious ideas and practical tips

ATK Recipes mentioned in this episode:Sheet-Pan Pizza

Spaghetti with Turkey-Pesto Meatballs

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

Guide: Make Sure Your Marinade Contains These Three Ingredients

Classic Beef Burgers

The Best Shrimp Cocktail

Foolproof Spaghetti

Carbonara

Chicken Cutlets 101

Seattle Chicken Teriyaki

Easy Blueberry Cobbler

Classic Hummus

Cheese Fondue

Texas Chili

One-Pan Pork Tenderloin with Green Beans and Potatoes

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Miso-Marinated Salmon

Fastest, Easiest Mashed Potatoes

From test cooks to longtime buds, Bridget and Julia take a walk down memory lane. They reveal the friendship origin story, dream up the ultimate steakhouse spread, and put years of friendship on the line with a blindfolded tasting of treats inspired by each other.

ATK Recipes mentioned in this episode:

The Best Fresh Margaritas

French Onion Potato Gratin

Creamed Spinach

Cast Iron Steaks with Herb Butter

Baguettes

Basque Cheesecake for Two

Chocolate-Espresso Dacquoise

Classic Lemon Tart

Individual Pistachio-RaspberryBuckles

Irish Coffee

Quick Collard Greens with Hot Pepper Vinegar

Grab a ticket and a snack–it’s state fair season! Bridget and Julia swap their favorite fair memories, spotlight fair-inspired ATK recipes, and put their knowledge to the test with food festival trivia.

ATK Recipes mentioned in this episode:

Apple Cider Doughnuts

Apple Fritters

Dutch Apple Pie

Smoked Double-Thick Pork Chops on a Gas Grill

Blueberry Pie

Eight-Hour Pizza Dough

Julia and Bridget are stranded…on separate deserted islands. Armed with nothing but their imaginations, they reveal the albums they’d want on repeat and the dishes they’d dream of eating. Then, the music buffs tackle a listener’s question about packing food for a wilderness adventure.

ATK recipes and equipment mentioned in this episode:

Manual juicers

Electric citrus juicers

Microplanes and graters

Cleavers

Immersion blenders

Serrated utility knives

Stand mixers

All-purpose whisks