Mary Makes It Easy — Season 2

CTV Life Channel Running Food

25 Episodes · Premiered September 13, 2022 · Ended April 4, 2023

Episodes

Holiday meals aren't just for the family. This season, Mary shares all the recipes needed to host a fantastic holiday hang with BFFs! Get the party started with a platter of baked Camembert, Cranberry Jam, and Spiced Nuts. Then, assuming everyone already got their turkey fix, delight pals with Mary's guaranteed-to-satisfy Peppercorn Beef. A festive celebration needs sides, and Mary's got it covered with Too Buttery Mashed Potatoes and mouth-watering Sautéed Greens. Top it all off with delicious Onion Gravy, and expect "the holiday hang at your house" to become an annual tradition.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E01 – When Life Gives You Lemons

In Mary Berg's world, when life gives you lemons, you put them in everything! Lemons are her absolute main squeeze in the kitchen, and she can never get enough. Using her all-time favorite ingredient as the star, Mary starts with sweets by baking Lemon Raspberry Loaf topped with a bright pink glaze, sure to satisfy her inner old lady at tea time. Moving on to mains, Mary whips up Lemon Parmesan Chicken that's fancy enough for guests but quick enough for any night of the week. Then, she shows off a zesty take on carbonara: Creamy Lemon Crab Pasta with a nutty sesame topping. To finish it off, she obviously has to make Lemonade infused with seasonal berries and fresh mint.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E02 – Made to Hors D'oeuvres

Mary Berg elevates classic party recipes to easily turn out a tray of handy hors d'oeuvres. She kicks up the standard shrimp ring with her Grilled Shrimp Cocktail, served with three dunkable dips for the spicy cocktail sauce fan, the milder herb aioli enthusiast and a crowd-pleasing mix of both. Mary pairs it with her bubbly cocktail, the Grown-Up Float, featuring frozen sorbet and sparkling wine. Rounding out the party platter is a couple of grab 'n go's made for mingling, including a Sausage Roll Wreath with homemade pork and pancetta and Charcuterie Board Popovers that turn a cheese board into pleasant parcels stuffed with meats and cornichons.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E03 – Supermarket Swap

Mary Berg loves a grocery store shortcut to make cooking smarter, not harder. Starting with bagged slaw, Mary cooks up golden brown Japanese Okonomiyaki-inspired pancakes, topped with tonkatsu sauce. Then, Mary shows how to jazz up a store-bought rotisserie chicken by turning it into Quick Coq au Vin that will wow any table. For a weekend treat, Mary makes Butternut Squash and Kale Strata, using pre-cut butternut squash, frozen chopped kale and day-old bakery loaf. She finishes with a Creamy French Onion Dip, made with frozen pre-chopped onions, perfect for dipping pita, chips or crudités.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E04 – Herb Your Enthusiasm

Save your abundance of fresh herbs from wilting away with Mary's recipes to use ‘em up in a jiff.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E05 – Summer's Bounty

Mary Berg is celebrating summer's seasonal fruits and veggies. With her limited-edition bounty of peppers, Mary makes a sweet and spicy appetizer, Baked Goat Cheese with Jalapeno Cherry Jam. Her Creamy Zucchini Risotto is like summer on a plate, with parsley, mint and even those cute little zucchini blossoms. Mary has also got the perfect dish to highlight tomatoes aplenty: Tomato Butter Chicken. Don't forget the cocktails! Mary's Strawberry Cucumber Mojito is packed with garden-fresh goodness all muddled together in delight.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E06 – Fake It 'Til You Bake It

Whether you're a newbie baker or a pro who wants to take it easy, Mary Berg has recipe hacks to raise your baking game. Mary's Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes feature a sneaky surprise center thanks to a roll of cookie dough from the refrigerator aisle, and store-bought pie crust is the perfect texture for Blondie Pie with apricot jam filling. Hummingbird Cake is an impressive dessert that tastes as if carrot cake and banana bread had a baby. Mary jazzes it up with canned pineapple, cream cheese peanut butter frosting and crunchy Peanut Butter Feuilletine-like topping made from breakfast cereal.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E07 – Livin' in the Past-a

Mary Berg and her husband share their new tradition of at-home date night, born from quarantine-life cravings for Italian-American chain restaurants. Mary recreates the checkered tablecloth magic with Classic Italian Restaurant Salad dripping with homemade Italian dressing and deliciously Stuffed Banana Peppers filled with beef and sausage, topped with herby tomato passata sauce. For a fuss-free, make-ahead dessert, Mary's simplified Tiramisu has thick layers of mascarpone cream with coffee and booze-soaked ladyfingers. And don't forget the pasta! Mary's rich and creamy Fettucine Alfredo loaded with shrimp will have you singing "that's amore!"

A cast-iron pan is at the top of Mary Berg's must-have items list, but it can be intimidating, even for experienced cooks. Mary channels her inner cowboy with a hearty Vegetarian Chili Cobbler with Cornbread Dumplings, and she keeps down the number of dishes with her One-Pan Breadcrumb Chicken Thighs with orzo and greens. Then, Mary gets sweet with Peach and Berry Crisp, and her husband, Aaron, shares all the secrets to caring for cast iron.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E09 – Make and Take

A potluck is a great way to bring people together, and Mary Berg has recipes to impress your pals at the next gathering. Her Confit-ish Tomatoes, also known as Tomato Slop, feature slow roasted tomatoes loaded with olive oil and topped with crumbled goat cheese. Homemade Crackers are thrown together with just a few pantry staples, and Mary brings the Oktoberfest vibes with Soft Pretzel Knots with Beer Cheese. For dessert, Mary's Blueberry Cream Cheese Turnovers are a party-perfect treat with a thick and jammy filling.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E10 – Bare Bones Baking

Mary Berg proves that you don't need to break the bank on fancy gadgets to whip up some delicious and impressive baked goods. Mary uses everyday household items to cut her Classic Cake Donuts before frying on the stovetop and drizzling melted chocolate on top with a DIY Piping Bag. Then, there's no pie plate or rolling pin required for Mary's Chocolate Cherry Galette, and she's got a nifty hack for pitting fresh cherries. Top it all off with a No-Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream that's simple enough for kids to pitch in.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E11 – The Short List

Mary Berg takes on the challenge of creating the most flavorful dishes from the fewest number of ingredients. Her Peach Bourbon Chicken features a golden caramelized peach pan sauce, and Red Pepper Roast Salmon includes a bright roasted pepper side salad with fresh pesto, olives and pine nuts. Mary's Zucchini Capellini saves on both ingredients and time, coming together in under 10 minutes, and her two-ingredient dessert, Affogato, is impossible to stress over with vanilla ice cream topped with espresso coffee.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E12 – Livin' on the Veg

Vegetarian cooking can be so much more than just a bowl of greens. Mary Berg celebrates the veggie life by making Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas with crumbled tofu and topped with a homemade smoky enchilada sauce and queso fresco cheese. Protein-packed Chickpea Socca is the perfect vehicle for a dairy-free green goddess dressing full of fresh herbs, and a Salad Topper includes toasted nuts and seeds, dried cranberries, and crispy fried wonton strips. Mary's Veggie Pakoras are made with chickpea flour, garam masala spice and whatever veggies and legumes you've got in the crisper.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E13 – Wine and Dine

Alcohol is not just a fun meal pairing, it's also a super flavorful ingredient to cook with! Mary Berg shakes things up with Wine Can Chicken that's cooked with a cocktail of dry white wine, lemon and herbs inside the bird and served with a wilted green, creamy sauce. For another boozy meal, Mary's Roast Pork with Red Wine Grape Sauce uses a dry red to complement the garlic and grainy mustard marinade. For dessert, Mary cracks open a cold one to craft a Chocolate Stout Cake. The bitter beer combined with chocolate is a recipe for delicious decadence. She tops it off with an Irish cream buttercream and a drizzle of salty-sweet Beer Caramel Sauce. Cheers!

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E14 – My Fave Missed Steak

Mary Berg's veg versions of meaty classics can satisfy even the biggest meat lover by maintaining those hearty flavors and textures. Mary gets the jump on fast food with stovetop Falafel Burgers sandwiched between mini pita buns and garnished with quick-pickled red onion and garlic tahini sauce. Her Tofu Chicken Nuggets can crush any crunch craving by coating extra firm tofu in spiced batter with golden brown toasted panko and a mayo-honey mustard dip to dunk on the side. Mary's Quick Fakin' Bacon crumble replaces the mother of all meats, using flaked coconut to create a smoky topper for anything from Caesar salad to a breakfast sammy. For Italian night, Mary's Mushroom Lentil Meatballs are ready to be served up on a meatball sub or bowl of pasta.

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E15 – Batch Made in Heaven

Mary Berg fills up the freezer with batch-made meals for her and her friends. Her Go-To Tomato Sauce freezes beautifully, making it a must-have store 'n serve solution to throw together a meal, like Veggie Cabbage Rolls! These have a mushroom and rice filling with walnuts and fresh herbs. Speaking of rolls, Lasagna Roll Ups are pre-proportioned pasta perfection, made with pesto, spinach and ricotta filling and ground beef. Nothing brings comfort like chili, and Mary's Green Chili brings a new smoky spin on a freezer staple, using ground turkey, charred peppers and green salsa. Everything is ready to heat and serve in a jiff!

Mary Makes It Easy S2 E16 – Overnight Guests

Join Mary Berg as she takes it step by step through recipes guaranteed to impress without the stress.