Calling all Cooks!
Celebrity Chef and TV Personality Jon Ashton Provides Unique Tips to Thrill
the Grill This Summer and Announces a Nationwide Cooking Challenge

Summer time is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to dust off the grill and release your inner-chef! Steaks, hamburgers, chicken and hot dogs consistently top the list of foods that Americans grill most, but fresh vegetables, in particular onions, are premiering on the grill more frequently than ever before. More grillers are experimenting with new foods to enhance variety, flavor and health.

Did you know?
” Grilling and barbecuing have become increasingly popular over the last decade, with the overall industry increasing by 44 percent from 1992 to 2005
” Onions contain generous amounts of Vitamin B6, Vitamin B1, and folic acid
” An onion a day can raise HDL’s (good cholesterol), resulting in lower blood pressure and prevention of blood clots

Now is the perfect time to show off your culinary expertise and to let the world in on that special recipe. From shish kabobs to burgers and everything in between submit your favorite Vidalia Onion recipe for a chance to cook and dine with John Ashton himself!

More about Jon Ashton – Celebrity Chef & National Television Food Contributor:
Jon’s success and flair in the kitchen soon gave way to appearances on British cooking shows including the nationally syndicated “TV Dinners” where audiences fell in love with his wit, charisma and genuine love of food. Soon, America discovered him and Jon was featured in publications from New York to California. Jon quickly began producing and starring in his own local access TV show, “The Mad Chef”, which aired in Disney’s town of Celebration. Soon after, Jon took a position as the regular mid-day chef at Orlando’s FOX affiliate station and found himself appearing on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” a short year later. Jon is currently the resident Chef for WB’s nationally syndicated “The Daily Buzz.” Now he stays busy as CEO of Jon Ashton Enterprises, LLC where he offers his professional services including media appearances, group demonstrations and recipe creations. The extensive repertoire of celebrities Jon has had the honor of appearing on television with include Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Emeril Lagasse, Tyler Florence, Wolfgang Puck, Jacque Pepin, Martin Yan, Jay Leno, Giada de Laurentis, Bobby Flay, Alton Brown, Gail Gand, Roy Yamaguchi, Norman Van Aken, Kat Cora, Al Roker and George Foreman. Jon Ashton has also had the honor of launching a Chocolate Souffle into space at the Kennedy Space Center!

#grilling #tips #jon #ashton #chef #food #cooking #steak #chicken #hamburgers #hot #dogs #onions #bbq #barbecue #kennedy #space #center #recipes #love

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At 6-foot-1, 250-pounds, Ovie Mughelli was a bruising fullback for more than a decade in the NFL. The former All-Pro player was known for punishing linebackers, but also for his engaging personality and ability to have fun with his teammates both on and off the field. Mughelli is a former network TV Sports analyst, so he still finds plenty of time to watch the Big Game while partying with friends. On January 25th, just in time for the Super Bowl (Feb. 3) in Atlanta, Ovie is available to share his can’t-miss Big Game party tips. Find out how this former NFL star and his friends plan to party.

OVIE’S BIG GAME PARTY CHECK LIST INCLUDES: SCORING WITH DIPS—New must-have chips and popcorn for hungry fanatics SUPER SIDES—Loving the hummus creations for a healthier game time snack BEVERAGE BONANZA—Ovie’s prime time special drink recipes GRILLING GREATNESS—Simples secrets for big game grilling perfection OVIE’S BACKGROUND – During his career, Ovie played for the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons. He was an All-ACC fullback for Wake Forest in college. He was formerly on ACC Gridiron Live on FOX Sports.

The post FORMER ALL-PRO NFL FULL BACK EXPLAINS HOW TO PUT THE FUN INTO WATCHING FOOTBALL OVIE MUGHELLI’S BIG GAME PARTY FUN appeared first on Good News!.

The post Bobby Flay Fit: 200 Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle, Click Here for Video… appeared first on Good News!.

Cooking and entertaining doesn’t have to be stressful around the holidays.

HGTV Host Sandra Lee has teamed up with Verizon to launch the “Fast Festive Fun with Sandra Lee Contest” to show how you can streamline all of your cooking and entertaining needs.

October 29 – December 19, cooks can submit their best homemade recipes that can be shared and used to entertain friends and family across America. Entries will be judged based on originality, cost, speed and ease across different categories. Categories include appetizers, side dishes, entrees and leftover lunches.

The top three entries in each category, and winners, will receive a signed copy of “Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Fast-Fix Homemade Favorites,” and will be featured on both www.sandralee.com and www.verizoninsider.com and social media channels (Twitter and Facebook).

The grand prize winner (from entered category winners) package for the Fast Festive Fun with Sandra Lee Contest (announced on New Year’s Eve), includes a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 and a Sandra Lee 10pc Stainless Steel Cookware set.

Sandra can also discuss how to incorporate technology into your kitchen:

• Use your mobile device to complete your grocery shopping list

• Use your tablet to instantly look up recipes

• Show off your culinary creations to friends and family via Facebook and Twitter

• Introducing technology into your kitchen can empower you to be creative, efficient, and fun!

For more information, please visit www.verizoninsider.com/SandraLee

About Sandra Lee

Sandra Lee is a multi-Emmy® award-winner and internationally-acclaimed expert in all things kitchen and home. Sandra is the host of two highly-rated shows on Food Network, Sandra’s Money Saving Meals and Semi-Homemade Cooking. Additionally, Sandra is the host of HGTV’s Sandra Lee Celebrates, a series of primetime entertaining specials.

Sandra works with numerous philanthropic organizations including UNICEF® and Feeding America®. Sandra is the national spokesperson for Share our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign and the anchor of their largest annual fundraiser, The Great American Bake Sale – two groundbreaking programs focused on ending childhood hunger in America. Sandra has received both the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

The post Sandra Lee asks “Do you have Fast, Festive Fun Holiday Recipes?” Food is always Good News, here is our interview from years ago, Still tastes Good!! Click Here for Video & Podcast… appeared first on Good News!.

Nationally Recognized Lifestyle Expert Provides Helpful Tips On How To GIVE Thanks This Holiday

Jim Morelli, Nationally Recognized Lifestyle Expert

Segment Description:
This year, how will you celebrate Thanksgiving? It’s the time of year to think of others. And while we aim to Give Back year round, Thanksgiving is the ultimate time to think about all we have to be grateful for and find ways to help others. National Lifestyle expert Jim Morelli comes to the rescue. He will discuss everything from ways to be grateful and give back to foods and recipe ideas and some thanks-filled activates.

Jim discusses: www.porkbeinspired.com/porkgiving
www.wheelingforward.org

Serve A Thankful Meal: Delicious Foods and Recipe Ideas
Thankful Centerpiece:

Make decorating the table a group effort. For the centerpiece insert artificial berry sprigs. Then ask guests to add to the arrangement by writing what they are thankful for on paper leaves and tucking them into the centerpiece

Thankful Toast: Have the eldest of the table or host/hostess provide the official toast of “Thanks”
Game
To facilitate the thankful spirit, create gratitude cards using scrapbooking paper and supplies. Cut out cards from scrapbooking papers using decorative-edge scissors and embellish with stamps, stickers, etc. Give the cards to guests before dinner and ask them to write what they are thankful for. As the meal begins to wind down, ask people to share their thoughts.
Drink Tags
Print out our free leaf-shape pattern onto fall-color papers, cut out, and punch a hole at the base of each leaf. Ask guests to pick a leaf and write a word or short phrase describing something they’re thankful for, such as “family” or “good health.” Attach leaves to the wineglass stems using lengths of gold cord or raffia.

Tell The Story
In my home, we start the meal by designating a family member as the storyteller to tell the grandkids about the origins of the holiday

Share Your Family
Welcome a person or family to your Thanksgiving dinner. It is a simple, but powerful gesture. It’s also a great way to establish a family tradition of real unity behind a common purpose and to set the example to share your family and its good fortune.

Share With Others
Sharing needs to be built into a ritual for this holiday. It’s a core component to the celebration. Celebrate what you, as a family, have done this year. There are many great causes to which to donate.

Give Thanks
Show your kids how to find their own voice of thanks. Let people prepare beforehand, so they are not panicked and try to turn this part of the evening into a competitive sport of clever oration.

Eat
As E. P. Powell said, “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hands of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.”

Jim Morelli:

Jim Morelli is an author, television personality and national lifestyle expert. Jim has appeared numerous times on a number of national TV, Radio, Internet stations as well as broadcast network affiliate stations across the country.

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HOW TO“ENJOY THE TASTE OF EATING RIGHT!” SEMI-HOMEMADE HEALTHY RECIPES

As the Executive Chef of Safeway’s Culinary Center, Jeff Anderson is responsible for developing new product ideas and recipes. The award-winning chef is committed to food excellence, so on March 5th – just in time for National Nutrition Month – Chef Jeff will share some of his super secrets for creating recipes that taste good and are nutritious, too.

“Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right” is the theme for National Nutrition Month® 2014. Chef Jeff will focus on how to combine taste and nutrition to create healthy meals.  Chef will show your viewers how to easily make your favorite dishes with packaged foods and personal touches. National Nutrition Month is an education and information campaign created annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.**

CHEF JEFF’S SEMI-HOMEMADE RECIPES FOR VALUE & CONVENIENCE:
•    FAMILY FAVORITES—Family meals with Eating Right Stir-Fry
•    CHEF SECRETS—Saving calories using Greek Yogurt in just about anything
•    LOVE BITES—Marcela Tortillas for quick bites that your family will love
•    EASY FUN—Creating a kids sandwich with an eating right waffle

Nutrition Month Information from Safeway:
A Month of Tips for a Healthier Lifestyle
March is National Nutrition Month—a great time to make small, positive changes in your eating and exercise habits. In honor of the month, pick and choose from the 31 ideas below—or try them all!

Crank up Calcium…
1.    Make oatmeal and creamy soups with low-fat milk instead of water.
2.    Order a 16-ounce fat-free latte and get 45% of the Daily Value for calcium.
3.    Munch your calcium—eat dark leafy greens like kale and collard greens.
4.    Top salads, chili and soup with low-fat cheese.
5.    If you don’t drink milk, try low-fat yogurt, calcium-fortified fruit juice or tofu processed with calcium.
6.    Mix fat-free dry milk into mashed potatoes and casseroles.
Add More Veggies and Fruits…
7.    To boost nutrients, make a salad with baby spinach instead of iceberg lettuce.
8.    Keep sliced, raw veggies in the fridge for an always-ready healthy snack.
9.    Toss orange segments, sliced grapes or chopped apples into salads.
10.    Slip vegetables into favorites—top pizza with pepper rings, add chopped broccoli to pasta, slide cucumber slices into sandwiches.
11.    Roast root veggies like cubed carrots, parsnips and winter squash for an earthy side dish.
12.    Blend a frozen banana, low-fat yogurt and OJ for a frigidly good treat.
13.    Stir dried cranberries, cherries or apples into hot cereal.
14.    Add beans to soup, chili, tacos and stews to boost fiber and add protein.
Focus on Fat…
15.    Spread mustard instead of mayo on your sandwiches.
16.    Buy at least 95% lean ground beef or ground turkey breast for burgers, tacos and meatloaf.
17.    Use low-fat cooking methods: bake, grill, roast or broil meat and poultry.
18.    Grease pans with non-stick oil or butter spray.
19.    Serve sauces and gravies on the side and use just a little.
20.    Hook some omega-3s. Enjoy fatty fish like salmon or tuna at least twice a week.
21.    Drizzle just 1 or 2 tablespoons of an oil-based dressing on your salad.
Go for the Grains…
22.    Select 100% whole-wheat bread over white bread.
23.    Use brown rice instead of white rice or mix “half and half.”
24.    Try whole-grain pastas in favorite Italian and noodle dishes.
25.    Step outside the box. Try “unusual” grains such as wheat berries, bulgur and quinoa.
Shake Out the Sodium…
26.    Skip the salt during cooking—use spices and herbs instead.
27.    Buy reduced-sodium or “no salt added” canned beans, soups and vegetables.
28.    If you’re used to salty flavors, gradually cut back on higher-sodium foods such as canned soups, pickles and olives. A taste for salt is learned, so you can “adjust” your taste buds to prefer less salty foods.
Get a Move On…
29.    Clip on a pedometer (step counter) and track how many steps you take during your daily routine. Gradually build up to 10,000 steps a day—that’s about 5 miles!
30.    At work, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Or hop off the bus early and hoof it the rest of the way to your office.
31.    Take a family walk

The post Executive Chef Jeff of Safeway Shares His Super Secrets for Making Nutritious Meals that Taste Great appeared first on Good News!.

Official Book Launch – Tuesday, Jan. 28 at Junoon Restaurant

The post Vikas Khanna Launches New Book “Return To The Rivers” in NYC on Jan. 28 appeared first on Good News!.

On Monday, October 22, 2012 amidst the sophisticated, ruby red décor of Crimson, firefighters stepped out of their firehouses and into the spotlight to take home big honors for their incredible cooking talent at our 11^th Annual Iron Skillet® Cook Off.  You may be familiar with culinary competitions like Food Network’s Chopped or televised throwdowns between professional chefs, but the Iron Skillet® Cook Off differentiates itself from the pack of culinary competitions by focusing on the camaraderie, spirited brotherhood, and jovial nature of the firehouse cooking clan.  And it comes across in the food.  At the competition, five firehouse chefs were matched up with five top restaurant chefs to see who could make the most crowd-pleasing dish of the night.  The firehouse chefs supplied the original recipe and the professional chefs were charged with reinventing it, making it better (if they dared).  The winners of the night were everywhere – in the chef coats, in the sponsor booths, and on stage.  Everyone who came added to the lighthearted, but heartfelt spirit of the night.  The smells and sights of the dishes – fried chicken with sweet potato waffles, skirt steak with burgundy cream sauce, and smothered pork chops – permeated the restaurant with an intoxicating breeze that we swear could be smelled throughout the five boroughs.

At World Cares Center we’ve managed to pull off the impossible:  to host a night filled with sumptuous food and jovial spirits that reenergizes our serious mission of providing training in emergency preparedness for emergency managers, community leaders, and concerned citizens.  This evening would not have been possible without the connection between the emergency response community, our corporate sponsors, and the everyday heroes that came out to support us.  For this one night, we saw the wonderful dichotomy of the firefighter spirit.  Two sides of the same coin:  the ever-present professional emergency responder and the lighthearted, spirited community member.  As Lisa Orloff, Founder and Executive Director of World Cares Center put it, “the Iron Skillet® Cook Off represents what we see in any crisis situation, people of all walks of life coming together to do good.  The event is a celebration, in disaster response it is the visceral goodness in people that World Cares center ensures is applied in a safe, effective and coordinated manner.”

A Tribute to Everyday Heroes

The night was a tribute to the everyday hero.  Queens Council member Peter F. Vallone Jr. and his two brothers, Perry Vallone and Paul Vallone, were honored for their quick thinking and ready response in saving two young girls in rough waters off Long Branch, NJ.  The award was given among their peers – a room full of heroes that demonstrated their unwavering commitment to emergency preparedness and effective training for emergency response.

It’s telling that the top chef of the night, Iron Skillet® champion Khalid Baylor from Ladder 14 in Manhattan, made a dish that comforts the soul as much as it tempts the palate.  Chef Baylor’s Lemongrass Fried Chicken with Sweet Potato Waffles and a Peach Schnapps Compote caused the crowd to sigh with a collective southern swoon that comes from food that truly satisfies.   To win, Chef Baylor took a heaping spoon of southern roots, a cup of grandma’s cooking wisdom, and a pinch of love for baking, and put it all into a spectacular dish that had guests begging for more.  Second place went to firefighter Pete Lazarcheck from Engine 291 in Queens for his Skirt Steak with Burgundy Cream Sauce.  Pete’s restaurant competitor, Matt Gibson from Legends Hospitality at Yankee Stadium, took third place for his rendition of the skirt steak dish.

Celebrity Judges Bring the Sparkle & Sizzle

Rounding out the night was a raucous live auction that included hilarious commentary by our guest judges who acted as auctioneers.  Ben Aaron, an NBC Universal reporter, got the crowd in a bidding war over the auction’s choice items including sports memorabilia, international trips, and entertainment packages.  Our panel of celebrity judges included radio/television personality Valerie Smaldone, who served as emcee for the night, Council member Peter J. Vallone Jr., WPIX 11 reporter Sukanya Krishnan, Former NHL player (New Jersey Devils) Grant Marshall, NBC Universal reporter Ben Aaron, WNYC Radio host Soterios Johnson, former NFL player (NY Jets) Freeman McNeil, Former NFL player (Washington Redskins) Thomas Huff, NBC 4 consumer reporter Lynda Baquero, and NFL player (NY Giants) Stevie Brown.  Restaurant owner and chef, Adrianne Calvo was a celebrity guest chef providing tasty nibbles for the crowd throughout the night.

As returning judge Sukanya Krishnan said on her WPIX 11 morning show, “I’ve had the privilege of serving as a judge for the competition and let me tell you the food is fantastic, the people are wonderful and it all goes for an organization that’s really making a difference.”  Each year, the competitors manage to put more love, more flavor, and more life into their cooking.  We thank all our firehouse and restaurant chefs, our generous corporate sponsors, our celebrity guests, and our volunteers for an incredible night of spectacular food and exceptional company.  The proceeds from the event will help us continue to provide the best in emergency and disaster training, helping to empower leaders and volunteers to become ready responders.  See you all next year for our 12^th annual Iron Skillet® Cook Off!

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HGTV Host Sandra Lee Invites Americans to submit their best homemade recipe

Cooking and entertaining doesn’t have to be stressful around the holidays.

HGTV Host Sandra Lee has teamed up with Verizon to launch the “Fast Festive Fun with Sandra Lee Contest” to show how you can streamline all of your cooking and entertaining needs.

October 29 – December 19, cooks can submit their best homemade recipes that can be shared and used to entertain friends and family across America. Entries will be judged based on originality, cost, speed and ease across different categories. Categories include appetizers, side dishes, entrees and leftover lunches.

The top three entries in each category, and winners, will receive a signed copy of “Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Fast-Fix Homemade Favorites,” and will be featured on both www.sandralee.com  and www.verizoninsider.com and social media channels (Twitter and Facebook).

The grand prize winner (from entered category winners) package for the Fast Festive Fun with Sandra Lee Contest (announced on New Year’s Eve), includes a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 and a Sandra Lee 10pc Stainless Steel Cookware set.

Sandra can also discuss how to incorporate technology into your kitchen:

•           Use your mobile device to complete your grocery shopping list

•           Use your tablet to instantly look up recipes

•           Show off your culinary creations to friends and family via Facebook and Twitter

•           Introducing technology into your kitchen can empower you to be creative, efficient, and fun!

For more information, please visit www.verizoninsider.com/SandraLee

About Sandra Lee

Sandra Lee is a multi-Emmy® award-winner and internationally-acclaimed expert in all things kitchen and home. Sandra is the host of two highly-rated shows on Food Network, Sandra’s Money Saving Meals and Semi-Homemade Cooking. Additionally, Sandra is the host of HGTV’s Sandra Lee Celebrates, a series of primetime entertaining specials.

Sandra works with numerous philanthropic organizations including UNICEF® and Feeding America®. Sandra is the national spokesperson for Share our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign and the anchor of their largest annual fundraiser, The Great American Bake Sale – two groundbreaking programs focused on ending childhood hunger in America. Sandra has received both the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

The post Sandra Lee asks “Do you have Fast, Festive Fun Holiday Recipes?” appeared first on Good News!.