Thursday, June 30, 2011

7/1 The Vitamin Professor, Plonk Wine Merchants, Chef Rory Herrmann,

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

We're Talking With"The Vitamin Professor," Doug Ingoldsby, About Nutrition and Wellness

Studies show low calorie diets can make you crazy… literally. Most of us have tried "crash dieting" at one time or another in our lives.

Nutrition expert Doug Ingoldsby of All One agrees that there's no question that a calorie-slashed daily diet will trigger a rapid drop in body weight. "However, studies show that a low calorie diet comes with a cost, not only to our physical health but to our mental health as well," says Ingoldsby.

Ingoldsby says in one Israeli study, researchers evaluated 10 psychiatric patients, most of whom had never had any emotional problems prior to their first attempt at rapid weight loss. "Researchers found a direct correlation between the severity of their mental condition and the speed and amount of weight the patient lost," says Ingoldsby.

Ingoldsby says this theory was further explored by a study conducted at the University of Minnesota. "Thirty-six fun-loving, healthy men of normal weight were put on a 1500-calorie diet," says Ingoldsby. "After six months, all of the subjects suffered from psychological deterioration. They became weak and irritable, apathetic, and antisocial."

What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

Have You Ever Bought Wine Online? We're Talking to Etty Lewensztain, Owner of Plonk Wine Merchants

Plonk Wine Merchants is an online destination for artisanal, obscure, and altogether great cheap wine. Plonk Wine Merchants brings you an expertly curated collection of incredible premium quality wine from around the globe at extremely affordable prices. All wines in this store are priced strictly at $30 or below and offer an outstanding bang for the buck. In addition, many of the bargain wines you'll find here are organic, biodynamic, or rare "diamonds in the rough" made from lesser-known grapes, and are virtually impossible to find in other retail outlets.

Plonk Wine Merchants is the brainchild of Etty Lewensztain, a curly-haired, food and wine obsessed Los Angeles native who is certified by the esteemed Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the American Sommelier Association. The store has been designed to translate a personalized brick and mortar shopping experience to the digital space, and to that end, you will find an interactive video review on every single wine they sell so you can get a live preview as to what’s in the bottle.

We're Visiting With Chef Rory Herrmann of Bouchon in Beverly Hills

As Chef de Cuisine of Bouchon in Beverly Hills, Rory Herrmann is responsible for the daily supervision of the restaurant kitchen and staff, in addition to ensuring that the restaurant’s high standards are met in each and every dish. Since opening its doors in November 2009, locals and guests alike have come to embrace the traditional country cuisine Bouchon provides. The Los Angeles Times bestowed a 3-star rating on the restaurant, Los Angeles Magazine hailed it as one of the area’s “Best New Restaurants” and Angeleno Magazine rated it as one of LA’s “Top 10 Hot Spots.” Herrmann himself received the Los Angeles-San Diego Rising Star award from Starchefs in 2010.

Previously, Herrmann served as the Private Dining Chef for Per Se, Chef Thomas Keller’s fine dining restaurant in New York City. In this position, he was responsible for the culinary preparation and execution of all large parties and offsite events. He first joined Per Se as Chef de Partie when the restaurant opened in 2004.

Herrmann is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. He has worked under notable chefs in the industry, including 3-star Michelin Chef Alain Ducasse at his eponymous restaurant at the Essex House and at the more casual Mix; as well as for Chef Dan Barber at Blue Hill Restaurant, all located in New York City. Herrmann also worked for several years in the kitchens of the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah.

A California native, Herrmann is a firm believer in giving back to the community and actively contributes his culinary talents in helping raise funds and awareness for charitable organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, March of Dimes and the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Movie Guy Steve Evans Gives us the Movie Hits and Misses!
Steve Evans, the Movie Guy, is going to tell us what we need to run out and see and what we can avoid in the movie theaters, this week!

So, grab your popcorn, folks! Get your movie news and reviews right here on the What's Cookin' Today show! Steve “The Movie Guy” will take a look at what’s hot at the box office and the new films being released this weekend:

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - The Autobots return to action when a mysterious event from Earth's past erupts into the present day, threatening to destroy humanity.

Larry Crowne - Tom Hanks and Julie Roberts star in the story of a downsized big-box store employee who enrolls in his local college to start over.

Monte Carlo - Three young women are whisked away on an international adventure when one of them is mistaken for a British socialite.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

6/30 Bananas, Betty Crocker Summer Trends, Foxen Winery, Chef Hubert Keller

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Bananas! With BBQ Head Pit Master Tim Keegan and "The Diet Diva," Tara Gidus!

We're Talking with Tim Keegan at the award winning Jack Stack BBQ in Kansas City(Jack Stack has been the highest rated BBQ Restaurant in the U.S. by the Zagat survey for ten years running), where we will learn how to incorporate bananas into savory summer dishes.

Jack Stack BBQ's Head Pit Master, Tim Keegan discusses just how versatile bananas can be on the grill and will look at recipes such as Jack Stack BBQ Brisket and Bananas and Grilled Banana S 'Mores and more. Tara Gidus, a nationally known Registered Dietitian and "The Diet Diva" on the national morning television show, The Daily Buzz, chimes in. Together, they'll share some of their favorite banana recipes sure to please your guests at any summer BBQ!!

Summer entertaining is about to get a lot more fun. Kristin Olson tells us about the Betty 10: Red Hot Summer Trends - fresh, new takes on 10 traditional summer foods.

Digital Food Editor Kristin Olson helps us get a jump on personalizing our summer culinary plans!

Betty Crocker has identified the top 10 summer food trends and created a new recipe for each, which can be found at www.bettycrocker.com/redhot. DIY's Erica Domesek has created a DIY idea inspired by each of the Betty 10: Red Hot Summer Trends to give consumers inspiration for creating festive summer decorations from everyday items, which can be found at bettycrocker.com/RedHotDIY.


What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

We're Taking a Tour of Foxen Winery with Owner Dick Doré!

Bill Wathen and Dick Doré have been making wine together since 1985, when they founded Foxen Winery & Vineyard at the historic Rancho Tinaquaic in northern Santa Barbara County.

Since that time, their dedication has remained the same—the creation of very small-production, vineyard-designated wines using a "minimalist" approach to winemaking. The winery is named in memory of William Benjamin Foxen, an English sea captain and Dick's great-great grandfather, who came to Santa Barbara in the early 1800's. In 1837, this Santa Barbara County pioneer purchased the Rancho Tinaquaic, a Mexican Land Grant that originally totaled nearly 9000 acres and comprised most of what is now known as Foxen Canyon. Captain Foxen adopted the distinctive "anchor" as his ranch cattle brand, which has become a trademark of the winery. It is very fitting that FOXEN has made its home on the 2000-acre Rancho Tinaquaic, which remains in family hands.

With the completion of FOXEN’s new solar-powered winery and tasting room in August 2009, the historic and beloved “tasting shack was renamed “foxen 7200”, where Bill and Dick now feature their Bordeaux and Cal-Ital-style wines, under a newly designed label. FOXEN pinots, chardonnays and Rhône-style wines will be showcased in the new tasting room at 7600 Foxen Canyon Road.

Both FOXEN and “foxen 7200” tasting rooms are open daily, 11 to 4. Reservations are required for groups of six or more.

Celebrity Chef Hubert Keller Shares His Burger Recipes and Tips on Grilling the PERFECT Backyard Burger this 4th of July

Nothing says summer like a great burger and a cold beer. And the perfect burger is the key to any summer celebration. There is much more to making a great burger than throwing a slab of meat on the grill, and that’s where Celebrity Chef Hubert Keller comes in. Keller is the creator of Burger Bar, where burgers are given the haute cuisine treatment.

Just in time for the 4th, Keller will share his burger secrets so your viewers will never again have to suffer through a bad burger. Of course beer is the perfect pairing for burgers, and Hubert has created the 5-star Budweiser 4th of July Burger, which celebrates the heritage of the hamburger and features gourmet epicurean touches (such as caramelized shallot jam, and homemade old-fashioned mustard) and pairs perfectly with Budweiser beer. This gourmet Budweiser Burger will eventually be available in limited additions at Hubert’s Burger Bar.

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6/29 Rob Dyrdek, Jake Steinfeld, DWTS Brook Burke, Larry Lipson, Chef Charlie Palmer

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Rob Dyrdek of MTV’s hit show Rob and Big – New Show, Skate Tour and chance to win a college education!

Skateboarding superstar Rob Dyrdek of Rob and Big will discuss his new show on MTV called Ridiculousness. The show takes the funniest amateur internet videos and builds them into an episode of edgy, funny, and most importantly, timeless television. Driven by Dyrdek, the core content of “Ridiculousness” are the videos framed by Rob’s unique style.

In addition to his new show, Rob currently is on tour with his fellow skaters in arenas all over the country. He has teamed up with the folks at Wonka where the two have started a new program called Free Ride. The initiative offers your viewers the chance to win a $100,000 scholarship.

July Is National Park and Recreation Month, and Fitness Icon Jake “Body by Jake” Steinfeld Calls Families Out to Play in the Park This Summer To Help Their Favorite Park Win in the “America Is Your Park” Campaign!

Jake “Body by Jake” Steinfeld is one of the fitness industry’s reigning icons internationally famous for being responsible for creating the personal fitness training industry more than 30 years ago. A street-smart entrepreneur, Jake continues to develop successful products, brands, and businesses as Chairman and CEO of Body by Jake Global® (www.bodybyjake.com). The author of the “New York Times” and “Wall Street Journal’s” bestselling book “I’ve Seen a Lot of Famous People Naked and They’ve Got Nothing on You!”, Jake has also written such popular books as “GET STRONG! Body by Jake’s Guide to Building Confidence, Muscles, and a Great Future for Teenage Guys”, “Powerliving by Jake”, “Eleven Lessons to Change Your Life”, “Don’t Quit: Motivation and Exercises to Bring Out the Winner in You”, and “Body by Jake”.

The founder of the “Don’t Quit! Foundation” which supports and educates American youth about the value of physical fitness by providing state of the art fitness centers in inner city middle and high schools, Jake has established 30 Don’t Quit! Fitness Centers throughout the nation. The founder of Major League Lacrosse, the first professional outdoor lacrosse league entering its 11th successful season, Jake has served as Chairman of the California Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under both Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Governor Jerry Brown. Recently, Jake was appointed as the Chairman of the National Foundation for Governor’s Fitness Councils, which supports state councils by providing fitness centers to schools across the nation.

For much more information on Jake “Body by Jake” Steinfeld, please log onto his official website www.bodybyjake.com.

Dancing With the Stars Host Brook Burke Tells Us How To Host a Super-Fab Summer Party!

Summer has officially begun, a season filled with days and nights of outdoor parties and get-togethers. If you’re planning a backyard bash this 4th of July, get the tips you need from one of the country’s top hostesses -- “Dancing With The Stars” host Brooke Burke
!

Brooke has been a household name since she began hosting the E! travel show Wild On! in 1999. Since then, she has graced the covers of magazines and made countless television appearances, but she still makes time for friends and family. Brooke knows the tricks to throwing a great party and being the ultimate hostess, and now she will share some of her favorite tips with your viewers!

What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

Traveling Time! The Great Larry Lipson Tells Us About His Latest Finds!


Reporting from Costa Rica, CRN's international wine correspondent Larry Lipson will tell us about his latest Wine Finds!

Larry always has something cooking up at the Lipson Institute of Advanced Wine Studies! Larry forages all of Costa Rica for the absolute best wines. No region is spared from his intense search. No mountain or range or valley is safe from his reach. He leaves no grape unturned, this man of passion. Wine is his life. His love for wine is only paralleled with his love for his lovely parter in wine, Lillian Lipson.

Be fully prepared for this master of vino as he shares his food and wine pairing techniques and experiences with you on this great day in America - and the world.

We're Visiting with Chef Charlie Palmer!

Since the beginning of his celebrated career, master Chef and hospitality entrepreneur Charlie Palmer has received critical acclaim for his signature Progressive American Cuisine, a style built on rambunctious flavors and unexpected combinations with a deep and lasting infusion of classical French technique. Influenced by his childhood experiences working in his family's vegetable garden, Palmer was an early advocate of farm over factory food. In 1988, he made a landmark commitment to creating dishes featuring regional American ingredients at his sublime three-star Aureole, once situated in a historic town house off Manhattan's Madison Avenue. Today Palmer's flagship Aureole is strategically located within New York City mid-town's dramatically modern Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park.

Over the years, Palmer combined his creative cooking spirit and flair for business to open thirteen notable restaurants across the country, a growing collection of food-forward wine shops and award-winning boutique hotels. But even today, the chef still steps in the kitchen with reinvention on his mind.

A frequent guest on NBC's Today Show, Charlie Palmer is also the author of four cookbooks, Great American Food (Random House/1996), Charlie Palmer's Casual Cooking (Harper Collins/2001), The Art of Aureole, (Ten Speed Press/2002), and Charlie Palmer's Practical Guide to the New American Kitchen (Melcher Media/2006).

Visit Charlie's outdoor cooking blog www.theoutdoorchronicles.com for recipes, tips, methods of cooking in the outdoors.

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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

6/28 Summer Pet Care, Somerdale English Cheeses

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

America's Veterinarian, Dr. Marty Becker, Gives Us Summer Survival Tips for Our Four-Legged Family Members

Considering taking your pet along this summer on vacation? Why not? But before you hit the highway, there are some very important steps you need to take to keep your furry friends safe. For instance, did you know your pet’s paws need protecting on a hot boat deck or navigating rough terrain during hiking? What about strapping the life vest on not only the kids, but the puppy too? Or the importance of restraining your dog while driving and the percentage of travelers who don’t even think about that? Dr. Becker is here to share those important tips…And so much more!

Dr. Becker is known as “America’s Veterinarian.” He is the resident vet on “The Doctor Oz” show and a regular on “Good Morning America.” His most recent best-selling book, Your Dog: The Owner’s Manual hit stands in April. Dr. Becker is an adjunct professor at both of his alma maters, Washington State College of Veterinary Medicine and the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He remains a practicing veterinarian in Idaho.
What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

April DeWinter Tells Us About Somerdale English Cheeses!

Based in the Somerset town of Taunton, Somerdale is one of Britain's leading exporters of British cheese and dairy products. The company represents dairies throughout the UK and exports a vast range of quality cheeses from some of the largest Cheddar makers down to small, traditional farmstead dairies.

Regular shipments of British cheese and dairy products are made to all corners of the globe, by road, sea and air.

For more info, go to http://somerdale.co.uk/!

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Monday, June 27, 2011

6/27 Summer Entertaining, Jordin Sparks, HGTV's Rick Rifle,

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Elizabeth Mayhew Tells Us How to Make Our Summer Entertaining Easy and Unique

Elizabeth Mayhew, Editor- in -Chief of Women’s Day, has the scoop on the latest trends in Summer Entertaining!

From the most unique grilling ideas…to the latest desserts, easy décor and more.. It’s as easy as 1,2,3!

Elizabeth Mayhew is the Editor –in- Chief of Women’s Day, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, she now lives in New York City with her husband and two children.


What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

Jordin Sparks Tells Us All About the Capitol's 4th of July Celebration!


Jimmy Smits Hosts All-Star Line-Up for A CAPITOL FOURTH with Performances by Steve Martin, Josh Groban, Matthew Morrison, Jordin Sparks, Little Richard with the Broadway Cast of Million Dollar Quartet, Kelli O’Hara and the National Symphony Orchestra!

Offering viewers extended coverage of the fireworks display, A CAPITOL FOURTH will capture the stunning pyrotechnics from every vantage point with twenty TV cameras stationed around the city – including the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Washington Monument and across the Potomac River. In celebration of America’s 235th birthday, the show will be capped off with a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” complete with live cannon fire provided by The U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and now an A CAPITOL FOURTH tradition. Also participating in the event will be The Choral Arts Society of Washington, along with The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, the U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Band, Members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial Flags and the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.

HGTV's Rick Rifle is Dropping By to Make Sure We're Organized & Ready for All Things Summer!"

As a lifestyle and organizational expert, and host of “Designing for the Sexes” on HGTV, Rick Rifle knows a thing or two about going with the flow. He says that one of the biggest keys is being organized ahead of time, so you are ready for whatever pops up…or whoever pops up!

Summer is here, and people are entertaining more and more-whether they plan to or not! Whether you end up inviting a neighbor to come in for a snack and a glass of wine, or your daughters’ friends end up staying for dinner, having a well-stocked pantry is key.

Rick, a noted designer and lifestyle expert, is the host of Designing for the Sexes on HGTV. He also hosted Stylush Life, Snackable Content, and he was on Trading Spaces. Rick brings a fresh approach to “lifestyle design,” bridging the gap between décor and entertaining.


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Friday, June 24, 2011

6/24 "Rescue Men," Healthy Baking & Frying, Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser, Summer Shape-Up, Movie Guy Steve

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Filmmaker Alan Smith Tells Us About "Rescue Men," A New Documentary About How an All-Black Crew of the Pea Island Lifesaving Station Swam into History by Rescuing Those Stranded in Sinking Ships

They were just a group of young men, some of whom were just boys not yet out of their teens at the Pea Island Lifesaving Station in North Carolina. But they would soon make history by rescuing scores of stranded sailors from sinking ships off the treacherous Carolina coast.

Distributed by John McLean Media and available at www.rescuemenfilm.com, this new documentary brings home the tale of the creation of the lifesaving station and the men whose accomplishments would bring honor and pride to a once obscure public agency.

Dr. Felicia Stoler Helps Us Make Sense of fats for cooking and food preparation and Tells Us About the Surprisingly Healthy Smart and Tasty Way to Bake and Fry!

By now, you know that you should be avoiding trans fats. As food manufacturers re-formulate their brands to replace trans fats with other alternatives, it’s easy to become confused when you read the new food labels. Saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated? Olive, canola, soy, Malaysian palm fruit oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil or animal fats (beef tallow, lard) – which are the healthier choices? The answers may surprise you.

Dr. Felicia Stoler is an American registered dietitian and exercise physiologist who has hosted Honey, We're Killing the Kids, a television series originally developed by the BBC that shows parents the consequences of poor parenting, using computer-generated images of what their children may look like as adults if they continue with their present life-style, dietary and exercise habits. Stoler has hosted the American edition, which appears as a one-hour weekly series on The Learning Channel in the United States and the Food Network in Canada.

Stoler attended Tulane University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and sociology. She attended Columbia University, where she majored in applied physiology and nutrition and was awarded a Master of Science degree. In 2008, she completed a doctorate in clinical nutrition (D.C.N.) at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.


What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

We're Talking With Leading Wine Educator, Master Sommelier, Speaker, Writer and Researcher, Tim Gaiser

Tim Gaiser is a internationally renowned wine expert and lecturer. He is one of 175 individuals worldwide to ever attain the elite Master Sommelier wine title and is currently the Director of Education for the American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas. He is also an adjunct professor for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley.

Over his 25-plus year career Tim has taught thousands of students in wines and spirits classes at every level as well as developing wine education programs for restaurants, winery schools and wine distributors. He has experience in all phases of the wine industry - online, wholesale, retail, winery, and restaurant - including stints at Heitz Wine Cellars in the Napa Valley and Bix and Cypress Club restaurants in San Francisco, and Virtual Vineyards/the original wine.com. His client list includes Fosters Global Wines, Diageo, American Express, Evian, Pepsico International, Fiduciary Trust, Franklin-Templeton, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo.

Nicole Pearl, The Beauty Girl, Stops By To Help us Get in Shape This Summer!

Summer Time Shape Ups - From your health to your beauty routine and then some… The Beauty Girls’ Nicole Pearl has the scoop on getting in gear for summer from the inside out!

ABOUT Nicole Pearl, The Beauty Girl, has written for national publications including Allure, Cosmo, Marie Claire, Self, In Style, Seventeen, and more. She's covered NYC and LA Fashion Weeks, has appeared on TV as a top beauty expert and has been a guest speaker for corporations. The Beauty Girl blog is Nicole's exclusive insider notebook, sharing her V.I.P. access to the latest in beauty.

Movie Guy Steve Evans Gives us the Movie Hits and Misses!
Steve Evans, the Movie Guy, is going to tell us what we need to run out and see and what we can avoid in the movie theaters, this week!

So, grab your popcorn, folks! Get your movie news and reviews right here on the What's Cookin' Today show! Steve “The Movie Guy” will take a look at what’s hot at the box office and the new films being released this weekend.


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Thursday, June 23, 2011

6/23 Declaration of Innovation, Do Diets Make Us Fat, 4th of July Party Tips, Hazlitt Vineyards

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Gary Shapiro Tells Us About The New Declaration of Innovation: Why the Consumer Electronics Association Wants Every American to Sign It!

Historically, good old-fashioned American innovation has been responsible for everything from the airplane to the telephone to eBay and Facebook. Innovative use of spectrum, or airwaves, has enabled everything from garage door openers and baby monitors to Tablets and SmartPhones. But, today’s public policies are doing little to support innovation in America – and we are facing a “spectrum crunch” that stifles future wireless broadband innovations, too. The best way to secure America’s economic future is to rediscover its INNOVATIVE past.

In anticipation of the upcoming July 4th holiday, CEA’s Innovation Movement is asking all Americans to sign the Declaration of Innovation to help ensure that YOUR CITY (and the U.S. overall) has the technological bandwidth it needs to stay connected; that our nation has the policies in place to remain competitive; and that our children have the tools to compete in a global marketplace.

Gary Shapiro, author of the New York Times Bestseller “The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream” and president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, will tell you the key priorities of CEA’s Innovation Movement that, if enacted by Congress, will reverse America’s decline and restore the American Dream … and Gary will challenge us all to sign the Declaration of Innovation.

Is Dieting Making You Fat? Dian Griesel, Ph.D. & Tom Griesel Give Us The "Skinny" on Dieting!

Over $40 Billion Dollars are spent each year on dieting and what do we have to show for it? …an endless cycle of people losing and gaining back weight. Americans are getting bigger by the burger, with 34% of people aged over 20 classified as being clinically obese. How can we break the cycle and get off the diet merry-go-round?

According to authors Dian Griesel, Ph.D. & Tom Griesel there are two main reasons why conventional diets are set up for failure, loss of lean muscle tissue and moodiness. Their new book; TurboCharged, addresses each cause and provides a simple 8-step program that requires no aerobic exercise, no special supplements and no extra equipment. Readers will learn how they can eliminate excess body fat while maintaining muscle and curbing the moodiness often brought on by conventional diets. They will also learn how easy it is to maintain a new lean healthy body with minimal effort for life.

About Dian and Tom: Dian has appeared on shows such as Montel Williams, Good Day New York and 1010 WINS Radio News in New York City. She has served on the board of the New York Chapter of the American Heart Association and is the author of five other books. She has written countless articles on health that have appeared in many national publications.

Tom has over 35 years of varied business experience and in January 2010 embarked on a new venture to pursue lifelong passions and fully utilize his expertise and experiences to mentor others to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives.

What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

Host a Festive Fourth of July Celebration With Tips from Celebrity Event Planner Cathy Riva!

Set off fireworks of your own with a festive Fourth of July celebration your guests will rave about all summer long! Celebrity event planner Cathy Riva will share her best party tips and tricks.

For event planner Cathy Riva life is about celebrating. With more than 10 years of experience in event planning and having been featured on talk shows such as NBC’s Today Show, The Tyra Banks Show, and Discovery Channel’s “Party Girl”, Emmy-nominated, Cathy Riva, founder of Riva Events, is an expert at leading a team to create personalized celebrity events. Recent parties include a star-studded event at the New York Stock Exchange with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and The Diamond Aquifer Pre–Oscar Suite at the Soho House, LA.

As passionate as Cathy is about planning events, she’s equally enthusiastic about teaching party planning skills. She was recently a guest speaker for a UCLA Marketing Class and the Learning Annex’s “How to get into event planning.” Her goal is to give people the tools to create their own parties, creating happy memories, lasting friendships and bonding families together.

We're Visiting Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards With Owner Doug Hazlitt!

Located on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes Wine Region of upstate New York, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards was established in 1984 by Jerry and Elaine Hazlitt. The family itself has been growing grapes and orchard fruit on the same land since 1852. Today, the winery and its vineyards are managed by sixth generation family members Doug Hazlitt and Leigh (Hazlitt) Triner. Affectionately called the Home of the Red Cat, Hazlitt Vineyards offers a casual approach and informal atmosphere to wine lovers everywhere.

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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

6/22 Fun Summer Travels, Summer Eye Safety, Chelsea Kane, Larry Lipson, Napa Valley: The Land, The Wine, The People

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Gabe Saglie Answers All Our Travel Questions and Reminds Us How to be Smart Travelers this Summer

As senior editor for TravelZoo, an online resource for travel deals, Gabe has become an authority on finding great travel deals, family travel, golf getaways, culinary vacations, cruises, island adventures, gaming vacations and ski getaways. Gabe also discusses travel as a guest blogger on LifeGoesStrong.com

Gabe Saglie is a leading expert on travel deals, travel tips and trends. He has appeared on dozens of highly-rated national and local news programs including CNN, NBC's Today Show, CNBC's On the Money, ABCNewsNow and Meredith Corporation's Better TV, as well as numerous affiliate stations in major markets around the country including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami and many others. Gabe has uncovered hundreds of valuable travel deals and has become an authority on topics such as tips for finding great travel deals, family travel, golf getaways, culinary vacations, cruises, island adventures, gaming vacations and ski getaways.

Expert Shares Tips for Consumers to Take the Proper Steps Both in the Short- and Long-Term to Maintain Healthy, Quality Sight This Summer!

If you think your eyes aren’t at risk for UV damage, think again! According to the World Health Organization, 3.2 million people go blind each year as a result of prolonged UV exposure.
Eye damage from UV exposure is cumulative, so it’s never too early or too late to start protecting the health of the eyes for the long-term and also helping to improve the quality of vision in the short-term by minimizing squinting that is caused by distracting and oftentimes blinding glare.

More than eight out of 10 people agree that glare and bright light outdoors negatively affects their eyesight – causing squinting, eye strain, fatigue, headaches and also premature wrinkling around the eyes. The same UV light from the sun when exposed directly to the skin is known to cause a number of harmful effects, but what many aren’t aware of is that it can have a lasting and detrimental effect to your vision. What’s more is that 20 percent of Americans mistakenly believe that UV damage is reversible.

Dr. Larry Lampert, an optometrist from Boca Raton, Florida has teamed up with Transitions Optical to educate consumers nationwide about the importance of proper eyecare and eyewear year-round. Dr. Lampert encourages all consumers to take several simple steps to protect the health and quality of their sight today and for the future.

We're Talking with Dancing With the Star's Chelsea Kane About Her New Project!

Chelsea's stopping by to talk with us about the new program she’s helping Pedigree kick off this month: “Dancing with the Stars' Chelsea Kane Teams up With PEDIGREE Food for Dogs to Deliver More Than 100,000 Pounds of Food to Shelters Across the Country” http://topics.dallasnews.com/article/02k27WCa0Qbik?q=healthy+heart.

She'll also tell us about her recent appearance on Dancing with the Stars!

What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

Traveling Time! The Great Larry Lipson Tells Us About His Latest Finds!

Reporting from Costa Rica, CRN's international wine correspondent Larry Lipson will tell us about his latest Wine Finds!

Larry always has something cooking up at the Lipson Institute of Advanced Wine Studies! Larry forages all of Costa Rica for the absolute best wines. No region is spared from his intense search. No mountain or range or valley is safe from his reach. He leaves no grape unturned, this man of passion. Wine is his life. His love for wine is only paralleled with his love for his lovely parter in wine, Lillian Lipson.

Be fully prepared for this master of vino as he shares his food and wine pairing techniques and experiences with you on this great day in America - and the world.

We're Talking with Daphne Larkin - Author - NAPA VALLEY: The Land, The Wine, The People

CHARLES O'REAR and DAPHNE LARKIN combined their talents to produce this elegant coffee table book. A photographer known for his books on wine and wine regions around the world, CHARLES O'REAR is recognized as one of the world's leading photographers. His wine books are:Beringer Vineyards (2009); Wine Across America (2007); Wine Places (2005); Beautiful Wineries (2005); Napa Valley: The Land, The Wine, The People (2001); Chardonnay (1999); Cabernet (1998); Fodor's Wine Country (1997); and Napa Valley (1990). He photographed for National Geographic magazine for 25 years, producing two dozen articles from around the U.S. and the world. O'Rear began photographing wine country when the magazine sent him to cover Napa Valley in 1978 for an article. Today he owns the largest collection of wine photos in the United States. Many of his photos are archived on the Corbis Collection and have appeared in thousands of publications, movies and on television. His most famous photograph is the Bliss photo, the rolling green hills default Microsoft screen saver on a billion computers worldwide.

DAPHNE LARKIN is an award-winning journalist who specializes in the wine industry. Partnering with her husband Charles O'Rear, she wrote, edited and co-produced several wine books, most recently Wine Across America and Beringer. She is a former United Nations journalist, reporter for Newsweek International, television news writer, contributing editor to Parenting magazine and senior vice president of corporate communications for a Fortune 500 company. In 1995, she won the Distinguished Service to Journalism Alumni Award from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism for pioneering the story of children in America with disabilities. Charles and Daphne make their home in Napa Valley on a country lane surrounded by vineyards and views of the Mayacamas and Vaca Mountains.

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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

6/21 Summer Travel, Nia Vardalos and More - Only on What's Cookin' Today!

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Kendra Thornton, Travel Industry Insider, Tells Us How to Cash in on Summer Savings

Thanks to the internet, you’ve become your own travel agent. But for many, you still can’t seem to find cheap flights and deep hotel discounts. So how can you take control of
your travel, while cashing in on some serious savings? Travel industry insider, Kendra Thornton is here to help. Born to a family of travel agents, Kendra is ready to share her insider information.

Kendra was first bit by the travel bug at just 3 months of age when she packed her bags for the Bahamas. The family business allowed her to see the world, and since then, the travel expert has become a regular on CBS, ABC, NBC and CW affiliates nationwide sharing travel trends and tips to help save you money.

What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

Actress Nia Vardalos Wants To Give America Something to Smile About!

We’ve all heard the statistics and know that gum disease and poor oral health is nothing to smile about. Even though these common “mouth maladies” affect about 75 percent of adults and 20 to 30 percent of those adults battle more severe forms of the disease over time,
there is hope!

Actress Nia Vardalos, known best for her smash hit “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” knows how to make people smile…and she wants to do it again and again. Nia, along with Tom Hanks, co-wrote “Larry Crowne” - a comedy-drama film starring Hanks and Julia Roberts, that premieres on July 1. This movie is sure to keep Nia’s track record for making us smile strong, but now, she’s challenging Americans to smile HEALTHY with the PerioBalance Challenge.

A small group of bloggers will start the PerioBalance Challenge and commit to using PerioBalance for a full 28 days to learn about how to adopt great oral care habits, while sharing their experiences along the way. Nia will provide encouragement to the Challenge participants and keep them motivated.


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Monday, June 20, 2011

6/20 Summer Sunscreen Tips, Dandy Don, Summer Soy Foods, Vanessa Williams

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Kim Walls Gives Us Summer Sunscreen Tips!

With the FDA's new guidelines for sunscreens now requiring products to pass certain effectiveness tests and adopt new product labels, what do parents need to know for this Summer. Episencial Founder Kim Walls, MS, an esthetician and a nutritionist with more of a decade of experience, offers important tips for parents.

Kim Walls, M.S., is the founder of Episencial, is an esthetician and a nutritionist with more than a decade of experience, Walls has honed her perspective focusing on botanically-based skin care and transdermal nutrient absorption as a pathway to improved health and beauty for women and children. She shares her experience internationally with dermatologists and estheticians, as well as childbirth and postpartum professionals, underscoring the relationship between optimum health and skincare.

Dave "Bio" Baranek Tells Us About His Book, Topgun Days: Dogfighting

Summer 2011 marks the 25th Anniversary of the movie Top Gun, and for those of us who watched its premier, we can remember fantasizing about flying an F-16 with Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer and Tom Skerritt. But Dave “Bio” Baranek didn’t have to fantasize, he actually performed the deadly aerial maneuvers that made “Maverick,” “Iceman” and “Viper” household names.Bio was one of 451 young men to become a Navy Flight Officer in 1980 and the only one that year to become a much-feared-and-respected Topgun instructor; an honor awarded only to the “best of the best.” So when Hollywood green-lighted an obscure script for a movie about the elite Naval Fighter Weapons School (aka Topgun), they knocked on Bio’s door, and the rest is history.

Top Gun the movie quickly became an out-of-nowhere, runaway blockbuster that earned $353 million worldwide, catapulted Tom Cruise into superstardom, and made American fighter pilots a cultural icon. In his memoir TopGun Days, Bio not only takes the reader into the cockpit during the breathtaking aerial moves that made the movie great, he gives an inside view of people that make Topgun the best fighter training school in the world. Bio recalls the experience of being (what he terms) a “regular guy” who was thrown into the whirlwind of Hollywood, from gala premiers and celebrity sightings, to world renown and screaming teens.


Is Ice Cream Your Passion? Dandy Don Will Be Telling Us About His FABULOUS Ice Cream - Available EVERYWHERE!!!

A music biz whiz who promoted (and garnered gold records for) artists such as The Beatles, Elvis, David Bowie, Cat Stevens and John Denver, Don Whittemore established Dandy Don’s HomeMade Ice Cream in 1981. Specializing in sundae bar catering and serving fine restaurants and markets in Southern California, Dandy Don’s HomeMade Ice Cream has been winning gold medals at the Los Angeles County Fair since 1996.




What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

Linda Funk Gives Us Some Great Summery Soy Foods for Family Fun!

Who has time to cook during the summer months? Most of us gravitate toward quick snacks and easy meals. This summer, The Soyfoods Council makes it easier to eat healthfully without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. On the website at www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com, you’ll find inspiring recipes for cool drinks to sip on your porch or deck, picnic-worthy desserts, chilled side dishes and grab-and-go snacks. Soyfoods such as silken tofu, edamame and soymilk help you pay tribute to the flavors of summer.

Linda is the executive director of the Soyfoods Council. The Mission of The Soyfoods Council is to serve as a catyalist, leader and facilitator to mainstream soy-based foods into the global marketplace—America and beyond. To mainstream soyfoods: to build the category of soyfoods products by making action-prompting connections between edible soybean growers and food producers, foods distributors, chefs, retailers and eventually consumers.

We're Talking With Vanessa Williams!

As a mom and working woman……Vanessa knows how hard it is to stay organized in the kitchen..that’s why she teamed up with Samsung to introduce their new LCD fridge with Apps that will make life easier – then she can provide an anecdote on how having these apps like make her life personally so much better.

Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model and actress. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-Americandescent to be crowned Miss America,[1] but a scandal caused her to relinquish her title early. Williams rebounded by launching a career as an entertainer, earning Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award nomination
s.

Williams released her debut album The Right Stuff in 1988, which spawned the hits The Right Stuff , a #1 on Hot Dance Songs, and Dreamin' a #1 on R&B and #8 on Billboard Hot 100. Her second studio album The Comfort Zone in 1991 topped the Billboard R&B Album Chart, which spawned the number-one hit Save the Best for Last.

In 1994 she debut on Broadway in the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman.In 1995 she recordedOscar-winner for Best Original Song from the Disney animated feature film Pocahontas the songColors of the Wind,which reached #4 on Billboard Hot 100.

Williams's first acting role was as the star of the feature film Eraser in 1996. She also starred in the movies Soul Food, Dance with Me, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Shaft andJohnson Family Vacation.

From 2006 to 2010 she played the role of self-absorbed diva and former supermodel Wilhelmina Slater in the ABC comedy series Ugly Betty. In 2009, Williams released her eighth studio album,The Real Thing. In 2010 she joined the ensemble cast of the series Desperate Housewives as spoiled rich woman Renee Perry.


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Friday, June 17, 2011

6/17 Amusement Parks, NASCAR's Miss Sprint Cup, Idle Cellars, Metro Bis, Movie Guy Steve

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

We're Talking with Pete Trabucco, Amusement Park Expert, Aviation and Travel Expert and Author of "America's Top Roller Coasters and Amusement Parks"

Whether you rode the gentle merry-go-round or the scream-a-lot giant roller coaster, you always remember your first amusement park visit. And you know that today's biggest, fanciest theme parks are loaded with high-tech treats and old-fashioned thrills.

Pete Trabucco will tell us how these family-fun parks have evolved over the years. Pete's love of amusement parks has made him an expert enthusiast, eager to explain the history of those beloved entertainment centers.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ambassador, Miss Sprint Cup Kim Coon Talks to Us About the Next Race!

The “Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will take place at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, June 19th. To honor those who serve America, Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips will make a $10,000 donation during the pre-race ceremony to help support the Salute to Military Fathers program. The check will be presented by Miss Sprint Cup Kim Coon.

Salute to Military Fathers is an extension of the VFW Foundation’s Return the Favor campaign—which aims to honor, celebrate, and support active-duty military members, veterans, and their families. Thanks to the program, more than 300 military guests will be in attendance at Sunday’s race.

As a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ambassador, Miss Sprint Cup Kim Coon will give listeners a unique “behind-the-scenes” look at the race and drivers from inside the garage. Originally from Orlando, Coon has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami and a master’s from the University of Alabama. She currently lives in Charlotte.

What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

We're Visiting Idle Cellars with Winemaker Ben Larks!

Idle Cellars is a micro-winery located in Sonoma County, California. Ari Heavner, Ben Larks and Eric Henson believe in the artistic craft of wine making, and work hands-on from grape selection to bottling.

The three - an entrepreneur, an artist and a wine aficionado met while working at Deerfield Ranch Winery under the tutelage of master winemaker Robert Rex. They studied and strive for the perfection of an elegantly balanced wine; equal parts technical mastery and art. It was Robert who taught that the essence of winemaking is "getting to know your grapes" and to be with your wine literally from the vine to the bottle. They've taken this knowledge and deep understanding of the agricultural surroundings to choose the best varietals and processes for each wine.

Idle Cellars seeks to provide the best of Sonoma and of wine craftsmanship. Their wines bring people together, be it at a lively dinner party or a lazy BBQ.

We're Talking with Chris Prosperi of Metro Bis Restaurant in Connecticut!

When chef Chris Prosperi and his wife, Courtney Febbroriello, stepped into Metro Bis restaurant during a bustling afternoon in 1998 they knew instantly that they would soon own the charming bistro. The Paris metro train doors that grace the front of the restaurant and the lights from a metro station dangling delicately from the ceiling caught their imaginations.

Courtney's French was quite rusty but she soon learned that Bis meant again or encore. Together they longed to recreate a European style of service with a rangy American menu to delight guests. The cozy, sixty-four seat space in the heart of Simsbury, Connecticut just west of Hartford became the perfect backdrop to Chris' creative culinary expression and the "bistro that makes you want to shout encore" was born.

Movie Guy Steve Evans Gives us the Movie Hits and Misses!
Steve Evans, the Movie Guy, is going to tell us what we need to run out and see and what we can avoid in the movie theaters, this week!

So, grab your popcorn, folks! Get your movie news and reviews right here on the What's Cookin' Today show! Steve “The Movie Guy” will take a look at what’s hot at the box office and the new films being released this weekend.


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