5/19 - Paula Deen, Maria Kanellis, Chef Steven Raichlen, Mike Winkler, Sissy Biggers,

Ballpark Favorites with Paula Deen  Live From Washington Nationals Stadium

Summertime means sports time and who better than Paula Deen with her down-home personality and traditional Southern cooking style to share tips and tricks LIVE from a ballpark. Whether you’re grilling in the comfort of your own backyard or tailgating before the big game, Paula has some great recipes that your friends and family are sure to enjoy. Paula Deen, Celebrity Cook, Author and TV Personality She is the quintessential American success story, a best-selling author and a television show host, a tastemaker to the stars and to the everyday housewife and family. She is Paula Deen, a down-home, strong willed mom who overcame personal tragedy, long odds, financial and physical challenges to carve one of the most effective and wide ranging entertainment brands that exists today. In the 1990’s, Paula opened her Savannah restaurant, The Lady and Sons, which remains a popular and successful Savannah restaurant today. The popularity of the restaurant led Deen into publishing. Her 1997 cookbook, The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook, gave her growing fan base the opportunity to try Deen’s recipes at home for the first time and led to her first appearance on QVC, which took the brand from regional to national and began a stretch of consecutive New York Times best selling cookbooks. The growth continued unabated, and in 1999 USA Today food critic Jerry Shriver named The Lady and Sons International Meal of the year. Deen has sold over eight million books and her lifestyle magazine, Cooking With Paula Deen, has a circulation of over a million. Forbes named Deen on its 2007 Celebrity 100 List of The Most Powerful People in Show Business.   SPONSORED BY SMITHFIELD.

Chef Mike Winkler  -  Hard Rock Corporate Chef

FROM MUSIC TO COCKTAILS, WE WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO GRILL AND CHILL WITH A “TWIST” THIS SUMMER! PLUS GET EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK AT NEVER BEFORE DISPLAYED MEMORABILIA - Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of the grilling season, and Hard Rock Cafe invites you to broaden their “range” this summer with fun rock ‘n roll themed grilling that will leave summer visitors singing for their supper! We will offer a new twist on rockin’ international selections, bold local flavors and entertaining that takes guests on a world tour for the senses! From Grilled Caribbean Shrimp to Mediterranean Burgers, Chef Mike Winkler puts a rock star take on traditional summer favorites with unique preparation techniques while and Director of Beverage Cindy Busi shares how to shake it up with refreshing summer cocktails.

Maria Kanellis  - "NBC's Celebrity Apprentice"  "Donald Trump, I'm not afraid of you."

Maria Kanellis is an actress, singer, TV hostess/personality, former WWE Diva and aspiring fashion designer. She is currently appearing on "The Celebrity Apprentice" on NBC. She is releasing her first music album, "a 4 song EP," on April 13th, 2010. She is most well known as a former professional wrestler and personality within World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for the past five years.  Maria Louise Kanellis was born on February 25, 1982 in Ottawa, Illinois. The oldest of three siblings, she grew up surrounded by cars ,and her free time was spent juggling sports, pageants and dancing. In 2004 Maria made her first of many television appearances when she was a contestant on the reality series "Outback Jack." Soon after she tried out for the WWE Diva Search and placed fifth out of thousands of contestants. Although she was eliminated, Maria was later hired by WWE as a backstage interviewer on "Monday Night Raw" and began training for the next three years at the Ohio Valley Wrestling facility. She began competing in the ring as a wrestler in 2005. After her debut Maria worked alongside the company's biggest superstars including John Cena, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Maria never shied away from angles or storylines and is most comfortable in the spotlight. She posed for the April 2008 cover and pictorial in Playboy magazine, which WWE incorporated into one of the year's most popular storylines on "Monday Night Raw." For the Playboy shoot, Maria chose several elements, including lighting, wardrobe and style. She even designed and produced some of her own wardrobe for this "high fashion"-themed layout. She has also created outfits for her wrestling matches, television appearances, red carpet charity events and high-profile WWE ceremonies.  Maria enjoyed some crossover success while with the WWE, making several TV appearances. She has co-hosted G4 Network's "Attack of the Show" and she lists "Deal or No Deal," "Family Feud," "Project Runway," "VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown," "The Insider," "Best Damn Sports Show," "Red Eye," and "The Today Show" among several television appearances on her resume. In March 2010, she will appear as a cast member on NBC's hit series "The Celebrity Apprentice" alongside fellow contestants Sharon Osbourne, Bret Michaels, and Cindy Lauper, to name a few. Maria worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation as her charity of choice during filming. She is very active when it comes to other charitable organizations, such as Generation Rescue, Paws for Style, St. Jude's Children Hospital and The Kentucky Humane Society to name a few. Philanthropy holds a special place with Maria as she continually donates her time and money towards newfound, worthy causes. She has traveled overseas with the WWE from 2005-2008 for its annual USO Tribute to the Troops Tour, donating her time and energy to entertain and spread goodwill to our servicemen and women stationed overseas.  Maria was recently named WWE's Diva of the Year for 2009, a popular fan vote as decided by the WWE Universe. 

Chef Steven Raichlen - writer, author, and TV host  -  "Planet Barbecue"

PLANET BARBECUE! is designed to take America ’s smoke-crazed, live fire–obsessed passion for grilling to the next level. With more than 600 color photographs, essay snapshots of each country, grill master profiles, and extensive technical information throughout, this is an unprecedented marriage of food and culture. PLANET BARBECUE! goes deep into how the traditions of each country evolved through its own local flavors and grilling techniques. It will introduce readers to some of the world’s most colorful grillers, from a Uruguayan chef who grills over seven different types of fires to a Japanese yakitori master whose simple grilled chicken is a true work of art. Each technique is fully explained—and many recipes are illustrated with step-by-step photos—so you can bring sizzling international flavor to your own backyard. Steven Raichlen is the man who redefined our notion of barbecue. His internationally bestselling books (more than 4 million copies in print) include The Barbecue! Bible and How to Grill. Each week, millions of viewers tune in to his Primal Grill and Barbecue University on PBS and his French-language Le Maítre du Grill in Quebec . A former Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellow with a degree in French literature, and founder of Barbecue University at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs , Raichlen has won five James Beard Awards and three IACP/Julia Child Awards. He lives and grills with his wife, Barbara, in Coconut Grove , Florida and on Martha’s Vineyard , Massachusetts .
 
Sissy Biggers  - Lifestyle Expert

Sissy Biggers is a lifestyle expert who has appeared on TV, radio, print and on the Internet. She has been showcased on Lifetime TV, the Food Network’s Ready, Set Cook! and ABC’s Complete Makeover”. Sissy was a regular on NBC’s Today Show as a food and lifestyle contributor, and is now a regular on the CBS Early Show. She has also appeared as a commentator for Iron Chef, USA, and has been seen in commercials, satellite media tours, and has contributed to AOL as their online entertaining advisor. Her media work extends to live event venues as the host of Food & Wine Magazine's annual Classic at Aspen in Colorado each June.  All across America, people are enjoying outdoor parties and barbeques centered around the grill. More than 35 percent of women are now taking the tongs for gas grilling, up six percent from 2003. And 42 percent of women are using electric grills, inching closer to men at 55 percent.  Whether you’re entertaining on the beach, by the pool or in the backyard, we’ll have quick and easy ideas on how to spice up your next barbecue