12/8-Catherine Cassidy, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Larry Lipson

Catherine Cassidy-The Taste of Home Cookbook, New 3rd Edition

Sometimes change is not just good – it’s delicious: Taste of Home, the #1 cooking magazine in the world, announces a mouthwatering makeover of its landmark bestseller, The Taste of Home Cookbook, New 3rd Edition. And this is one extreme makeover, culinary style. Of the 1,563 recipes and variations, more than 1,200 are new favorites and modern and fresh approaches to the tried-and-true. There are also new features and tips (like a “top three tips” on each chapter divider), as well as hundreds of new photos (more than half of them stunning finished food shots). But what hasn’t changed is the source of all these recipes: Taste of Home’s editors and its legion of real home cooks that make cooking, caring, and sharing so delightful.  Simply put, The Taste of Home Cookbook, New 3rd Edition still celebrates the delight and comfort we find at the table, the connection between food and family, and the different ways we live, love, and eat. And while choosing what recipes to keep from the “best of the best” that were selected years ago for The Taste of Home Cookbook was not easy, it was necessary.


Catherine M. Cassidy is Vice President/Editor-in-Chief of the Taste of Home Media Group (http://www.tasteofhome.com/) and the main face of Taste of Home on TV, deftly demonstrating recipes from the magazines and cookbooks including “Good Morning America, “The Early Show,” and QVC. In her role as editor-in-chief, Catherine oversees the creation of all branded media, including Taste of Home, the number one cooking magazine in the world, and its web site, tasteofhome.com; special interest publications, direct response and retail cookbooks, including the best-selling Taste of Home Cookbook; and Taste of Home spin-off magazines Simple & Delicious and Healthy Cooking. She also oversees the Taste of Home Cooking Schools, which attract thousands to locations nationwide. Prior to joining Taste of Home, Catherine served as Editor-in-Chief of Prevention magazine and Prevention Special Interest Publications at Rodale, Inc. Catherine joined Rodale in 1986 as an associate editor in the book division, and was later named Executive Editor of Rodale’s Custom Publishing division. She started her career at Runner’s World and Fit magazines in Mountain View, California. She lives in Mequon, Wisconsin, with her husband and children.


Santa and Mrs. Claus

Jolly Old St. Nick invites people to help fill his sleigh for Toys For Tots

As the holiday season approaches, people children everywhere are on their best behavior with hopes of getting the gifts toys promised for those who are to good girls and boys. And as he does every year, Kris Kringle is making sure those dreams come true.

This year, Santa and Mrs. Claus are taking a break from the workshop to kick off the 2010 holiday season with a few interviews – creating a lighthearted segment opportunity for your viewers. The duo is teaming up with Coca-Cola on a national initiative to generate thousands of gifts for Toys for Tots, and they’re asking people everywhere to lend their support. People can simply visit MyCokeRewards.com  to donate points, which translates to a toy donations to children and teens in need.
 •        How things are progressing at the North Pole 
 •        Plans for Santa’s annual trip around the world on Christmas Eve;
 •        Santa’s partnership with Coca-Cola and Toys for Tots
 •        Where your viewers can turn to get toy ideas
Background: This year, Santa is starring in a new global TV commercial for Coca-Cola. Coke first commissioned Haddon Sundblom to paint the iconic current-day image of Santa Claus in 1931 for its holiday print advertisements. Sundblom continued to create new versions of Santa Claus through 1964. In the decades since, Coca-Cola advertising has featured Santa’s image based on Sundblom’s original works. 


Larry Lipson - Live from Costa Rica 

Former LA Daily News Food Columnist (50 Years) Larry Lipson is live and direct from his research Institute in Costa Rica. He will talk about wine food and the good life and will have comments From Frommer's Travel Guide: " Wine: Although some European immigrants have been experimenting with wine grape cultivation in Costa Rica, no one has succeeded. The government did sponsor an experimental effort several years ago, but eventually most of the vines were ripped out. If you see Costa Rican wine for sale, it is almost surely from imported Chilean grape juice that is then processed in Costa Rica--the quality is terrible and it is--at least so far--not worth buying except as a total novelty."

12/7 - William Peter Blatty, Randi Caporoli , Laura Powell,

William Peter Blatty - "Crazy"

William Peter Blatty is best known for his mega-bestselling novel The Exorcist. Blatty also cowrote the screenplay of the hilarious Inspector Clouseau film, A Shot in the Dark. Known for his early comic novels, the New York Times proclaimed that “nobody can write funnier lines than William Peter Blatty,” describing him as “a gifted virtuoso who writes like S. J. Perelman.” Blatty lives with his wife and a son in Maryland.  Bestselling author William Peter Blatty warms our hearts with a funny yet deeply moving nostalgic tale of memory, mystery . . . and miracles.  New York, 1941: Joey El Bueno is just a smart-aleck kid, confounding the nuns and bullies at St. Stephen’s school on East 28th Street when he first meets Jane Bent, a freckle-faced girl with red pigtails and yellow smiley-face barrettes who seems to know him better than he knows himself. A magical afternoon at the movies, watching Cary Grant in Gunga Din, is the beginning of a puzzling friendship that soon leaves Joey baffled and bewildered.  Jane is like nobody he has ever met. She comes and goes at will, nobody else seems to have heard of her, and is it true that she once levitated six feet off the ground at the refreshment counter of the old Superior movie house on Third Avenue? Joey, an avid reader of pulp magazines and comic books, is no stranger to amazing stories, but Jane is a bewitching enigma that keeps him guessing for the rest of his life—until, finally, it all makes sense. Rich with the warmth of a bygone era, Crazy captures both the giddy craziness of youth—and the sublime possibilities of existence.

Randi Caporoli Operations Mgr - "Candy Crate"

CandyCrate.com is an Old Fashioned Candy Store selling hard to find Retro Candy, Bulk Candy, Nostalgic Candy Gift Boxes, Childhood Toys & a huge assortment of Candy Gifts. Our handcrafted Candy Gift Baskets include our “as seen on The Today Show” Decade Gift Baskets allowing you to choose candies from the 1930’s through the 1990’s. Also available only at Candy Crate, our Vintage Candy Gift Assortment containing candies dating back to the late 1800’s. When you shop online at CandyCrate.com, you are guaranteed the freshest inventory of bulk candy and candy gift baskets, 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.  Candy Crate has a large selection of bulk candy at competitive penny candy prices. Check out our sugar free candy choices. Need a candy buffet? We have friendly and experienced wedding candy consultants available to help you create a decorative, delicious and tasty candy buffet. Candy Crate also offers a large selection of hand-crafted candy gifts and snack gift baskets. Our retro candy gifts are a top seller and can be ordered in several sizes, including a candy grab bag and candy party favors. Our Retro Candy Gifts also come in several styles and colors. Many of our Retro Candy Gifts include hand decorated cookies and retro toys to enhance your nostalgia gift giving experience.
 
 
Laura Powell - Veteran Travel Journalist
It's not too late to start planning a warm winter family vacation. DailySuitcase.com founder and former CNN reporter Laura Powell will take away the guesswork with her top picks for the ultimate tropical vacation. You don’t even have to leave the country! Find out where to go without spending all your savings. Plus, she’ll reveal healthy travel tips and ways to eat and drink healthy while on the vacation of your dreams!

• The top picks for warm weather family vacations

• The best way to cut costs when making your travel plans

• Healthy travel tips and ways to eat and drink healthy while away
Veteran journalist Laura Powell has covered the world of travel for twenty years. In the course of her travel journalism career, she has been to more than 50 countries and 46 states. Laura started covering travel for CNN. After serving as one of the original producers of CNN International, she created the network's TravelGuide program and reported on travel for five years. Laura has reported on travel for a wide variety of outlets, including the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, and MSN's sidewalk.com. Currently, she pens travel supplements for the Washington Post and USA Today and Around the World Radio

12/6-Jean Anderson, Dandy Don,

Jean Anderson-Falling of the Bone

From Jean Anderson, one of America's most respected food writers and cookbook authors, comes FALLING OFF THE BONE, 163 lip-smacking recipes that use the more economical cuts of meat to best advantage and to the hilt.  You’ll find here the simple soups and stews, pot roasts and Swiss steaks that our grandmothers cooked and served with t.l.c. -- only Anderson gives them a contemporary spin for today’s cooks, kitchens, and tastes. But that’s only the beginning.  Also here, the curries and chilies and other world classics – lusciously photographed -- that prove how truly special the tougher, cheaper cuts of beef, veal, lamb, and pork can be when cooked with love and respect. For anyone who has swooned over a bite of Beef Bourguignon or marveled at their mother’s supremely succulent pot roast, FALLING OFF THE BONE is a must-have.  nd that’s not all.  FALLING OFF THE BONE teaches how to tell brisket from butt and oxtail from Ossobuco, how to recognize top-quality meats, and how to master the techniques of braising, slow-cooking, and stewing, which magically turn sinew into meat so tender  it barely needs a fork.  And talk about flavor!   Divided into four chapters—Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork— each begins with a nutritional profile; offers shopping, storage, and freezer tips; and so that you’ll know exactly where the tough cuts are located, provides anatomical drawings of beef, veal, lamb, and pork. In their rush to put dinner on the table in thirty minutes or less, busy home cooks have forsaken the soups, stews and pot roasts that laze away gaining tenderness and flavor every step of the way – best of all, little “baby-sitting” needed. The toughest veal shank slowly simmered in broth is magically transformed into a fall-off-the-bone-tender Ossobuco. A bony beef tail stewed with vegetables becomes a deeply flavorful and nourishing Oxtail Soup. The most satisfying and soulful meat dishes don't cost a lot of money—they just take a little more time—make that unattended time.  FALLING OFF THE BONE includes family favorites from around the world—recipes that Anderson, herself, has enjoyed at home and abroad.  Among them:


·        Braised Breast of Veal Stuffed with Artichokes and Toasted Pignoli – a strut-your-stuff recipe that’s perfect for a small dinner party, and – make a note – it’s easier than it looks.


·        Rogan Josh –  a delicate Indian curry that turns sinewy lamb shoulder surprisingly tender Onion-Smothered Chicken-Fried Steak – a jazzed up version of the Southern classic


·        Milwaukee “Brew” Stew – a lusty beer-simmered, caraway-scented pork and onion stew that showcases  this  city’s German heritage 


Cooked lazily in a stewpot, Dutch oven, or slow cooker, even the humblest cuts emerge more flavorful, and, believe it or not, more tender than the priciest steak at the butcher shop.   And oh, my, the money you save!


It’s time to embrace the home-cooked food that brings the whole family to the table with ready smiles and eager appetites.  With FALLING OFF THE BONE, you’ll discover what our grandmothers knew all along:  eating “high on the hog” doesn’t mean blowing the budget.  Moreover, these soups and stews, chilies and curries, muddles, meatloaves and more are as easy on the cook as they are on the budget.  Who could ask for more? 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 


Jean Anderson, the author of more than 20 cookbooks, has written for Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Gourmet, More, and other national magazines. A six-time best cookbook award winner (James Beard, IACP, and Tastemaker), she is a member of the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame and a founding member of both Les Dames d'Escoffier and the New York Women's Culinary Alliance.


Dandy Don-Dandy Don's Ice Cream

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. e serve ice cream and sorbet to over 150 restaurants, hotels, and country clubs in the Los Angeles area. Great chefs and pastry chefs trust us to make their desserts something special. Click here to see the list of our clients. A few of them are Café Bizou, Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, The Farm of Beverly Hills, Max, Restaurant Christine, Fred 62 and Crustacean.

12/3- Laura Dean-Mooney, Dr. James Rippe

Laura Dean-Mooney-MADD National President

The Holidays are Here . . .

And So Are the Drunk Drivers.

 'Tis the Season to Be Jolly...
And Tragically, ‘tis Also the Season for Drunk Driving. 

Auto crashes involving drunk drivers are most prevalent during the holiday season, with 1,235 people having died in drunk driving crashes between Thanksgiving 
and New Year’s Day in 2008 alone.
   
During this time of year when drunk driving crashes are most prevalent, MADD aims to deter individuals from driving drunk and encourage them to plan ahead and designate a sober driver, or arrange another safe ride home, before embarking on their holiday festivities. 
MADD’s Give the Gift of a Designated Driver campaign encourages people to volunteer to be a designated sober driver for their friends and family during the holiday season. These gift certificates are available online at http://www.madd.org/  and are designed to be printed out, emailed or shared via social media platforms.  Additionally, MADD’s Safe Party Guide (www.madd.org/party) provides tips about how to host holiday parties responsibly. MADD encourages holiday party hosts and guests to plan ahead to ensure a fun and safe experience for all.  MADD’s mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.


Dr. James Rippe-Rippe Lifestyle Institute

A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Calcium Go Down


When It's Ok to Sweeten-Up to Get What Your Body Needs

Dr. James Rippe of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute Weighs in On The Latest Studies on Vitamin D, Calcium, Added Sugars and Your Health


As most moms can attest, sweeteners make many healthy foods appealing.  Whether it’s chocolate syrup in milk, ketchup on meat, sugar on oatmeal, or veggies dipped in dressing – they help us eat the foods we should.   The question is -- Is it OK to “sweeten-up” for the greater good?  Dr. Rippe is a Harvard-trained, world renowned cardiologist, is the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine and the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine and a co-founder of the Lifestyle Medicine Association. Dr. Rippe is also the Founder and Director of the Rippe Lifestyle Institute. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Rippe has established and run the largest research organization in the world exploring how daily habits and actions impact short and long-term health and quality of life. Rippe Lifestyle Institute also conducts numerous studies every year on nutrition and healthy weight management. Dr. Rippe has authored and edited numerous medical journals, medical textbooks and manuals, consumer textbooks, and other print and online publications. For more on Dr. Rippe, visit the RLI website at http://www.rippehealth.com/ .

12/2-Celebrity Chef Sunny Anderson, Bob Friedland

Chef Sunny Anderson-Food Network






Celebrity Chef Sunny Anderson Launches Holiday Cookie Pledge Drive for Deployed U.S. Troops


For the hundreds of thousands of deployed troops away from friends and family during the holidays, nothing says 
“home sweet home” like a box of cookies.  

This holiday season, Kenmore “Baking for the Troops” is sending 250,000 cookies overseas to remind troops they are appreciated.  

Kenmore is encouraging Americans to simply pledge a dozen cookies on the Kenmore Facebook page and they will send encouraging messages with sweet treats to individual troops on their behalf.  When 250,000 cookies have been pledged, Kenmore will donate $50,000 to Heroes at Home to support military families on the home front. 

Pledge a dozen cookies to a deployed military person by joining the Kenmore “Baking for the Troops” conversation at http://www.facebook.com/kenmore. 

About Sunny Anderson: Sunny is one of the newest additions to Food Network's popular "In the Kitchen" weekend block with her series, Cooking for Real. Sunny also hosts the primetime series, How'd That Get On My Plate? which follows the fascinating journey of a single ingredient (such as eggs, garlic, honey or apples) as it moves from its raw state into finished, iconic products.  

An Army brat, her parents always encouraged her to try the local cuisine. And when Sunny joined the Air Force she continued her global trek for culinary finds. 

Sunny served as Food & Lifestyle editor at Hip Hop Weekly Magazine where she interviewed hip hop stars about food, cooking and the restaurants they love in her column, “Belly of the Beats.”


Bob Friedland-Toys R Us
Bob will discuss this year's Christmas Toy line.

Toys“R”Us, Inc. is the world’s leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands.  It currently sells merchandise in more than 1,560 stores, including 848 Toys“R”Us^® and Babies“R”Us^® stores in the United States, and more than 510 international stores and 200 licensed stores in 33 countries and jurisdictions.  In addition, it exclusively operates the legendary FAO Schwarz^® brand and sells extraordinary toys in the brand’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com,Babiesrus.com, eToys.com, FAO.com and babyuniverse.com, Toys“R”Us, Inc. provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toys and baby products.  The company also operates Toys.com, which offers customers exclusive deals from the company’s e-commerce sites.

Headquartered in Wayne, NJ, Toys“R”Us, Inc. employs approximately 70,000 employees worldwide.  The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need.

Toys“R”Us, Inc. operated as a public company from 1978 until July 2005.  At that time, an investment group consisting of affiliates of Bain Capital Partners LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) and Vornado Realty Trust completed an acquisition of Toys“R”Us, Inc. for $6.6 billion.  The acquisition encompassed all worldwide operations of Toys“R”Us, Inc., including the Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us businesses. With the completion of this transaction, each of the investors owns an equal stake in Toys“R”Us, Inc.

12/1-Dreama Denver, Larry Lipson

Dreama Denver-Actress - Mrs Bob Denver

For nearly 30 years, Dreama Denver was married to legendary television personality Bob Denver, best known to millions of fans around the globe for his two television iconic roles...first as Maynard J. Krebs, the hip beatnik in THE MANY LIVES OF DOBIE GILLIS...and as the lovable Gilligan in the classic sitcom GILLIGAN'S ISLAND.   The story of the Castaways on Gilligan's Island lives on in syndication, and continues to air worldwide over 40 years after production of the original show ended.  

A working actress who was hired as one of the very first cast members at Walt Disney World, Dreama appeared in dozens of theatrical productions throughout the U.S., appearing opposite stars of the day including Sal Mineo, Doug McClure and Gale Gordon.  She met Bob when the two were cast  as love interests in a theatre production of Woody Allen's "Play It Again Sam", and went on to tour and perform together for many years. Dreama also appeared in the final Gilligan's Island TV movie and co-starred with Bob and a young Joey Lawrence in a TV pilot called "Scamps" before retiring from acting shortly after the birth of their severely autistic son Colin.

The two raised Colin together in Dreama's native West Virginia before Bob's untimely passing in 2005.  Dreama carries on the Denver name as the head of the non-profit Little Buddy Radio and The Denver Foundation, helping disadvantaged children and continuing to spread smiles as Bob did throughout their life together.  Dreama's memoir, Gilligan's Dreams, will be released in 2011 to coincide with an upcoming Gilligan's Island major motion picture.

Larry Lipson - Live from Costa Rica 

Former LA Daily News Food Columnist (50 Years) Larry Lipson is live and direct from his research Institute in Costa Rica. He will talk about wine food and the good life and will have comments From Frommer's Travel Guide: " Wine: Although some European immigrants have been experimenting with wine grape cultivation in Costa Rica, no one has succeeded. The government did sponsor an experimental effort several years ago, but eventually most of the vines were ripped out. If you see Costa Rican wine for sale, it is almost surely from imported Chilean grape juice that is then processed in Costa Rica--the quality is terrible and it is--at least so far--not worth buying except as a total novelty."

11/30 - Peter Yarrow, Bintliff's,

Peter Yarrow - PBS Sing-Along-Special

Peter Yarrow SING-ALONG SPECIAL is a family celebration of America's favorite folk songs performed by some of America's most beloved folk singers. Starring Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul & Mary, this special also features multiple Grammy winners Mary Chapin Carpenter and Keb' Mo', cello and voice duo Bethany & Rufus, and singer and percussionist Billy Jonas. Uniting this tremendous group of talented performers in duets, trios and multiple ensembles, this concert will inspire and lift the spirit of the whole family with joyous and loving sing-alongs in a theater full of music lovers of all ages.  THE Peter Yarrow SING-ALONG SPECIAL is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations beginning November 27 and airing through December 2010 (check local listings). THE Peter Yarrow SING-ALONG SPECIAL is the first large-scale concert for Peter Yarrow since the passing in September 2009 of Peter, Paul & Mary's Mary Travers. Peter, Paul & Mary, along with Bob Dylan, Judy Collins and other music icons of the 1960s, used the power of song to foster community and engage in conversations about issues of social justice and individual responsibility. Although these songs have been around for generations, their words and messages continue to resonate today. "This concert is about the audience itself," says Peter Yarrow. "It is a gathering of many generations-from the littlest children to the great-grandpas and grandmas-all enjoying the same music, the same message." He adds: "Music shared in this way reminds us that there is an antidote to much of today's mean-spiritedness and intolerance."

Bintliff’s American Café - Portland, ME 

Bintliff’s American Café, a long-time favorite of Portlanders was established in 1990. Offering world-influenced American cuisine prepared by our skilled culinary team. Relax in our eclectic, elegant atmosphere with a story in every corner from Portland’s history and architecture. In the warmer seasons, you may dine on our deck and patio nestled under the canopy of a wizened Norway maple. Our famous brunch menu served seven days a week, features breakfast & lunch items including an amazing variety of waffles, pancakes, French toast, egg dishes, soup, sandwiches, wraps, salads and creative entrees. Functions at Bintliff’s offers a unique opportunity to plan your event or intimate gathering with our staff who work with local farms and businesses to create fun, interesting dishes presented with style. Featuring appetizers, lighter fare and entrees including grilled meats, fresh local seafood and vegetarian delights. A short walk from Portland's Deering Oaks Park, downtown shopping, Seadogs, Pirates and Portland Stage Company, Bintliff’s is proud to serve local produce, seafood, 100% pure Maine maple syrup, locally made wines, and Portland’s own Coffee By Design.

11/29-Janna Robinson, Nathaniels,

Janna "The Chic Geek" Robinson-Cyber Monday

Last year, Cyber Monday set a record as the busiest internet shopping day in history.  Consumers went online to spend almost $900 million, and this year is projected to be another record setting year.    That’s why Janna "The Chic Geek" Robinson believes consumers need to know what they’re doing and to think before they click. Robinson is a Lifestyle Technology Consultant who has appeared as a tech expert on on numerous networks shows, including The Today Show.  Currently, she is penning a book "The Chic Geek's Guide to Technology and Electronics”.




Nathaniel's Family Eatery - Nashua, New Hampshire

Nathaniel's is a family friendly neighborhood restaurant serving American casual food, Italian and seafood. Locally owned and operated. Take-out or dine-in. Free WiFi. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. - The staff is friendly and the value is excellent" - menupix.com ... "The wait-staff is friendly and very knowledgeable regarding the menu selections" - tripadvisor.com ... "We've consistently received delicious, well cooked food" - tripadvisor.com

11/26- Rick Dungey, William Carter

6Rick Dungey - PR Director - National Christmas Tree Association

The National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) strives to be one voice representing Christmas Tree Professionals and promoting the use of Real Christmas Trees. More than 5,100 professionals support NCTA programs through membership; participation (through their state association) in the Tree Industry Partnership (TIP) program and/or individual investments in the Market Expansion Campaign.  There are approximately 25-30 million Real Christmas Trees sold in the U.S. every year. There are close to 350 million Real Christmas Trees currently growing on Christmas Tree farms in the U.S. alone, all planted by farmers.  North American Real Christmas Trees are grown in all 50 states and Canada. Eighty percent (80%) of artificial trees worldwide are manufactured in China, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Real Trees are a renewable, recyclable resource. Artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics and possible metal toxins such as lead.  There are more than 4,000 local Christmas Tree recycling programs throughout the United States.  For every Real Christmas Tree harvested, 1 to 3 seedlings are planted the following spring.  There are about 350,000 acres in production for growing Christmas Trees in the U.S.; much of it preserving green space.  There are close to 15,000 farms growing Christmas Trees in the U.S., and over 100,000 people are employed full or part-time in the industry.  It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of typical height (6 - 7 feet) or as little as 4 years, but the average growing time is 7 years. The top Christmas Tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington. (See a complete list of all 50 states ranked by several variables.)  The most common Christmas Tree species are: balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine and white pine.

Chef William Carter - Executive Chef Playboy Mansion

The executive chef at Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles joins us to talk about the holiday season, great food and fun times. He shares special recipes and special menus created for Hugh Hefner.

11/24-Kevin Frazier, Larry Lipson, Kelly Wallace

Kevin Frazier-CBS "Entertainment Tonight"

In the Fall of 2009, Kevin Frazier began his sixth season as weekend anchor and correspondent of ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT, the No. 1 entertainment newsmagazine in the world. In 2009, Frazier covered many high-profile and historical events. Among them, President Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington, D.C., and the death of Michael Jackson. Notably, Frazier was one of the first journalists to speak to Joe Jackson after Michael's sudden death. Frazier also interviewed Sen, Hillary Clinton during the 2008 presidential campaign, and Clinton later went on to name this interview as her top TV moment in TV Guide Magazine.  Additionally, Frazier secured exclusive interviews with many A-list stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Tyler Perry and the cast of "Twilight."  Frazier also appeared as an entertainment expert on such prestigious news and entertainment programs as "The Oprah Winfrey Show," CNN's "Larry King Live" and CBS' "The Early Show." Since joining ET in 2004, Frazier has interviewed some of Hollywood's hottest stars and covered some of the entertainment industry's biggest events. In 2008 alone, Frazier interviewed Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Prince, Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell, Janet Jackson and Charlize Theron, to name a few. Frazier was the first television journalist to interview Mariah Carey after her impromptu wedding to Nick Cannon. He also traveled to Detroit to host and produce segments for Ford Motor Company's "Freedom Sisters" event.

Larry Lipson - Live from Costa Rica 

Former LA Daily News Food Columnist (50 Years) Larry Lipson is live and direct from his research Institute in Costa Rica. He will talk about wine food and the good life and will have comments From Frommer's Travel Guide: " Wine: Although some European immigrants have been experimenting with wine grape cultivation in Costa Rica, no one has succeeded. The government did sponsor an experimental effort several years ago, but eventually most of the vines were ripped out. If you see Costa Rican wine for sale, it is almost surely from imported Chilean grape juice that is then processed in Costa Rica--the quality is terrible and it is--at least so far--not worth buying except as a total novelty."

Robert Kauffman - Ho Ka Turkeys

Kauffman Turkey Farms is one of the last remaining independent family owned and operated  turkey farms with its own dressing plant in the country. Providing fresh dressed turkeys to the Northern Illinois area for over 70 years. This big, beautiful tom turkey, displayed by Robert Kauffman, is only one of thousands that are range grown here on the Kauffman Turkey Farm. Our Turkeys are grown from one day of age until they are dressed in the farm's federally inspected plant. We raise our birds with the emphasis on quality. This means that the turkeys grow more slowly and develop a richer flavor and denser texture.      

Kelly Wallace-iVillage Chief Correspondent 

Kelly Wallace, a former broadcast news journalist and mother of two, became so passionate about women’s issues and the power of women online, she left network news for the digital space to join iVillage as its Chief Correspondent. In her new role, she’ll serve as host and executive producer for video content focusing on issues women care about most. Kelly’s first projects include "iVillage 5/Your Don’t Miss List," a weekly show featuring stories women might have missed or, we think, would love to hear more about. She’s also executive producer of "iVoices on iVillage," a program where members of the iVillage audience are the stars, contributing stories from their communities, schools and families on issues affecting women.  Kelly’s career has spanned across news divisions at CBS, CNN and FOX News Channel. She’s covered everything from the White House (her favorite reporting beat!) to the Mideast to national campaigns, and enjoyed serving as substitute anchor on shows from CNN’s “American Morning” to the CBS Weekend News. In high school, she dreamed of becoming a television reporter, and years later got her start as an on-air reporter at the CBS affiliate (KRQE-TV) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That post led to a correspondent position at FOX News Channel and then to CNN and CBS.

11/25- Chef Piero Biondi

Happy Thanksgiving!

Chef Piero Biondi - Thanksgiving 2010

Legendary LA Chef Piero Biondi joins Paul & Jack to tell the secrets of an old fashioned American Thanksgiving. From tips on how to prepare the bird, the temperature to cook so the turkey is perfect, to the famous side dishes, dessert. cranberry sauce, stuffing and classic pumpkin pie. Chef Biondi will cover it all. Oh yes, and let's not forget the egg nog!  Spend Thanksgiving with CRN, and from all of us have a safe and happy holiday. Piero Biondi is eminently qualified to discuss all aspects of the culinary art, as one of the founding hosts on CRN's popular daily food and beverage program, "What's Cookin". He arrived in the US from his native Italy at age 15, speaking no English but possessing a practical knowledge of the kitchen and food. He started his apprenticeship at Gusti's, a fashionable restaurant in Washington, D.C. He eventually worked his way up to head chef. While in Washington he prepared special dinners for then Vice President Richard Nixon, and for members of the Supreme Court. He eventually moved to California and opened Piero's Restaurant and Trattoria, a favorite dining spot near the NBC studios in Burbank.  Piero Biondi has more than 30 years experience as a chef and has hosted his own successful radio talk show for many years. He also was the owner and head chef of his own restaurant. "Piero's" in Burbank, California for more than 3 decades. He has been called, "the Julia Child of talk radio"

11/23 - Mark Aronson

Marc  Aronson - "Sugar Changed the World"

When this award-winning husband-and-wife team discovered that they each had sugar in their family history, they were inspired to trace the globe-spanning story of the sweet substance and to seek out the voices of those who led bitter sugar lives. The trail ran like a bright band from religious ceremonies in India to Europe’s Middle Ages, then on to Columbus, who brought the first cane cuttings to the Americas. Sugar was the substance that drove the bloody slave trade and caused the loss of countless lives but it also planted the seeds of revolution that led to freedom in the American colonies, Haiti, and France. With songs, oral histories, maps, and over 80 archival illustrations, here is the story of how one product allows us to see the grand currents of world history in new ways. Time line, source notes, bibliography, index. Marc Aronson has won many awards and prizes for his books, including the first Sibert Award and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for Eldorado. Marina Budhos is an assistant professor of English at William Paterson University. She is the author of Ask Me No Questions, winner of the inaugural James Cook Teen Book Award. She and her husband live with their two sons in Maplewood, New Jersey

11/22-Jennifer Chandler

Jennifer Chandler-Simply Suppers

Turkey Transformations—watch as Jennifer Chandler, shares her professional secrets for Timesaving Tips for Traditional Dishes as well as her inspiring ideas for Turkey Leftover Makeovers 


Jennifer Chandler, author of the newly released cookbook, Simply Suppers, is a wizard in the kitchen with a hint of Southern charm. While she boasts a degree from Le Cordon Bleu, this down-home Memphis Mom is about making real food for real families. She’s adorable, approachable and will remind you of the “the girl next door.” Jennifer has appeared on numerous broadcast cooking segments nationwide including Food Network’s “Mission Impossible” and Better TV (Meredith Corp.) and is also a frequent contributor to Martha Stewart Radio on Sirius/SM.


Let Jennifer inspire your viewers to roll up their sleeves and get real in the kitchen. Her holiday motto is: Entertaining at home is a realistic goal that can be an enjoyable experience for all, even the home chef!

11/19- Michelle Bernstein , Amy Byro,

Chef Michelle Bernstein  -  "Quick & Easy Latin Favorites"

Since the pivotal Mango Gang era in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, almost no other Miami chef has made as big a splash on the national culinary scene as Chef Michelle Bernstein. A Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent, this passionate culinaire has dazzled diners and critics alike with her sublime cuisine and a personality as bright and vibrant as the Florida sun. “My food is luxurious but approachable,” says Bernstein, a James Beard Award winner (Best Chef South 2007) . Since the pivotal Mango Gang era in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, almost no other Miami chef has made as big a splash on the national culinary scene as Chef Michelle Bernstein. A Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent, this passionate culinaire has dazzled diners and critics alike with her sublime cuisine and a personality as bright and vibrant as the Florida sun. “My food is luxurious but approachable,” says Bernstein, a James Beard Award winner (Best Chef South 2007) . Latin families are passionate about bonding over delicious food. Whether their tastes are spicy or savory, it’s this time spent together, sharing stories and enjoying delicious flavors that keep the family close. But with all of the distractions of the hectic holiday season, it can be difficult for mom to find the time to create fresh, new dishes with exciting flavors for everyone to enjoy and still stay on a budget.  With fresh ideas, fabulous flavor and her signature Latin style, James Beard Award-winning Celebrity Chef Michelle Bernstein, can answer the age-old question: what’s for dinner? She’ll serve-up Latin-inspired creations with fresh flavors and new takes on traditional dishes for everyday dinners and special occasions. She’ll also tell viewers how she finds inspiration through her culture, her family and her travels.

Amy Byro  - Pastry Chef - "Harrah's Las Vegas"

Amy found her passion for pastry at a young age where she apprenticed as a wedding cake decorator in San Diego, California. She came to Las Vegas in 1998 to attend UNLV and obtained both her Food and Beverage Management and Culinary degrees. Most recently Amy has completed her MBA. Coming on board with Harrah’s Entertainment seven years ago, Amy has contributed to the food and beverage teams at the Rio, Harrah’s Rincon, and currently as the Executive Pastry Chef at Harrah’s Las Vegas. During that time she has participated in numerous pastry competitions that produced a first place Culinary Salon win in 2001 and a second place in 2002. Amy is a board member of the HERO (Harrah’s Employees Reaching Out) team at Harrah’s Las Vegas and participates with charity events all over Las Vegas donating her time and pastry creations. Her passion for the community is as great as her passion for pastry.

11/18-Don Fertman, William K. Seppi, Larry Lipson

Don Fertman-CBS "Undercover Boss"

Don Fertman is the Director of Development for Doctor’s Associates, Inc., parent company of the SUBWAY® restaurant chain, a position he has held since 1998.  In this capacity, he oversees all aspects of the franchise development pipeline, from lead generation to restaurant opening.  Don has also functioned as Director of Franchise Sales since 1988.  Since joining the franchisor in 1981, Don has seen the company grow from 166 restaurants at the time he began his career to more than 32,000  units in 91 countries today.  During his tenure at Subway, Don has functioned as the Public Relations manager, publications editor/writer and company photographer before becoming Franchise Sales Manager and later Director.  Prior to his employment at Subway, Don was affiliated with the company through his previous career as a freelance writer and musician, writing and performing jingles promoting Subway sandwiches nationwide.  That career also included his participation in a studio project that yielded an album and music video which received national attention, including positive reviews in Billboard Magazine and airplay on HBO.  As a result of his entertainment background, Don often serves as a company spokesperson and acts as Master of Ceremonies at various Subway events. 


William K. Seppi - Costeaux French Bakery

Our professional planners and chefs will guide you every step of the way with scrumptious menus, the perfect layout for your occasion, outstanding wait staff and service, plus the magical setting of Costeaux French Bakery.  It's a win-win-win situation for you, your guests, and your special event objectives.  Call us today to book a date for your holiday employee party, annual thank you for business partners, family reunion, rehearsal dinner, shower, birthday or ... just because!  Call 707-433-1913 or email info@costeaux.com for details.








Larry Lipson - Live from Costa Rica 

Former LA Daily News Food Columnist (50 Years) Larry Lipson is live and direct from his research Institute in Costa Rica. He will talk about wine food and the good life and will have comments From Frommer's Travel Guide: " Wine: Although some European immigrants have been experimenting with wine grape cultivation in Costa Rica, no one has succeeded. The government did sponsor an experimental effort several years ago, but eventually most of the vines were ripped out. If you see Costa Rican wine for sale, it is almost surely from imported Chilean grape juice that is then processed in Costa Rica--the quality is terrible and it is--at least so far--not worth buying except as a total novelty."

11/17-Art Smith, Chef Cat Cora

Art Smith-Chef, Author and Television Personality

This Thanksgiving, students from Milton Hershey School’s Culinary Arts program are launching an eCookbook called “A Legacy of Recipes.”  Filled with delicious recipes, the dishes in this cookbook are sure to add zip to this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. For the past 100 years, Milton Hershey School has been providing opportunities to kids who come from dire poverty and challenging circumstances, so what better way to give back this Thanksgiving than to keep Milton Hershey’s legacy alive by spreading word about the school.  Art Smith, chef, author, and television personality has brought back meaning and symbolism to the word “table” and has united families and friends through the sharing of a meal.  Art is a two-time James Beard Award recipient. In 2007 he received the James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of The Year Award and in 2002 he received the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Cookbook” for his first cookbook, Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family.  Art is a contributing editor to O, the Oprah Magazine and the Food section of Oprah.com and has appeared several times on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” He is featured regularly on television programs, appearing nationally on “The Today Show” and “Good Day Live” and serving as a regular tasting judge on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.”

Chef Cat Cora-Food Network's Iron Chef America

Cat Cora is a world-renowned chef and the first and only female Iron Chef on Food Network's Iron Chef America. She was named Executive Chef of Bon Appetit Magazine, which honored her with the Teacher of the Year Award in 2006. She’s the author of Cat Cora's Kitchen and Cooking From The Hip: Fast, Easy, Phenomenal Meals. Cat made her TV debut in 1999 as co-host of Food Network’s Melting Pot with Rocco Di Spirito.   

  

11/16 - Chef Paul Prudhomme

Survivor Castoff - CBS "Survivor"  (Wed  8/7 C)

Survivor is a reality television game show format produced in many countries throughout the world. In the show, contestants are isolated in the wilderness and compete for cash and other prizes. The show uses a system of progressive elimination, allowing the contestants to vote off other tribe members until only one final contestant remains and wins the title of "Sole Survivor". The format for Survivor was created in 1992 by British television producer Charlie Parsons.

Chef Paul Prudhomme "K-Paul's New Orleans"

Chef Paul Prudhomme has propelled the distinctive cuisine of his native Louisiana into the international spotlight and continues to push the limits by creating exciting and new American and international dishes. Chef Paul learned the importance of using the freshest ingredients while cooking at his mother’s side and continues to use only earth’s finest harvests. As the youngest of 13 children, Chef Paul was always adventurous. His strong curiosity of life and cultural customs motivated him to leave Louisiana in his early 20’s and travel across the United States to experience every culinary environment possible. From an Indian reservation all the way to the finest, five-star restaurant, Chef Paul learned to love, appreciate and blend the flavors of his younger years with those of many other cultures.

11/15-Jeffrey Saad, Linda Golodner

Jeffrey Saad-United Tastes of America on the Cooking Channel

Cooking Channel will add another fresh face to their programming line-up this November, with the premiere of United Tastes of America, hosted by Jeffrey Saad, on Tuesday, November 16 at 9:30pm ET/6:30pm PT. Jeffrey was a fan favorite contestant on season five, of The Next Food Network Star and will be making his Cooking Channel debut.


Each episode of United Tastes of America focuses on one iconic food staple, such as donuts, burgers and pizza – and explores it from every angle.  The history, process, science and pop-culture significance of each item are examined, along with a look at how today’s hottest chefs are reinterpreting them in unexpected ways.


Premiering Tuesday, November 16 at 9:30pm ET/6:30pm ET, pizza is the first food on the menu at United Tastes of America.  In addition to the ultimate New York street slice and the hearty deep-dish style of Chicago, the episode explores what happens when pizza goes upscale and collides with international influences – resulting in unexpected Indian-curry and sushi pizzas.


ABOUT JEFFREY SAAD: Jeffrey Saad was a leading contestant on season five of The Next Food Network Star in 2009.   He began his food career at 13-years-old working in a Chicago diner, and at that moment he knew he would open restaurants and food would be his life.  Jeffrey also studied at the Culinary Institute of America, as well as the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.


ABOUT COOKING CHANNEL: (http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/) is an entertainment brand dedicated to today’s passionate food lover.  For food people, by food people, Cooking Channel is the answer to a growing hunger for more content devoted to food and cooking in every dimension from global cuisines to international travel, history and unconventional how-to’s.  Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), which also owns and operates Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com/), HGTV (www.hgtv.com), DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com) and Great American Country (www.gactv.com), is the manager and general partner.

Linda Golodner-President of the National Consumer's League

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 76 million Americans get sick from food borne illnesses every year and more than 300,000 of them are hospitalized.  The CDC also warns that raw foods of animal origin (including turkey) are the most likely to be contaminated. 

No one wants to get sick from contaminated food over the holidays, and no one wants to make their guests get sick, either --  yet the findings from a new survey indicate that more than one in five Americans admit their kitchen would fail a food safety inspection!

Golodner can provide specific recommendations on how to best:

*         Clean and disinfect your food prep area before and after handling raw foods

*         Separateyour meats and vegetables

*         Cook to recommended temperatures to kill any bacteria that might be present

*         Store leftovers safely

        Golodner can also share some more results from the Water Quality and Health Council survey, and lead your listeners to resources on the Web where they can get more information on food safety.    More information can be found at http://www.disinfect-for-health.org