SoBe Wine and Food Festival: OMG where did my week go?

Hey there! Well, needless to say I am sooo behind here. Is it ok with you? I feel like I had an assignment and I'm late. Reminds me of the people I used to work with at the magazine I edited. Everyone waited until the last second to get things in, but things still looked good! Hope that's the case here, let me roll out the remaining pics and stories from this year's SoBe Wine and Food Festival (check the link, there are pics there too!) ...

Saturday I headed out to the Grand Tasting Village for my cooking demonstration. Promptly after a sweet intro by Lauren Mueller, our director of public relations, I hit the stage at 3:15 to cook, for real :-) ...
That's me welcoming the crowd. It was packed, save for about 10 seats in the direct sun, some smart people decided to stand in the corner instead of sweat! It was hot!! I'm wearing jeans because my closet is a mess, I have no idea were my cargos or shorts are, I'm lucky I'm not wearing a turtleneck, as it's still cold in NYC lol. Anyway, I had a full menu with my Sweet Potato Hash and my Easy String Beans and Onions, but started with my Sweet Glazed Butterflied Chicken. All of these recipes are on the way in season 9 of Cooking for Real, can't wait for you to see it! First things up, let's do the butterfly!!I'm a skin junkie and the butterfly is the way to maximize my happiness. I like to start my cooking demos with technique so I can spend the rest of the time gossiping and talking about life stuff. If you were there, you now know which American Idol I can't stand, simply because she makes "it" look so easy! So, really ... I LOVE HER! You also know the difference between my South Carolina grandma and my North Carolina grandma teeheehee. Ok, so mid-way through my cooking demonstration, I noticed people a bit distracted with something left of the stage. I quickly turned to see these guys walking up to join me on stage for the fun ...We actually took that pic after my cooking demonstration was over. Guy and Emeril were so kind to jump on stage with me, it was a total surprise and really nice of them both. As I've said many times, Emeril gave me my start, with out him, I wouldn't be on Food Network. Then, Guy was the first host I met at the network that basically said to me "here's all my info, call or email if you have ANY questions about the gig". I took him up on the offer (which people hardly ever expect when they offer) and like a champ, he imparted some serious jewels I'm still very thankful for. So, it was really nice of them to jointly step up on the stage with me and say hi to the crowd. Just an hour or so later, I'd do the same and walk onto Guy's stage with Emeril and Robert Irvine. We went out to start the show and his crowd was so wild they all stood up in anticipation of Guy. I took this picture from the back of the crowd after we did the intro ... Pretty crowded, eh? You can barely see him, may have to click to enlarge the pic. I told Guy he's all over the place in NYC because now there's a Minute to Win it lottery ticket. Crazy. I was so excited to tell you about Guy and Emeril joining in on my demonstration, that I forgot to tell you about the Oscar winning celeb we had in the audience ...That's DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia. Of course, they won an Oscar a few years back for a soundtrack song to Hustle & Flow. I was totally caught off guard when he walked up to me and said he watched Cooking for Real all the time! I then asked him if he was "ready for this!?", he said "yup", so I told him how about 10 years ago when I turned 25, he performed with his group at my birthday party in Detroit, Michigan along with rapper Trina. Yep, I loved them long before the Academy Award :-). I was a radio dj at the time and begged for them to come perform and they did. The party was a sellout and it had so much to do with them showing up for the fun. He immediately remembered the night because of some unique circumstances, but it was neat for him to realize it was me then and here I am now, lol. Really funny moment and so neat to find he watches the show all the time. He talked to me about specific recipes and everything, pretty cool. I plan to have him visit the show in the next season and he's promised me he'd bring the Oscar along. That should be a fun episode, I'm already planning the menu! We all chatted for a few, then I bumped into this b*#chin' chick ...That's Nadia G, Host of Cooking Channel's B*#chin' Kitchen. I saw her the night before at the BubbleQ event, but it was too crowded to get to her, so I was happy to stop and chat at the grand tasting tent. She's really neat, check out her show if you aren't already b*#chin' :-). Ok, thennnnn the night before I stopped by the BubbleQ event and quickly found I had to go straight to the back of the tent for a trio of fun ...Word of mouth is the way to go at these events and it's usually the first thing I'm asking people "where's the good stuff?", as if it isn't all good, but you get me. I can't possibly eat all 30 booths of food. So that pic above is from the booth in the back with all the buzz. The chef is holding what I lovingly will call a "trough of love". It's one-third each of mac n cheese, BBQ and baked beans. Look at the display they had to advertise the "trough of love" ... I think the baked beans were the best followed by the BBQ and the mac. I headed over to get some cheesy grits from another booth and ran into Alex Guarnaschelli getting some desserts from a guy walking around with food furniture attached to him lol ... is that what you call it? "Food furniture"?? ...He was really nice and funny. I looked, but didn't get a dessert. I was saving myself for some cheese grits ...I must admit, I only ate the grits. I know there are short ribs involved and I'm a sucker for them, but after the "trough of love", I didn't have much space left. Alex actually came on stage with me at my demo the next day and told the crowd how I asked for an extra serving of grits, I totally did. I mean, a dollop of grits?! That just isn't right ... I mean a couple of spoonfuls, yes ... a dollop, no. Teeheehee, plus they were super creamy. Really can't go wrong with creamy grits. right after that, I started heading towards the front of the tent to leave, it was such a huge tent that it really took about 45 minutes to get from one end to the other. Right as I got to the end, I ran into Ingrid Hoffman ...She's so delicioso :-), I told her I watch her show on Galavision to learn the language faster. I already know plenty of food words in Spanish, so it makes it easier to learn the other words. Love it!

Alright, that's it for my visit to Miami except for a place that has become a must-visit. I'm talking about Haitian restaurant Tap Tap. I ordered the stewed chicken, rice and peas and fried plantains ...Geez, I was so happy I took it easy all weekend so I could indulge in some goodness! Ok, that's all I have left of the 2011 Sobe Wine and Food Festival! Mark your calendar for 2012 ... February 23-26!!!

Stick around, I have a photo shoot tomorrow with a contestant from this season of Apprentice, can you guess who it may be??

NYC Wine & Food Festival begins!

Hey! I hope you are in NYC for the Wine and Food Festival, but if not ... I hope to bring you along for the ride with a few pictures and stories! Last night was the unofficial kick-off party hosted by Food Network Magazine for it's readers. Subscribers were invited to come hang out and since I love the magazine I was more than excited to meet some readers. Here I am with some other attendees ...
That's Marcela from Mexican Made Easy, Food Network Magazine Editor Maile Carpenter, me and Food Network Magazine Publisher Vicki Wellington. The event was also a chance for all of us to raise money for Share Our Strength. Some signed items will be auctioned off for donation. There were so many Food Network hosts there and every time I turned around I got a chance to talk to someone that read the magazine and also watched Food Network. I gotta tell ya, if you want to meet any one on Food Network, these festivals are the place to go because every time I turned around I was bumping into a host. When I was in radio, there was a person notorious for having high-priced birthday parties and the guests would pay crazy amounts of cash to get in only to find the host locked away in the VIP section. Out of sight, no pictures, no chance meeting, not even a chance to say happy birthday. I felt it a waste of people's money and couldn't believe they did it year after year and got away with it. If I pay $$ I want something for it! lol, So the cool thing is here you get great wine, food, experiences and at these events everyone is approachable, so it's not like you have to look from afar. Get up close and personal and say hi! If you are here in town and reading this, please stop me and say hi if you see me and want to meet!

Check out my girl aka "hot mama" ...

It's Melissa d'Arabian, host of $10 Dollar Dinners! Even though she lives all the way in Washington we keep in touch pretty well over the phone and her kids and I are fast friends! They are too cute! There was plenty of tiny finger food around to nosh on, but the treasures of the night were the regulation-size Sprinkles cupcakes being offered as dessert. One of the owners Candace Nelson and I met back in 2006 before I was on Food Network. I was trying to get a show on the network and they sent me out to Los Angeles to shoot a pilot featuring some great places to eat in Los Angeles. Sprinkles was my first stop and after traveling to many other places and eating more food, Sprinkles was also my last stop that night lol. No shame in my game, I went back when the cameras weren't rolling that evening and indulged some more. Suffice it to say, it was a neat reunion with Candace because now not only do I have a show on the network, so does she! She judges the popular show Cupcake Wars! Here we are along with Maile, Aarti and Cooking Channel's newest addition, Lee Anne Wong (you may remember her from Top Chef).

Lee Anne hung out for a second and promptly found out we had the same goal ...

Eat cupcakes!!!! This actually was right before I left the party, so I made sure to grab another one and take them with me for a late night snack at home. Again, no shame in my game ... I'm pretty sure I was the only one walking out double-fisting cupcakes. Then when I got to the car I realized I had to find a way to transport them. I give you the reason why all cars should have cup holders ...

Because every once in awhile, a girl needs to travel with cupcakes! I thought I was pretty clever with this discovery and felt good about leaving them in the car while I mingled at the next party. This one had no press, so I bring you some real behind the scenes pics! The next party was thrown by a company many Food Network hosts work with as well as other television hosts and production companies. I walked in happy knowing I had cupcakes for dessert and immediately got another happy surprise ...

That's Travel Channel's Samantha Brown! I watch her show allllllll the time and really enjoy the way she tells a travel story. She really makes you feel like you are a friend on the trip. What a sweetheart in person and come to find out, she lives in Brooklyn! Her husband was there with her and they looked so cute together. I see a Brooklyn dinner in our future! It was pretty crowded at the bar so I wiggled my way around and ran into the Cake Boss ...

That's Buddy Valastro, owner of Carlo's Bake Shop and the producer of Cake Boss, Art Edwards. Then I ran into one of my favorite people ...

That's Spike Mendelsohn of Good Stuff Eatery. I have to say he makes one of the best burgers ever and if you live in the Washington D.C. area, it's a must try. The shakes are crazy too. I'm looking forward to this week's Burger Bash in Brooklyn. I'll make sure to stop by his booth and get a close up of the juiciness. He also has a pizza place next door to his burger place, but I haven't tried it yet. I think I need to give Amtrak a call and make arrangements! I can't wait for the Burger Bash and I hope he makes a repeat effort on the milkshakes he did at the last South Beach Food & Wine Festival. Can't wait for Burger Bash! Ok, last pic then I'm headed into the city to pick up my passes...It's Guy Fieri and Cooking Channel host Darryl Robinson from Drink Up.Darryl and I worked together on an episode of Next Food Network Star: After Party. He made some really tasty drinks, I remember a cucumber one that was soooo good. I'm a sucker for cucumber drinks. Try my Mean Green Cucumber Juice if you are like me. Alright, I have to get out and start my day. Hope you enjoyed the pics. Like I mentioned before, if you are here for the festival and you catch me walking around, please stop and say hi! The weather is perfect! I have plans to head out to another kick-off party tonight hosted by Art Smith, so if I see anything fun, I'll snap a pic! Check back in ...

Sunday is Guy's Day!!!!

Hey all! I just wanted to update you and remind you of some things in the land of Guy Fieri ...

I know this is my blog, but I wanted to throw some love and support his way ...

This Sunday on NBC, his new game show debuts.

Win it in a Minute airs at 7PM eastern/6PM central.

If you haven't caught the commercials yet, it looks like a fun game of interesting tasks that all need to be completed in a minute, in order to win it! That "it" is plenty of money and bragging rights! Check the website link above, there are some neat online games to play, backstage videos with Guy and previews of some of the tasks and teasers featured on the game.

Spread the word and DVR! The first night is the important night!! If you watch and say to yourself "I can do that in a minute!", click here and find out how to become a contestant.

Don't forget! NBC this Sunday at 7!!! Win it in a Minute with Guy Fieri!!!

Game Day Eats!

Hey, so I told you about this a couple of weeks ago, but right now it's really timely. Guy Fieri and I have some game day stuff for you over on Food Network's website. But before I give you links, I thought I'd give you what you came for ... some behind the scenes.

Usually, before I go to work, the company that is producing the segment or show sends an email with all of the details of the work day on it. It has the address, numbers and information for the places and the people involved with the shoot. Sometimes it's called a "Call Sheet" and on this particular one, a familiar name popped up, in an unfamiliar capacity ...
See who that is? It's Noah Starr, former computer dude over at Ask Aida and sometime host of the FN Dish. Anyway, look at him wielding the camera! He helped produce and shoot the videos along with a full team of cool folks. I enjoyed working with him and we have plans to work together again in the future. Just thought I'd show you how multi talented he is.

Check for the videos we shot, some are goofy, but there are actual recipes and tips along the way. We were just trying to provide a smile with some great game day tips. Ok, check the Big Game page and enjoy some great ideas and recipes from Guy Fieri and I chime in with some stuff as well. I have a Big Game Bash page with recipes and party tips and Guy has a Tailgate Party theme. A lil somethin' for everybody! Remember, I'm all about keeping it easy, so if you have a party planned and need help in the area of ease ... take a look. And Guy is someone that knows how to throw a party, so grill masters and more should check out his page as well. Think about shopping now and prepping, I have some helpful hints for the week before, so this is the perfect time to start planning. Until then ... here's me with my easiest pizza on set.

My Big Cali Bite

Hey there! I got back late last night from the California stop on Guy Fieri's Roadshow and spent most of the day resting and preparing for the big snowstorm everyone keeps warning us about up here on the northeast side of the country. I was only there for 24 hours, but I did manage to pack in some fun.

First things first, how neat is it that you can finally wifi during a flight? I can never sleep for a long period of time on a flight and just loved surfing around while I was on the way there and back. Right when I landed at LAX all that I could think about was Pico and LaBrea, the corner I had many a meal at and from when I lived in Rancho Cucamonga, CA ... yeah, look that place up, it exists in more than just Next Friday. Ok, so I got to the corner and it was a choice between Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles or my fave Los Angeles taco stand. I decided to go with instant gratification and not wait to be seated or any of that mess, time was of the essence ... I made a run for the stand.
Lucy's, that's the name of it ... funny how I can go there about a jillion times and never think to check the name. I do that often, just like the cheesesteak place in Philadelphia (Max's). I accept my foodie faults, we all have em. Here's a look at Lucy's from across the street.
If you look close or click on the photo to enlarge you can see the ledges on the outside of the street windows, the best thing is to walk up and eat it right there! I just totally love street food. Started back in Germany, followed me through my time in South Korea and it's with me now in Brooklyn. Nice. Ok, here is the other place to eat there ... on the patio.
With only a little wiggle room in my schedule, I chose the drive-thru ...
Where to start ... so much to choose from. Well, here is where I went from memory. For the longest my favorite combination in a burrito is chorizo and bean. No more, no less. I don't even think it's on the menu in that manner, but I always make sure that when I say it the emphasis so on point, they know what I mean. No tomatoes, no cheese, no lettuce. So, just minutes later I had a bag full of goodies and If I weren't alone I would've torn through it in the car. We pulled out of the drive-thru and as we passed Roscoe's I just couldn't help it so I stopped in to see if my fave guy was there and he wasn't so I left a note that I'd stopped by. When I was eating there years ago between taping pilots and having meetings, he'd sit with me occasionally because I was by myself and probably looked lonely. I'd talk to him about my dreams and goals and how I really wanted a cooking show on Food Network. A few years later and here I am. Great to eat somewhere that feels like more than just a business, it has heart.

After thinking mostly about the burrito for the entire ride, I finally got to my hotel room and arranged my long awaited meal ...
That's my baby right there! It comes with chips, salsa and a pickled jalapeno ... just $5 and some change. I set everything up on the coffee table, turned the television to the news and I felt so happy! I forgot to tell you before, when I pulled up to the window to order, I teared up a bit. It took me back to a time when I was struggling in so many different ways and it just felt great to be back under different circumstances. Plus, food is just an emotional thing for me, I LOVE it. There are scents and flavors that take me back to some great places I've been, great memories. There are times I have to control my emotions when taping Cooking for Real because sometimes food and the story behind it is just so emotional. Ever feel like that? Wimpy over food? So anyway, I was happy to be back in my room alone to enjoy the burrito ... I massacred it!
That's halfway through. The chorizo they use has such a unique spice and flavor profile. See the onions? It's spicy, smokey and has a nice sweet note to it. The beans are creamy and not a touch dry, but they have substance too. Just really yummy. The tortilla has a nice chew to it and nothing is soggy, just perfect even after the 15 minute ride to the hotel in West Hollywood.

After I finished I had to get ready for the show so I cleaned up and headed over to the venue. I was excited to meet Robert Irvine because I knew he was going to be on the show, but I walked around to the backstage area to say hi to people prepping the stage for the show and ran into someone else I'd never 'met' ...
It's Jeffrey Saad from this past season of Next Food Network Star! I was a guest on the show twice so I've tasted his food, but we had minimal contact during the taping, because I judged and made comments along with the other guests. He was there to open up for Guy. That's something Guy did in every city, have a local chef come out before him and do a cooking demo. Very cool, he also hosted a pre-show cooking class for young chefs. BTW, did you know Jeffrey still works with Food Network?? He has a show called The Spice Smuggler and there are 4 webisodes available to view. After we chatted and I met his wife, I headed off to find Robert ...
Big guy huh? His muscles are huge!!! He's a really nice guy. Before we went on stage I went to go tell him my version of break a leg which is break a cream sauce and I found him on the floor doing push ups! I told him I was gonna tell, but I've seen guys do this before. It's the pre-shoot or pre-beach pump-up, but does it really work? I don't know, but it looked funny.

About an hour before he goes on Guy does a walk through with everyone in his dressing room. He discusses the order of events, who does what, when we enter the show ... everything. Here he is getting down to business ...
That guy to his left is "Panini", after I met him I told Guy that I want a Knuckle Sandwich nickname, there are so many. Anyway, his whole crew is just the best. Nice, hard working guys. After the pre-show run through we all just broke off into segments to get ready and then when the time was right, we headed on stage for the fun. I came out with a bottle of tequila for the margarita machine and treated it like a baby and cradled it. Then I sang a lil lullaby to it and poured it into the big machine I showed you from the last time I joined Guy. Then Robert headed out with two more bottles to pour in. The ladies really roared for him! Then we all got behind the counter for some cooking ...
Robert and I helped out a bit and left the stage ... but fell before we completely got off stage. It was pretty funny and he fell on top of me, all I could think was for such a big guy, he wasn't that heavy. Anyway, it was such a fun experience and the last show is tonight in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel. The guys worked so hard and to see them in the beginning and see how the show progressed and they all stayed happy and vibrant, put a smile on my face. Guy announced at the show that he has a game show on the the way with NBC and it's something for the whole family, so look for that in the future!

Ok, time to look out the window and see if there's more snow! Have a great weekend and I'll leave you on a sweet note ...
If you are a cookie monster like me, it's worth clicking this picture and getting some detail. It is THE BEST bakery cookie I've had in years. Can't even tell you the last time I had a non-homemade cookie that was worth talking about. I got this last week at The City Bakery just outside of Union Square in NYC and was a bit upset I had to share it with my guy when I got it home with me. I know it's good when I'm selfish. :-)

Take care and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

I'm Goin Back to Cali ...

Hey there! If you are in the Los Angeles area, I'm headed your way! Tomorrow night Guy Fieri's Roadshow is making a stop on the West Coast and I'll be along for the ride! Robert Irvine will be there too and I haven't met him yet, so that will be nice. I can't wait to have fun on stage with Guy again, the last time was a blast and I'm excited about the second time! We always manage to have a great time. Check here for tickets and Kleetus' Blog is a good place to start if you want to see behind the scenes stuff from the tour.

As usual, I'll take some flicks and share them. If you have tickets already ... I can't wait to meet you!!! I'm gonna try to squeeze in Roscoe's and my favorite taco stand, wish me foodie luck! If you don't have tickets, it's the perfect early-Christmas present for the Triple D or Guy's Big Bite fanatic! See you there!

My Big Bite

Hey there! I think this is the first time I've posted in the wee hours, but it's for good reason. I just got back home from joining Guy Fieri on The Guy Fieri Road Show in Wallingford, CT! Sorry I didn't tell you in advance, but it was a surprise and I wanted to be a team player :-). If you check the link and are close to a venue, it is such a fun experience. Here are some flicks ...
That's us backstage before the show. He invited me to join him a month or so ago and until just about two weeks ago I didn't know exactly what state I'd visit with him. When I found out it was in Connecticut, I was pretty happy, haven't been to the state in a few years. Back in my radio days though, I took the drive regularly to host events and sometimes just to hang out with friends. Another big treat??? The kid in me loves to pass by the WWE (formerly WWF) building on the highway. The sign is so big and bright, and every time I drive by I think of Hacksaw Jim or Andre ... those were the days. Can you believe Hulk Hogan is back at it?! I digress ... Ok. Here's a crowd shot, it was packed!
I took this right before I went out on stage with him. The big machine in the middle of the stage is a margarita maker. Yes, it's huge. I had to tip-toe to pour tequila in it. When the mixing was all done, I served some to the guests on stage and then had a full pitcher left to myself.
That's us from the back. We're just chatting while our feet are pumping the mechanism that makes the margarita machine blend. It was really a pretty neat contraption. While waiting on drink to mix, Guy and I had a good time joking about work and he told some really funny life stories to the audience. His show is so much more than just a cooking demonstration, it had the feeling of a concert with food ... and audience participation. I won't tell too much, but there were laughs, cheers and plenty of great surprises.
After the drinks, I stepped behind the counter and helped make the night's menu. That's Guy's right hand man, Kleetus in the foreground. On the menu was a cross of his Hong Kong Noodles mixed with his Pork En Fuego. See the people sitting in the background? Those are the people we fed all night and even served drinks to. It was such a good time and everyone was so nice. If you were there tonight, thanks for all the smiles and yells :-). I don't want to give away the entire show, but this is a teeny peek at my visit. It was so much fun. Catch it when it rolls into your area. Ok, nighty night. :-).

Guy and I Play with Food

Hey there! Remember when I told you about shooting an episode of Guy's Big Bite? Well, it already aired once and I missed the chance to give you advance notice. So hopefully this is within enough time, but it airs TODAY!!!

Catch Guy's Big Bite: Playing with Food featuring me :-) @ 3PM ET/PT.

We make his Bo Peep Pie and My Brother Brusssels then wrap it up with , my O.G. Snap Shake! A little story ... I blew up his blender on our first take. I have a record of things like that happening on-set, one run of taping Cooking for Real, 3 or 4 really thick cutting boards split right down the middle while I was chopping, I've splattered the set with my over ramped stand mixer, dropped eggs, equipment, so much stuff. So, anyway this time around we were almost done with the last act of the show where we make my shake. There Guy was on my left just chatting away with the viewers and for some reason I couldn't get the pitcher off the base of the blender. I use a blender plenty, but I'm accustomed to my stuff and although I'd given his a test-run before the cameras started rolling, I just couldn't figure it out live on camera. Even now as I type I'm laughing because in my head I was stressed out, but on the outside I was just smiling away. It only took a second or two for me to make the wrong move and the shake just gushed and oozed out from the base of the blender. Seems I'd twisted the base out of it's cradle and now my half of Guy's cutting board countertop was a total mess. He turned to see what I'd created and we all had a pretty good laugh. I felt bad because there was clean up involved, but just a few minutes later we composed ourselves and got it done without the mess. I really had a great time shooting the show and was happy when I got invited. Check the old blog link above and tune in today! Hope you catch and enjoy the show! Remember TODAY, Nov, 9th at 3PM!

I Play Gal Friday for Guy, Friday ...

Hi there! Hope you had a great weekend! Thanks to everyone that caught me on The Today Show this past Friday. I had a great time and after that I headed down to Chelsea Market to shoot another show ... Guy's Big Bite! I don't want to give too much away and will leave it for the show, but of course being a guest, I was his gal-Friday or assistant in the kitchen. We also prepared one of my recipes and really just hung out, which isn't hard to do on his set. You've seen it right? There's a drum set, bumper pool table, pin-ball machine, flat-screen television and the list goes on. Here's a blurry (sorry) pic of me chillin' on his set ...
I noticed for the first time, I have the same chair/ottoman set at home that Guy has on set, so I really did make myself at home a bit. We really had a great time taping and get along well. He's been a cool dude since the beginning and he remains that way. Between acts I made sure to play every single game on set! I think the only thing I'd add would be a PS3 because I still haven't grown out of my video game years, will I ever? Here's a shot of Guy and I between acts ...
It was fun to tape together and I hope it's fun to watch! I'll give you a heads up when it's on the way. Until then ... an update on my visit Down Home with The Neelys, it's currently in the editing process! So, I'll let you know when that is scheduled as well. Take care and enjoy your Monday!

It Was All Good Just A Week Ago ...

A Jay-Z lyric is the title reference, but it was just a week ago that I got up, runny nose, stuffy head and all just to head into the city to tape another holiday special for Food Network. This was in the middle of my haze, but I was sooooooo excited to be a part of the show! The premise is like many of the holiday specials in the past with various hosts cooking with each other for a holiday dinner to be enjoyed by all. A couple of months ago I got the invitation to be a part of it. That's something I don't think I thought about in the pursuit of a cooking show, the additional shows that come with the territory. I gotta tell you, this is all still pretty neat for me and I think it will be for a long time. I only dreamt of getting to New York and working at a top radio station, so when I made it, the brand-new feeling never left me and was there until the day I left. So, this feels quite similar. like some actors say, I'm just happy to be nominated. What great company to be in. On deck was Alton Brown, The Neelys, Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay and me. It was my second time meeting Alton, but I'm sure it's one of those I remember, but he didn't things ... So, I treated it like a first meeting. A couple of years ago, Bone Crusher taped a judge run on Iron Chef America and I went to watch the taping and met him then. He was very kind, funny and welcoming then and this time I thought he was cool and quiet. Very like I think you may guess, he's very observant. I watched his segment and totally enjoyed it. Good Eats is one of my fave on the network. Here he is workin' with the Neely's...


Gina and Pat are exxxxactly like they are on their shows and Pat is so sweet, he sent Gina flowers to the set. So cute. Gina is hilarious and really made the 6a.m. call-time work for me, if every one was dead I would've been dead. She was the life of the early morning hair and make-up room. The network filmed behind the scenes video, so hopefully you'll get to see that soon either on the web or during the show. You can truly see how the network is built on such unique people all with a common love of food. We all were on different schedules throughout the day and at one point we all headed to another floor in the same building to shoot a promotional commercial. My part was to grab apples or cupcakes, put them in a gift box and pass it along ... here's my perspective of the set before we begin ...


And the cupcakes allll looked good, I wanted one, but was told the sprinkles were stuck on with adhesive spray because the frosting was put on the day before .... ahhhhh nice trick. Now whether the trick is to save me from eating a poisonous cupcake or to save me from eating a perfectly fine prop ... I'll never know :-).

Speakin' of eatin', when I got in the kitchen to cook with Guy, he had something sitting on set for me to nibble on, what a nice dude ... You'll see us munchin' on it while we make 2 of his dishes. I acted as his assistant, measuring, chopping, grabbing, etc. and I can't tell you what we made, but it was yummy and smelled good from the first sizzle. Here's us chillin' in the kitchen. BTW, these are stills that were being produced while we filmed ...


Then, remember how I told ya I'd just briefly met Bobby Flay? Who knew I'd be in the kitchen with him just a few weeks later??? Even crazier ... this time around it was my 2 recipes and he was my assistant in the kitchen. When I first heard of this I was like, HUH?! WHUHH?! Like for real, first my grandma is cooking one of my recipes and then months later Bobby Flay is helping me prep two of them???? For real, this is my bizzarro life. I have to tell you, none of this is lost on me. I am constantly thankful for the work and constantly thankful for the support. I've lived a life of goals and running towards them, so this is all truly neat. I often pride myself on having the right words to say, but in my head I know I haven't figured out the right ones to tell you or anyone just how this feels. The support is much appreciated and if you're a dreamer, we have plenty in common. All I can ever say is "can you believe it?". So, can you believe I was in the kitchen with Bobby Flay? Me neither, take a look see ....


I did two side dishes, get it, Sunny's Sides? Alliteration makes some people happy teeheehee. Hope you like the recipes when it airs, they are easy, crowd pleasin', vegetarian and verrrrrry economical. Bobby liked them and I saw Giada givin' one of them "tha bizness" (eating enthusiastically) when we sat down to eat at the end.

I gotta tell ya, it was a lonnnng day. Even Gina and I laughed saying we had the earliest call times because we were the rookies, but boy was the day rewarding and busy. If I wasn't on camera, someone was shooting behind the scenes, so I really can't wait to see how all the footage is used. Here's me and Bobby after we wrapped out shoot. I said, "let's take one for my blog." and he was on board!



Take it easy and have a great Friday!!!