Tasty pearls of wisdom from a guy who eats dessert first. Usually.

As the warm weather approaches, so does that amazing time of year when summer fruits and vegetables overcrowd produce stands. When the cup runneth over, the best deals are had as prices drop to move the surplus. In other words, it’s time to come up with some new ideas to use up one of my favorite summer veggies: red bell peppers.

Check out three fresh new ideas to make the most of this summer’s bumper crop with my newest post to Rachael Ray’s blog.

I resorted to blowing the dust off from one of my old culinary schoolbooks the other night while canvassing for confirmation of a culinary fact in dispute. Welcome to my world. As I cracked the spine and thumbed through pages of notes (I’m a big advocate of writing in my books), an unexpected kick of nostalgia provided inspiration for that night’s dinner plans.

Share in a bite of my culinary school nostalgia with this simple & delicious all-new Dinner Rush! from my newest post to Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.

This is it, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Memorial Day has passed and summer is officially here!  I think it’s only fitting to celebrate the advent of summer with a bit of al fresco dining (what’s all this beautiful weather for, anyway, if not to enjoy?)  This week’s Dinner Rush! is heading outside with a picnic basket in hand.

Pick up the recipe for these quick & easy Picnic Pizza Rolls on my newest post to Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.  Happy Summer!

Those of us familiar with the fabulousness that is tahini may know it as that rogue jar of peanut butter-ish spread that we pull out every few weeks to make hummus.  I promise you, though, that this staple of Middle Eastern and North African kitchens has a wealth of potential far beyond a run-of-the mill cracker spread.

Learn more about tahini and check out three new ideas for getting more of it onto your table in this week’s “Supermarket Score” on Rachael Ray’s blog.

Banh mi-style sandwiches seem to be popping up everywhere lately. While I love this — because I love a good banh mi — I’ve got one big bone to pick. Most of the ones I’ve had are simply not good.

Now, before the rotten fruit starts flying, just hear me out! There are a couple of key elements to the flavor profile of the banh mi that I feel many restaurants try to cheat out and cut corners on. It’s in that moment that bad sandwiches happen and days are ruined.

Pick up my tips for essential banh mi creation and grab a killer delicious recipe for Banh Mi Turkey Burgers from my newest post on Cooking Channel’s Devour blog.

If ever there was a spice more stereotyped by “one trick pony” status, cinnamon would take top honors.  We all know it as the backbone of Sunday morning French toast, the bit of lovin’ that makes snickerdoodles so delightful, or even that inedible stick floating in your warm apple cider.

Cinnamon is so much more than all that!  It’s used the world over as an ingredient in cleaners and mouthwash and even makes a great alternative to moth balls in keeping critters out of your wardrobe.  Cinnamon is also highly acclaimed as an addition to savory foods in many types of cuisine all across Asia and North Africa.  Check out these three unexpected places to incorporate cinnamon that will give your jar a life beyond coffee cake.

Pick up some new ideas for an old spice rack standby on my newest post to Rachael Ray’s blog.

So there I am, minding my own business, scanning over the hundred-and-some-odd cheeses that populate my favorite local market’s cold case. The usual suspects are there in force: cheddar varieties for days, countless Camemberts, some funky monkey “pistachio-infused” wedge in coordinating green. And then I spot bread cheese.

What, what? Bread cheese? I mean, I’ve done bread + cheese, but ne’er without the two entering into our engagement as initially separate entities. Rick, the archetypal cheese man in his cute tweed derby cap, likens it to a grilling cheese. “The flavor is pretty mild,” he tells me, “like a halloumi but not as salty. People buy it up like crazy and eat it for breakfast and dessert. I guess you could use it as a savory snack, too. That would be good.” In the basket it goes.

Find out what in the heck “Bread Cheese” is all about and pick up a delicious & easy dinner recipe using it in my newest post to Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.

Last week, I posted a “Supermarket Score” blog with some new ideas for using up buttermilk.  One idea in particular – the homemade ricotta cheese – elicited some facebook comments and emails from some of my friends.  They were intrigued, but wanted to know more.  “It can’t be that simple to make at home!” some said.  “How do I know if I’m doing it right?” said others.

Be not intimidated!  I’ve got a Play-By-Play coming your way to walk you through the whole thing so that you, too, can show off your own homemade ricotta cheese to your friends and family.  Check out my newest post on RachaelRay.com to learn more!

A couple of weeks ago, I posted an entry encouraging you guys to make your own tandoori spice at home, inspired by a delicious one I found at my local market. Not being that guy who is going to leave you hanging with a rogue jar of “what do I do with that now?” spice blend, this week’s Dinner Rush is putting it back in action to create a quick and delicious Moroccan-inspired stew.

Pick up this aromatic and delicious Dinner Rush idea on my newest post to Cooking Channel’s Devour blog.

I’d be willing to bet that when you hear “buttermilk”, you probably think of either (A) pancakes, (B) biscuits, or (C) that mystery carton of dairy in the back of the fridge that only makes an appearance for Sunday morning pancakes and biscuits.

Give your buttermilk a life beyond just pancakes and biscuits with this week’s “Supermarket Score: Buttermilk” on Rachael Ray’s blog.

We’re keeping the math pretty simple this week, folks. I am such a sucker for a classic, stuffy, old-fashioned iceberg wedge salad with blue cheese dressing, and a big ol’ steak dinner also happens to make me weak in the knees. What happens when we put these two wondrous creations together?BOOM! Steak House Chopped Salad night, baby!

Pick up this easy and delicious recipe – ready in minutes for a quick weeknight dinner – on my newest post to Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.

I do hope you’re sitting down for this one, because this post is so loaded with delicious, time-saving “do-ahead” ideas that it’ll make you weak in the knees (please, hold your applause). I know that a cursory glance at this post may incline one to believe there’s a lot of work ahead just to get a simple chicken dinner on the table. Be not deceived — read on with empowered optimism.

Pick up two great “do-ahead’ recipes and an easy-breezy dinner plan that will put them to good use – this week on my post on Cooking Channel’s Devour blog.

In my hometown in upstate New York, we’re going green in lots of ways — especially at the grocery store. I’m bringing in those eco-savvy reusable tote bags by the pallet right now because the produce section is exploding with delicious new spring harvests. Stumbling upon a particularly beautiful bunch of leeks the other day, my husband’s Simpsons-esque moment of Zen, of “mmm … melted leeks,” totally nailed it.

Melted leeks, I find, are one of those preparations that taste super indulgent without really being as such. Cooking down a mountain of leeks with some white wine, butter and herbs into a creamy side dish with just a bit of that beautiful spring onion flavor is like heaven in a skillet. Keeping things light, yet satisfying, I added some mushrooms to the mix and topped it all off with a piece of seared halibut spiked with a cap of classic Italian gremolata. (I got on a green kick, what can I say?)

Pick up this easy and delicious recipe from my newest post on Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.

My in-laws love Easter. The thought of budding flowers and warmer weather herald happy times for them. It’s the way they express their love for the season — a meal for five that could easily feed that many tenfold — that gets me onboard.

Whether celebrating a holiday or just another Saturday night, a meal with my chef father-in-law always means leftovers. I love it, don’t get me wrong! It’s just a matter of coming up with ways to use them all. The beautiful thing about his Easter meal is that everything is so simply prepared. A beautiful roasted ham (locally sourced from a Maryland farm just down the street from their house), lightly dressed green vegetables and a crisp white wine: It’s a blissful welcome to spring.

Read the rest of this blog and pick up an easy and delicious recipe for using up your Easter leftovers this week on my post on Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.

Time was not on my side this last week. I know you know the feeling — work meetings, cat feedings, domestic chores and professional bores (c’mon, that was pretty good, right?). Point is, when it came to making dinner, it was the last thing I had time to commit to.

While tearing through the aisles of my local supermarket, I noticed one amazing improvement: They had completely remodeled the salad bar! I’m not talking a new variation on ranch dressing or shredded carrots. I’m talking a complete overhaul (much like the ones I see in other bigger cities when I’m traveling with production crews). They had added new, lighter dressings (like the lemon one I used here), more vegetable variety and — best of all — precooked grains. While the pick of this week was wheat berries, they told me they’re also cycling in quinoa, farro, bulgur and barley. What a hearty and delicious timesaver!

Get the recipe for my newest simple & delicious Dinner Rush! creation in this week’s post on Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.  

A short while ago my friend Joe called me with a seemingly simple request: he wanted to surprise his girlfriend by making dinner for her. Being that they’re two of my besties, that his culinary abilities are self-admittedly so-so and that she’s a phenomenal cook herself, the guy needed a simple meal with a big “wow” factor.

Enter carbonara! Sure, it takes a little bit of coordination to pull off, but it’s made with only a handful of ingredients that were likely already in their refrigerator and pantry. Plus, it’s one of her favorites. No pressure.

Find out how Joe fared in his carbonara adventure and pick up the recipe that I sent his way on my newest post on Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.  (Spoiler alert – he nailed it).

Perhaps it’s their romanticizing of the wintry elements. Or their devotion to the lingonberry. Or even their ridiculously chic eye for sensibly designed and incredibly affordable furniture. I’m really into all things Swedish this week. Especially their meatballs.

Having had a great Scandinavian-inspired meal while visiting the charming Upstate New York city of Hudson last weekend, I’ve had Sweden on the brain. I opted, you see, for the Dill-Baked Arctic Char (which was good, don’t get me wrong), but my tummy has yet to let me forget how much I really wanted to order the meatballs.

Pick up the better-than-IKEA recipe for this delicious dinner idea this week on Cooking Channel’s Devour blog.

Aside from being painfully chic – what with its “winter white” moniker and all – this recipe is a particularly sentimental one for me as it’s one of the first things my now husband made for me when we first started dating.

Beat the cold winter blues with this warm & hearty recipe – this week on Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.

Not unlike the rest of the free world, I haven’t been feeling so hot this last week. Congestion, light coughing and a perpetual need for multiple layers of blanketing – who loves flu season! So, in an edible effort to get myself back on the right track, I whipped up some of my favorite sick time comfort food: wonton soup.

Pick up this easy (and healing) recipe this week on Cooking Channel’s “Devour” blog.  

I’ve been spending a lot of time with the Deen family these days (and believe me when I tell you, they’re the loveliest people). Between working on Bobby’s hit show Not My Mama’s Meals, helping the brothers out with an awesome Thanksgiving special, and now just getting back home from taping the newest season of Paula’s Best Dishes, Savannah is starting to feel like a second home.

Bring a little classic Southern flavor into your kitchen with this easy & delicious recipe for Savannah Shrimp & Grits – this week on Cooking Channel’s Devour blog.