Homemade granola is so much better than the variety in the store, and so easy to make! Granola makes a great snack (even kids like it) or breakfast cereal. Plus it tends to be on the healthy side with oats and nuts and naturally sweetened with dried fruit, honey and maple syrup. Good stuff to keep on hand in the pantry.

Check out the recipe for Homemade Granola.

This delicious rib recipe is done in Kansas City barbecue style and comes from our friends at Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue and Catering. Good ribs take a long time to cook at low heat to get that tender, pull off the bone experience but it's worth the wait.

Slaughterhouse Five refers to Joe's award-winning BBQ team. I'm not certain if he named it after the book by Kurt Vonnegut. I'll have to ask.

Go to the recipe for Slaughterhouse Five BBQ Ribs.

Top Chef Masters is my new favorite show. I love watching the interaction that goes on between seasoned chefs and the thinking that goes into each chef's personal take on cooking.

Top Chef Masters is a spin-off of Bravo's Top Chef starring world-renowned chefs. Each week 4 different chefs compete against each other. The winner each week receives a donation for his or her charity and moves on to the finale. The 6 weekly winners will face off against each other with the big winner awarded $100,000 for his or her charity.

Check out the photo gallery of celebrity chefs from Top Chef Masters.

The Food Network has announced plans for a sixth season of its popular reality series, the Next Food Network Star and is looking for professional chefs and home cooks to apply. Open-call auditions will be held around the country throughout July and August. You can also submit a three-minute audition video explaining why you should be the Food Network’s newest star. The winner gets his or her own show on the Food Network and, of course, all the fame and glory that goes with that.

Get complete details about the Casting Call for 2010 Season of the Next Food Network Star.