In addition to being National Chocolate Eclair Day (nummy!), yesterday was National Onion Ring Day. In celebration of this greasy ring of golden-fried love, we bring you all the tips and tricks you can cram onto a red-checked, paper-lined basket:

1. Choose big onions. You can mess around with petite rings and half-moons and anything else you can think of once you feel like you’ve mastered the original, but the truth is, nothing beats a big, round ring for flavor and ease of eating. You want thick slices that offer enough onion to counterbalance the breading. Yellow onions or sweet onions will work — it all depends on what you like to eat. read more »

So. You were sitting at your desk, mentally reviewing the contents of your cupboards, and you were coming up empty-handed (and empty-tummied?)

Never fear, we’re here to help. Welcome to the first installment of an occasional series simply titled “What to Cook for Dinner Tonight.”

Tonight we’re going to offer a three-part, old-fashioned summertime supper that will take you back to the late afternoon meals of your childhood. read more »

The third segment in our Summer Grilling Perfection series — presenting tips and tricks from Elizabeth Karmel — brings us to a lovely, if less common, barbecued delicacy: the grilled pizza.

Elizabeth says a lot of people are afraid to try grilled pizza because they’re worried that the dough will stick to the grate or fall through it. But oiling, then rolling, the dough, she says, can help avoid a sticking problem, and the addition of a dusting of grits adds “a rustic texture” and more stick-resistance. read more »

Part two in our Summer Grilling Perfection series brings us to that icon of the picnic table: the hamburger.

And America’s female grilling expert, Elizabeth Karmel, has given us some tips for taking your burgers from dry and ordinary to juicy and extraordinary (be sure to check out our Q&A with Elizabeth here). read more »

We recently took some time to talk with Grill Queen Elizabeth Karmel about how she got involved with grilling — and with cooking in general. (Read the Q&A here) As part of that interview, she shared some tips and tricks that we thought were worth showcasing here on the blog. read more »

June 3 is National Egg Day, so as you head home (staying on the sunny side of the street, of course), you might consider how to incorporate this versatile, delicious staple into tonight’s meal. read more »

What’s better on a hot afternoon than a glass of freshly brewed iced tea? This cool, refreshing, glass-of-sunshine treat is a popular summer staple across the country, from Oregon to Atlanta. Everyone’s drinking it.

What? You say you don’t know how to make tea? You just buy it or get that powdered stuff?

Never fear — today you’re going to learn to make an excellent pitcher of fine, Southern iced tea (sweetened or “un”). read more »

A RECORD 1,360 CHEESE ENTRIES from 32 states competed at the 2009 US Championship Cheese Contest earlier this year. But only one cheese came away with the title. Sartori Reserve SarVecchio Parmesan has been named the best cheese in the United States.

SarVecchio Parmesan was previously recognized as The Best Cow’s Milk Cheese made in America at the 2006 World Cheese Awards, took the gold medal at the 2007 US Championship Cheese Contest and earned first place at the 2008 World Dairy Expo. Since 2000, SarVecchio Parmesan has earned a total of 18 medals, making it the most decorated American Parmesan. read more »