Kelsey Nixon

Editor's Note: This is an article written by Cooking Channel's Kelsey Nixon. Here, Kelsey debunks the idea that date night dinners are just for weekends.

This week, my husband and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary. It almost makes me sad that we aren't considered "newlyweds" anymore; thank goodness we still feel like we fit into this category. We're far from perfect, but we're still smitten with one another. I've been told that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach countless times, and while I partially agree with that cliché, the thoughtfulness that surrounds food often gets me much further.

Scheduling meaningful date nights can feel like another thing to pile on a to-do list — not to mention it can be tough on the pocketbook if, in your eyes, this means fancy restaurants and Broadway shows.

See how she transforms Tuesdays into terrific date nights — along with her favorite date night dinner! — when you read on.

Editor's Note: The following is an article written by Cooking Channel personality Kelsey Nixon. Here, Kelsey makes a case for summertime slow cooking.When I got married a few years ago, I was kindly gifted seven slow cookers. You heard me right: seven of them. One of them was even in the shape of a football! I tucked them away, giving them to friends and family who were interested, because I was sure I'd never have use for a slow cooker.

Thank goodness I've put that silly idea out of my head and started embracing my slow cooker! I really fell in love with this essential kitchen tool during cooler months for those hearty dishes that cook low and slow for hours on end. It's the epitome of little effort with big payoff. Ever since, I've been on a crusade to make sure that everyone I know is in on the slow cooker secret. Everyone should have one — I'm convinced.

Find out why slow cooker recipes are ideal warm-weather foods when you keep reading.

Editor's Note: The following is a guest article written by the always amazing Kelsey Nixon. Here, Kelsey explains how she comes up with the recipes that she features on her Cooking Channel show.

As I chat with friends and viewers about the new season of Kelsey's Essentials, one of the things they find most surprising is that an entire "season" is actually shot in about a week. When we shoot my show we basically move in to the set for a week, and then won't return to the set for several months until it's time to shoot the following season.

Right now season two of Kelsey's Essentials is just kicking off on Cooking Channel and I am in between seasons. As I gear up for the next round of filming, it is of the utmost importance that I am constantly in recipe development mode. After filming an entire season, which is usually around 50-60 original recipes, I am in serious need of some inspiration!

To find out what dish has Kelsey inspired in Italy, keep reading.

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Cooking Channel personality Kelsey Nixon; she's the host of Kelsey's Essentials, which debuts its second season tomorrow. In her first article, she discusses three of her Summer must haves.

To kick things off I wanted to share a favorite tip, tool, and technique that I consider essential in my kitchen during the Summer months.

• Tip: Break up with your oven. Preheating the oven on a warm, Summer day for dinner or dessert can send the internal temperature of your home or apartment soaring through the roof. Summer is a great time to make recipes that don’t require the oven. This usually means quick cooking times, fresh food, and cooler living spaces. On the first episode of Kelsey’s Essentials, airing June 25, I share my favorite Summer desserts that require no cooking in the oven. I’ll even show you how to bake a cake in the refrigerator!

See Kelsey's essential tool and cooking technique when you read more.

Ever since we met the perky blonde on the fourth season of The Next Food Network Star, we've been huge fans of Kelsey Nixon. Thus, we're incredibly excited to announce that the up-and-coming Food Network personality will be guest blogging here on YumSugar!

For the next couple of weeks, Kelsey will be sharing her tips and cooking essentials. She'll give us a behind-the-scenes look at what inspires her and even take us on her Italian vacation. We're thrilled about the partnership and can't wait to read what Kelsey has to say. Be sure to come back tomorrow for her first article.

If you're a fan of the Food Network but haven't been watching The Cooking Channel this Summer, there's a good chance that you'll change your mind come September. Its star-studded Fall lineup includes new original programs from Food Network vets Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Kelsey Nixon, among others.

Rachael Ray's Week in a Day, which premieres Sept. 25, will be the media mogul's first food-focused show in nine years. It'll feature cooking a week's meals, from scratch, all in one day. Bobby Flay's Saturday show now has a tech-savvy name, Brunch @ Bobby's, and a focus on sweet and savory recipes, including some of his family favorites. The program, which is filmed in his Hamptons kitchen, will premiere Oct. 16.

The Cooking Channel is also giving former Next Food Network Star cheftestants Kelsey Nixon and Jeffrey Saad another shot at the small screen. Nixon's new show, Kelsey's Essentials, is all about basic kitchen techniques, while Saad is set to host the tentatively titled United Tastes of America. His show will explore the history, science, and cultural impact of iconic foods like burgers and pizza.

Also in the pipeline? The Minimalist, based on the food column of New York Times writer Mark Bittman; My Life in Food, a portrait of lives transformed by food, produced by Al Roker; and Bitchin' Kitchen, a cooking show based on one comedienne's witty web series. Which shows do you think you'll catch?

We're very happy to introduce our first ever guest blogger, Kelsey Nixon. You may remember Kelsey from the Next Food Network Star or Kelsey & Spike Cook. Here, she finds the solution to one reader's quest for a great versatile cookie dough recipe.
Having a go-to basic butter cookie dough for the holidays can be a huge time saver when your baking is in full swing (along with everything else!). This butter cookie dough recipe can be transformed into a variety of sweet treats for special occasions, gifts, and holiday traditions. With a few tweaks to the basic recipe, you will have an assortment of cookies that taste nothing like one another. It’s also easy to improvise your own creations. Adding a little bit of this or eliminating a little bit of that works perfectly with this recipe.

For more tips and to get my butter cookie dough recipe plus variations, read more