Martina McBride is famous for having one of the most amazing voices in country music. But in more intimate circles, the world-class singer is also known as a world-class cook.

She has a kitchen that would make a gourmet chef proud, featuring a custom-built pantry and a cozy sitting area. She hosts dinner parties regularly, inviting friends like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. And how does the Grammy-winning vocalist like to relax? By writing out her grocery list for the week.

While out on the road, McBride has been known to whip up some of her famous dishes (like white chili) for her crew in her tour bus kitchen — a welcome change from take-out or the catering table. If you want to sample her culinary creations, you’ll either have to wrangle a dinner invitation, or try one of her recipes, like the tasty Peanut Butter Incredibles below.

“This is a super-easy recipe, and you probably have everything on hand to make it,” says McBride, who will release a live CD/DVD on April 29. “Just beware, they are totally addictive!”

Peanut Butter Incredibles

2/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
2 Cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch morsels

Over low heat, melt butter or margarine in a medium saucepan and add peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Add sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Stir until well blended. Press crumbs into a buttered 9X13-inch baking pan.

Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch morsels in microwave for a total of 2 1/2 minutes on high, stirring after each 30 seconds. Pour over crumb mixture.

Refrigerate until chocolate is set. Remove and cut into bars. Store at room temperature.

If you live in Nashville, travel to Nashville, or simply wished you lived in Nashville, chances are you’ve shopped for that perfect pair of boots. Whitney Dunn has — but to little avail. Being the daughter of Brooks & Dunn’s Ronnie Dunn, you’d think she’d have boots, well, to boot.

“I would always get frustrated shopping in town because there wasn’t anywhere to find cool shoes. I wanted funky, off-the-radar designers, shoes that aren’t $1000, but could pass for that quality and look wise.”

After working in the fashion industry in Atlanta for some time, she moved back to Music City to start a business of her own. Dunn and friend Casey Stribling own and operate The Perfect Pair, a one-room store located in the Green Hills area of Nashville. You can find boots, platform heels, belts, clothing, handbags and other accessories that splendidly add to the trendy décor. “We really just focus on trying to be very individual and our product unique,” Dunn said.

While her father Ronnie Dunn may be singing with some of country music’s finest, Whitney is helping dress them. “Oh gosh, let’s see ….Faith Hill, Sara Evans, Martina McBride. We deal with their stylists too. The girls from Little Big Town come in a good bit. We get to know them and they’re just normal fun people. It’s great to see them like the things we picked out. It’s a huge compliment because they’re all so stylish.”

Dunn says she channels her creative instincts through not only the store’s chic attire but also by crafting the shop’s displays, fixtures and other appealing decorations. She compares her creative outlet to that of her father’s. “This store to me is like what his music is to him.”

It’s understandable if wine isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Kix Brooks. After all, as half of the record-breaking country duo Brooks & Dunn, Brooks’ name has become almost synonymous with honky-tonks and everything that goes with them (including a certain popular beverage that isn’t wine).

Nonetheless, Brooks will soon be making a name for himself in a very different world. On February 3, the country star will officially launch his latest business venture, Arrington Vineyards, a winery located on 75 acres in the town of Arrington, Tenn., about 30 minutes south of Nashville. They currently offer 12 different wines, including Stags’ White (described as a medium bodied dry white), Desert Rose (a dry rosé), Red Fox Red (a red blend) and Raspberry (a sweet fruit wine).

“Being from Louisiana, I’ve been drinking for a long time,” Brooks joked to Nashville Wine Press. “But there is a difference between drinking wine and appreciating wine. By the time I had kids, drinking became less of a party and more of an appreciation. I’m still far from a connoisseur, but it’s enjoyable to hang out with people who are and can help you appreciate nuances. Wine is like golf in that you can always get better at it over time, but never really know all the answers.”

Brooks cites country stars Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Martina McBride as fellow wine buffs, and Aaron Tippin, who makes his own Muscadine variety. But Brooks is the first one to take his appreciation to this level, partnering with winemakers Fred Mindermann and Kip Summers to start his own wine business. “Right now, I am doing more listening than I am talking,” Brooks continued. “One thing we are hoping to do is have a few concerts out at the vineyard and make it a great experience for people. As I learn more about the winemaking process, I’ll feel better equipped to talk about it.”

The February 3 kick-off party for Arrington Vineyards will coincide with the Super Bowl kickoff. Held at the Blue Smoke Restaurant and Jazz Standard in New York City, the event will include football viewing, wine tasting, barbecue and entertainment. Proceeds benefit the TJ Martell Foundation.

Well-known Nashville restaurant critic and music writer Kay West has been mixing country music and country cooking for years. With her new cookbook, Around the Opry Table: A Feast of Recipes and Stories from the Grand Ole Opry (Center Street, $24.99), she’s combined food, music and Grand Ole Opry history in one package.

Around the Opry Table includes recipes from country superstars and legends, including Martina McBride’s White Chili, Brad Paisley’s Fishin’ Supper, Alan Jackson’s Pimento Cheese Salad and Minnie Pearl’s Chess Pie. But unlike a conventional cookbook, it also includes stories and photos from Opry members, such as how McBride began making her chili for her crew when they grew tired of catering on the road. “There’s not a single picture of food in the book,” says West. “All the photos are of artists, along with vintage photos from the Opry.”

West searched the Opry archives for photos and recipes in an effort to create more than just your average country cookbook. As publicist for George Strait for many years, West says, “I was always getting asked for a recipe from George for various cookbooks, and I’d always give them George’s King Ranch Chicken recipe,” says West. “I’ve seen that recipe everywhere. So when I started this book I wanted to get recipes that hadn’t been used everywhere else.”

Being a thorough researcher, West naturally had to sample the concoctions. “I tried almost all of them,” she says. “You have check them out, especially because on some of the older ones you have to adapt the measurements. For example, Texas Ruby’s recipe called for a box of marshmallows. And a couple just said a can of this or that, and I really needed them to be a little more specific.”

Her favorites? “I think Martina’s chili is really good, and Marty Stuart’s mother’s applesauce cake is really good. And Alison Krauss’ Pretty Good for a Yankee Chicken Pot Pie really is pretty good for a Yankee!”

The CMA Awards show is definitely country’s dressiest night, as stars abandon their favorite jeans and hop into haute couture for a few hours of photo ops. Designer duds may not be the norm for most of these artists, but it doesn’t mean they’re out of the loop when it comes to style. Trends that are hot in New York, L.A. and other fashionable cities show up on the CMA red carpet every year.
 
The menswear trend? Check. Martina McBride performed in a glam tuxedo and Sheryl Crow held the stage in a leather vest and pants. Detailing? Check. Soft, flowing gowns experimented with shirring, tucking, draping, bustling and all kinds of extras. Curls? Oh yeah. For the most part, the stick-straight hairstyles popular with young stars in the past few years were replaced with the loose ringlets seen on Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Jewel and other attendees.
 
The word that best describes CMA fashion 2007 might be “shine.” The fashion world says the sequin is back, and it was showcased on such performers as Miranda Lambert in red and Taylor Swift in black sparkling minis, and Reba McEntire in a glamorous, orange-sequined number. (Of course, when it comes to country music, have sequins ever gone out of style?) Glittery beads also joined the party, as in Carrie’s nude-colored Badgley Mischka spaghetti-strap gown with jeweled vine details. Even Martina’s tuxedo shone onstage, highlighted by a sparkly lamé tie.
 
“It was a very glittery CMA,” agrees stylist and fashion columnist Libby Callaway. “The guys got in on it, too — lots of the men’s jackets had a subtle sheen that really showed up under the lights. My favorite outfit was Jennifer Nettles’ shiny blouse and slacks. She proved that just because you’re going sparkly doesn’t mean you have to wear a dress!”