Everything Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray on Good Morning America

2012-01-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

Rachael Ray appeared on Good Morning America to promote her new show: Rachael v. Guy. She shared a recipe for Muffaletta Panini and hosted a sandwich cook off between the hosts of the show.

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Rachael Ray's Talk Show Renewed

2012-01-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

According to Broadcasting & Cable, Rachael Ray's talk show has been renewed for two more years. Woot woot! When I saw that Martha Stewart's Hallmark Channel show was being cancelled, I got worried that it was going to be a trend, but there was no need for concern.

A CBS Television Distribution executive, Joe DiSalvo, said: "Rachael Ray has been a solid performer in stations' lineups and has had a recent surge in ratings. We're thrilled to be taking the show through eight seasons."

The show has been on since 2006 and won Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Talk Show in 2008 and 2009. Rachael has been nominated for Outstanding Talk Show host four times.

Rachael Ray Going Digital and a New Cookbook Title Revealed

2012-01-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

Rachael Ray made a big move this week - she switched book publishers. Rach published nine books with Random House's Clarkson & Potter (and more before that with Lake Isle Press). She has now made the move to Simon & Schuster's Atria Books. It's a three book deal, so we know at least that many will be coming out in the coming years!

The exciting part about this move for fans is that Rach says that her new cookbooks will be "exciting for people using their Nooks or iPads," according to The Hollywood Reporter. I guess I have to get a Nook or iPad now because I don't want to miss out on the fun. Hold on a second while I go update my birthday wish list. . . . .

Rachael will also have a "Rachael Ray Presents" imprint that she says will allow her to "continue to develop new, emerging talent and help them to bring their content directly to consumers.”

And the even MORE exciting part is that we get the title for her next cookbook, to be published in June: The Book of Burger. It will be accompanied by "10 digital 'quick response' bar codes which readers can swipe on their smart phones to pull up links and videos online."

Rachael is the self proclaimed Queen of Burgers, so this is no surprise. On my wish list of Rachael Ray cookbooks:

1. An entire book of Double Duty/Rollover menus, like this one for Turkey-Stuffin’ Meatloaf With Scallion Mashed Potatoes & Gravy that gets turned into Enchil-Lasagna the next night.

2. An entire book of recipes that will last a month, like this feature in Every Day with Rachael Ray. It's hard to find a month's worth of recipes that aren't filled with cream of chicken soup and ranch seasoning packets.

3. I'd also love a crock pot cookbook, but I haven't seen many of those recipes from Rachael. With two kids, the crock pot and I are becoming good friends, but it's hard to find recipes that aren't full of junk.

What cookbook would you love to see her write?

It's a Keeper: Cashew Chicken

2012-01-03T04:25:00.000-08:00

I don't think it's a newsflash to say that I love Rachael Ray cookbooks. But with so many to choose from, I sometimes end up abandoning a few of them. Among those that never get forgotten is the old school 30-Minute Meals, Rachael's first widely available cookbook. While this doesn't have my favorite format (I love how 30 Minute Meals 2 lays out the recipes as menus), it does have some of my all time favorite recipes. This is one of the, despite the silly name of Cashew! God Bless You Chicken.

I am pretty sure I've tried all of Rachael's cashew chicken recipes, including the Park City Cashew Chicken and Orange Cashew Chicken with Broccoli. Hands down, this is my favorite. My husband is also always asking for "the first one" and I have to remember he means this one! Even my one year old liked it, so give it a try when you are in the mood for Chinese food and you are too cheap or lazy to go get it.

Ingredients

1 box jasmine rice
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
2 TB sesame oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced and mashed
2 TB rice wine, rice vinegar, dry sherry, or sake
A couple shakes of crushed red pepper
Black pepper, to taste
1 large carrot, peeled and diced into small cu bes
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (about 7 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
3 TB Hoisin sauce
2 handfuls cashews [I use a half ton of cashews because we love them. I NEED a cashew in every bite.]
3 green onions, thinly sliced on an angle

Directions

Marinade chicken with 1 TB of the oil, the garlic, rice wine, red pepper, and black pepper. Meanwhile, following directions on box, start the rice. Heat the rest of the oil (1 TB) in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until it smokes.

Add carrot and stir-fry for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the coated chicken and cook another 3 or 4 minutes. Toss in the bell pepper and chestnuts. Heat through for 1 minute. Add the hoisin and toss to coat evenly.

Dump chicken out over a bed of jasmine rice and top with cashews and green onions.

Menu Plan Monday

2011-12-26T20:59:00.000-08:00

Monday: Christmas Leftovers

Tuesday: Ham Sandwiches and Salad

Wednesday: Chicken Cutlets with Herbs and Macaroni and Cheese with Ham, Zucchini, and Garlic Bread

Thursday: Simple Southern Ham and Bean Soup from Paula Deen with my old favorite - saltines.

Friday: Takeout!

My Rachael Ray Christmas 2011

2011-12-22T21:52:00.000-08:00

My daughter was so brave this year!

Last Christmas, I had a three month old baby, so I don't have any memory of that day. Seriously, no memory at all. I think I cooked dinner, but don't hold me to that.

This year I plan on redeeming myself by probably making too much food. I'm just so excited for some reason this year, so I have put together a plan of recipes for the entire day.

We'll start the day out deviating from my usual Rachael Ray recipes, but dinner is all Rachael, all the time.

Breakfast:

Easy Potato and Bacon Breakfast Casserole
Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring (both found via Pinterest)

Snack: Mississippi Sin Dip (found via Pinterest)

Dinner:

Dessert:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Now if only the shopping would magically do itself, I would be golden.

Menu Plan Monday

2011-12-20T04:54:00.000-08:00

Monday: Our daughter's first ballet recital, so we are eating out!

Tuesday: Chicken Cordon Blue Panini and salad

Wednesday: Honey Mustard Chicken with corn muffins

Thursday: Pumpkin and Sausage Pasta with bread and spinach salad

Friday: Fried Rice found on Pinterest, which allegedly tastes like the fried rice from Benihana.

Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz Fix Holiday Disasters

2011-12-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

Rachael Ray appeared on the Dr. Oz show to offer tips for holiday cooking. Rachael "solves your biggest holiday disasters and offers simple secrets to save your dinner." Check out all three parts here.

Rachael Ray in a Christmas Song

2011-12-14T09:28:00.000-08:00

Photo from DavidMead.com

Yep, it's true. This must be some sort of milestone for a pop culture figure, right? Rachael Ray plays a role in a new song by David Mead called The Smile of Rachael Ray. Check out the song and an NPR article about it here.

Melancholy is a good way to describe it, but it seems like a song Rach would appreciate.

Menu Plan Monday

2011-12-13T04:31:00.000-08:00

Monday: Honey-Mustard Brie Melt and Salad

Tuesday: Taco Pasta Toss and Chips

Wednesday: Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Stoup with Ciabatta

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup and Quesadillas

Menu Plan Monday

2011-12-05T04:48:00.000-08:00

This week is pretty out of the ordinary for me - I am making two meals that aren't from Rachael Ray! I know. I should have warned you to sit down. No one ever believes me that I pretty much only make RR recipes, but it's true. There are so many out there I want to try and with a list a mile long, I don't have to wander far to fill my menu each week. But thanks to the amazing recipes I keep finding on Pinterest and my mood, I have been inspired to walk on the wild side, so buckle up. (It's at times like this I worry that no one gets my sarcasm.)

Monday: Creamy Broccoli, Tortellini and Turkey, Salad, Garlic Bread. This one is using up a bunch of stuff in my freezer and is easy on the budget. I'm saving up for a fancy Christmas dinner!

Tuesday: Quick Creamy Tomato Soup and Italian Patty Melts

Wednesday: Crispy Cheddar Chicken, Buttered Egg Noodles, Zucchini with Garlic. TI always miss my Mom during the holidays and this recipe reminded me of something she used to make. Food = memories!

Thursday: Biscuit-Crusted Sausage-Egg Pie and salad

Friday: Leftovers

Sacramento Area Readers!

2011-12-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

Hey, Sacramento Area locals. Just wanted to give a shout out for a great local event that you have to check out this weekend: SactoMoFo (Sacramento Mobile Foods). SactoMoFo 3 is being held on Saturday, December 3rd from 11 am - 6 pm at the weekly Farmer’s Market location at 6th & W Streets. (There was a last minute location move, so make sure you come to 6th and W.)

There will be eight Bay Area food trucks and over a dozen local food trucks and carts. The event will also be helping out the Sacramento Food Bank and Toys for Tots, so do the right thing and show up. If you've got kids in tow, Willie’s Woodshop will be on site and there will be Santa photos, and potentially balloon
twisters/face painters. Here's the event page on facebook. See you there!

It's a Keeper: Crunchy Vanilla Almond French Toast with Brown Sugar Bacon

2011-11-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

Well, looky here, a recipe review! This one, Crunchy Vanilla Almond French Toast with Brown Sugar Bacon, was so good I was inspired to finally get back on the review train (which I got off of when I had kids and never got to eat hot food, much less photograph it).

I'm mostly a stay at home mom these days, so I try to use weekends, when my husband can wrangle our two kids, to make a nice brunch. I love sitting down to brunch with the paper and a cup of coffee. Ahhh, just thinking back on it makes me feel relaxed.

I made this recipe for the fam, but it would be a great option for entertaining because it's got a fancy and decadent feel. But let me tell you something - this bacon recipe is freaking insane. Just unreal. I would make it every single day if it wasn't a sugar and fat bomb! The french toast recipe is also a winner because you don't get that soggy texture that makes me usually not much of a fan. Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

Bacon:
1 pounds applewood smoked bacon
1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Toast:
8 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 pinches salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups corn flakes, lightly crushed
1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly crushed
4 tablespoons butter
12 (1 1/2-inch-thick) slices challah bread or soft "Italian" style bread
Medium or dark amber maple syrup to pass at table [Invest in the real stuff - it is completely worth every dime!]
Mint sprigs and edible flowers, suggested plate garnish [I think the fruit topping is enough to brighten things up, so I skipped these.]

Fancy Fruit Topping:
1 large navel orange, peeled and chopped
12 large strawberries, sliced
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint blackberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier [I skipped this because I do have some boundaries as a mother, right?]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange bacon on slotted broiler pan. [I should have done it in two batches because I had to squish the bacon really close to eachother, which made it take forever to cook.] Sprinkle with brown sugar and place in oven to bake until crisp, 20 to 22 minutes.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

In a shallow dish, beat together with a wire whisk: eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon. In a second shallow dish combine flakes and nuts. Add 2 tablespoons butter to warm skillet. Place a cookie sheet lined with foil (for easy clean-up) near the stove. Coat 4 to 6 slices of bread in egg, depending on the size of your skillet, then coat bread in cornflakes and nuts. Cook slices 2 minutes on each side and transfer toast to cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining slices and transfer toast to oven. Bake 10 minutes, with already cooking bacon.

While bacon and toast are in oven, combine fruit, sugar and liqueur in a serving bowl and reserve. [Even without the liqueur, it was a yummy topping and made the plate look nice and festive.]

Remove toast and bacon from oven. Warm syrup in a small pitcher in microwave 15 seconds on high. Serve toast and bacon on plates with optional garnish of mint and edible flowers.

Pass syrup and topping at the table.

Celebrity Cook Off with Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri

2011-11-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

Zap2it reports some news about Rachael Ray's upcoming showing Guy Fieri - Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. There will be eight celebrities (Aaron Carter, Summer Sanders, Lou Diamond Phillips, Cheech Marin, Joey Fatone, Coolio, Taylor Dayne, and Miss USA 2011 Alyssa Campanella) competing in a six-week battle for a $50,000 donation to a charity of the winner's choice. Rachael and Guy will each coach a team.

The debut episode will air on New Year's Day at 9pm ET. In the first episode, two teams will cook for an event of 150 people and those people will vote on the best and worst dishes. Here's the preview:

RACHAEL RAY AND GUY FIERI COACH EIGHT MULTI-TALENTED CELEBRITIES ON RACHAEL VS. GUY CELEBRITY COOK-OFF

So who's going to watch this one? I am sort of a reality TV junkie, so since Rachael Ray and Joey Fatone will be on it (hey, what can I say, I still love NSYNC), I will definitely be watching.

Menu Plan Monday

2011-10-24T04:34:00.000-07:00

Monday: Butternut Squash Soup with Sweet and Spicy Pecans

Tuesday: Breakfast for Dinner Pancakes

Wednesday: Spicy Peanut Chicken and brown rice

Thursday: Kale and Sausage Ragu with Garlic Bread

Friday: Leftovers

Menu Plan Monday

2011-10-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

Monday: Autumn Golden Vegetable Lasagna and garlic bread

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Turkey Tetrazzini and green salad

Thursday: Chicken and Gravy Sandwiches and Warm Potato Salad with Camembert

Friday: Toasted-Bread Salad with Salami

Why the Magazine Industry is Like High School

2011-10-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

It's amazing to me how the magazine world is full of adults acting like gossiping little teenage girls! Over the course of the last several days, magazine blogs and newspapers have been breathlessly reporting the breakup of Every Day with Rachael Ray and its owner, Reader's Digest. Right after that news was announced, Meredith announced that it was acquiring the magazine. Then Reader's Digest said, no no no, not so fast! They say they have only agreed in principle to sell the magazine to Meredith.

So what's the source of all the drama? Apparently, Reader's Digest isn't happy that Rachael Ray wants control of her image and brand. Okay, that was a pretty biased way to characterize it, but heck, the blog is called Everything Rachael Ray, right? The way the teenage girls say it is:

Keep in mind that this is only a rumor, but according to Adweek, the biggest reason for Reader’s Digest Association (RDA) selling Every Day with Rachael Ray to Meredith yesterday was that Rachael Ray wanted more money. One source claimed that Ray was never happy with the amount of money she was getting from the magazine, and another said, “Rachael wanted a better deal, and they [RDA] [weren't] prepared to do it.

Another problem was RDA’s contract with Ray, which kept the company from growing the title. “Because our agreement limited our participation to producing just a magazine, we were unable to expand the brand and its content across multiple platforms,” RDA’s CEO, Robert Guth, admitted. “Going forward, it was not a fit with our master brand strategy.”

So where does that leave us? I have no clue. Meredith publishes Better Homes and Gardens, Fitness, and American Baby, so we at least know they have their act together. I'll keep an eye out for any more news, but I am excited about the new changes that might come along with the change in ownership.

Menu Plan Monday

2011-10-10T06:57:00.000-07:00

I know some people don't believe me when I say I only make Rachael Ray's recipes, but I swear these are my real menu plans and they are usually 100 percent RR. Every once in awhile I'll have some random stuff to use up so I'll go outside my comfort zone. But it doesn't happen very often. There are just so many Rachael Ray recipes out there to try that I can't stop making them!

Monday: Eggplant Rollups and Garlic Bread from Every Day with Rachael Ray

Tuesday: Cashew! God Bless You Chicken (from 30 Minute Meals)

Wednesday: My Sister Ria's Lazy Chicken (from 30 Minute Meals)

Thursday: Pumpkin Cheddar Mac & Cheese and green salad

Friday: Leftovers

I Should Just Let These Articles Go, But I Can't Help Myself

2011-10-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

Can Rachael Ray cook her recipes in 30 minutes? Someone else, this time a math professor at Tennessee Tech University, has joined the growing list of people who thought it would be fun to test this eternal question. This is one of those articles that drive me crazy and therefore make me feel silly for how worked up I get. But I really can't help myself, maybe because of how much I appreciate Rachael Ray's recipes and the big changes they made in my life by getting me to actually eat real food! I don't want the misinformation out there to prevent someone from trying her recipes and learning how to love cooking like I did! So, here are my thoughts on the article:

They tested 10 recipes - Do you know how many freaking recipes Rachael Ray has created? Between her 14 cookbooks, monthly magazine, and talk show, I have no idea how many there are, but it must be close to a gazillion. So how can someone take 10 of those recipes and draw any conclusions about the other gazillion? That kind of reasoning makes me worry about the future of science.

Expensive - The 10 recipe ridiculousness affects this issue, too, but I can promise you that you can find a RR recipe that is ridiculously expensive, just as you can find a whole bunch that are super cheap. When we were a two income family (before I decided to stay home with the little ones), I would choose any recipe that struck my fancy, regardless of price. These days, I choose based on shorter ingredient lists or a list with less expensive ingredients. And while RR does use a bunch of spices, she uses the same ones over and over again (specifically cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika), so you won't be buying a whole bunch of new ones all the time, in my experience.

Prep time - On her Food Network show, Rach says that she washes all produce before putting it away on her big shopping day. Other than that, all of her meals include the prep time of things like cutting veggies. On that show, she even grabs things out of the fridge and carries them to her cutting board, then opens packages.

Rach has proven it herself - In connection with her latest cookbook (which I adore, by the way, and I think it might be one of the best), Rachael posted videos showing her making a selection of the recipes from Look + Cook within 30 minutes, without commercial interruptions. I have watched a bunch of them and don't see any gimmicks that help her do it! If these videos don't put these silly tests to rest, I don't know what will.

I have a feeling that Rachael doesn't get out a timer when she writes a meal. The idea is to make something from fresh ingredients in a short amount of time. It's not about racing the clock.

Image from Every Day with Rachael Ray

Menu Plan Monday

2011-09-26T04:11:00.000-07:00

As I write this rain is falling outside, so it's time to transition to some cold(er) weather meals around here. Goodbye for now, dear grill, see you in six months.

Monday: Slow Cooker Meal: Chicken and Biscuits (I'm just going to do the chicken breasts and not the thighs because that would be way too much food, even if I plan on eating leftovers the next night.)

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Korean-Style Chicken or Pork Noodle Bowls Recipe

Thursday: Farm-Stand-Vegetable Green Curry and Brown Rice

Friday: Baked Chicken with Herb Skin and Roasted Garlic Cream Gravy

Tidbits

2011-09-23T09:41:00.001-07:00

Check out this cool chart showing searches for Rachael Ray across the country. All of those in Northern California must be me. ;)

Rachael Ray's non-profit, Yum-o!, published a few recipes for schools to use that meet the nutrition requirements and aren't made from frozen crap. Bravo, Rachael!

Rach Teaches Donny Wahlberg Some Skills

2011-09-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

Make sure you check out Rachael Ray's talk show today. My favorite segments are when she gets celebrities into her kitchen - actually cooking! Rach and Donny create a date night meal and Donnie shares some info on the restaurant he is opening with his brother Mark - Wahlburgers. No, seriously, that's what they are calling it. I couldn't make that up if I tried.

Apparently they anticipated some reaction to the name. Here's what Donnie told Rach about it:

“And the beauty is, the name, it came out in the press a few weeks ago and it because a huge story, but it's, the beauty of it all is that it's Paul is, he's a legitimate chef. You know, it's like he's, we even didn't want to name it that partially because his cooking, it's just amazing. And he's done everything, he's earned everything on his own. He was in cooking school when we were all little kids. And we all, Mark and I especially, looked up to Paul but the Wahlburger’s is really coming from Paul's love of food and wanting to just make a great hamburger joint in his town of Hingham.”

Rachael Ray Shares Lasagna Recipes on Good Morning America

2011-09-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

Rachael Ray appeared on Good Morning America to share some of the new lasagna recipes from the most recent issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray. I've actually tried the Southwestern Lasagna (made with corn tortillas) and will be trying the Garlicky Spinach Lasagna tonight (made with egg noodles). I think the Autumn Gold Vegetable Lasagna (with egg roll wrappers) is next on my list.

The Southwestern Lasagna was outstanding, but on a totally unrelated note, I probably won't make it again because I was traumatized while making it. While I was putting on the finishing touches and putting it in the oven, I heard my 11 month old start choking on something. One 911 call later and he was fine. In fact, he was fine before they even got to my house, thank God! I'm not sure if he was gagging on snot or if he got something and swallowed it. Sigh. Being a mom is way harder than being a lawyer, let me tell you.

Here's some video of Rach's appearance:

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Happy Birthday, Rach (and a couple little tidbits)

2011-08-25T20:57:00.000-07:00

Today is Rachael Ray's birthday! Happy Birthday, Rach! And a couple little stories I ran across today:

Rachael Ray is hosting a Philly Cheesesteak cookoff and will be joined by some great guests. Here's the bummer - it's sold out.

A quick account of how Rachael got her big break as she told it to Business Week. Her story makes it seem like it really could happen to anyone, huh?

Photo from Every Day with Rachael Ray

Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off Details

2011-08-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ask and ye shall receive, apparently. Just as I was getting worried that the show starring Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri was going to be a no go, the Food Network's blog, The FN Dish, provides some details and an air date. As we already knew, Guy and Rachael will each have a team of celebrities, who will compete in cooking challenges. The show will air on the Food Network on January 1 and 9pm, with these stars: Summer Sanders, Lou Diamond Phillips, Aaron Carter, Taylor Dayne, Coolio, Cheech Marin, and Alyssa Campanella.

Certainly not an a-list crew, but I will be rooting for Joey Fatone in honor of my never ending love for NSYNC. Don't judge.

Photo from FN Dish