Watching Rachael Ray

It’s the beginning of the show’s biggest month ever which must not be too difficult, really, as they’ve only been on a season and it’s May Sweeps time - but hey! Who am I to complain! Big guests and loads of food and fun! This week we have:

Monday: The Prom at Enterprise High
After a tornado in Enterprise Alabama, RR goes on location to share the story and create a prom night the students will never forget.

Tuesday: Judge Judy
A glimpse of the real Judge Judy, who’s a softy with her 11 grandkids, and get the two pieces of advice she swears by. Also, two friends wear the same outfit - who wears it better?

Wednesday: “It’s not your Fault your Fat”
Oh the haters will be jumping all over this one! Dr. Manny is back with some surprising reasons you may gain weight even if you are doing everything right. And it’s another Wild Wednesday, with more animals and squeals from Rachael who doesn’t do well with creepy crawlies!

Thursday: Grey’s Anatomy’s Justin Chambers
A behind the scenes peek at TV’s Sexiest Hospital. A father of five, he tells of his perfect date night and how he handles the sexy scenes. And a 4 year old who won’t leave the house without makeup - huh?!

Friday: A Dame of a Mystery Taster
A living legend stops by as Mystery Taster and moves the audience to tears. Also, identical twins who try to put years of friction behind them.

All this and daily What’s for Dinner Recipes! Check out The Rachael Ray Show website for your grocery list, and let’s eat!

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I watched Friday’s Rachael Ray show with mixed feelings. I love Michael J. Fox, and while it was wonderful to see him again, and hear about how he’s doing and his charities, and his jokes about demanding flapjacks - it was heartbreaking to see how far his Parkinson’s Disease has progressed. I so admire his bravery, and hope he finds his cure.

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I got in trouble the other day, for making my first RR recipe without my older daughter there to help. She loves to cook, and she loves Rachael Ray, and naturally she was mad that her younger sister got to help instead. So I remedied that situation tonight, but trying out yet another meal.

After gathering info on what the kids felt like having for dinner, we decided to try the French Dip with Italian Attitude as the whole family adores them, although the general attitude was “We’ll try it, but nothing beats our Auntie’s French Dips!” They knew it would be different, but Rachael Ray had huge shoes to fill if this was going to go over well with MY kids.

A quick trip to the store (I had to go anyway, I was out of my elixir of life - namely, Diet Coke) and the ingredients were gathered. We did, again, make a few substitutions because of where we live and the availability of certain ingredients. And we had to double the recipe, as it was written for 2, and there’s 4 of us.

So! The ingredients and our adjustments:
1 wide baguette
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano - [I] again, too expensive. We used grated Italian Cheese Blend - the kind in the can you shake over spaghetti? Yeah, that stuff.[/I]
1 small onion, chopped
2 large clove garlic, divided, 1 chopped, 1 crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
1 sprig of rosemary leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound sliced roast beef
6 slices provolone cheese
[I]Additions: 2 slices pepper jack cheese for The Girl, and mushrooms. because we like them, darnit.[/I]

We overtoasted the bread a little bit, but it was salvageable. We also added the onions/mushrooms from the sauce to the sandwiches, and also in a cup for dipping.

The biggest problem we had? The sandwiches were too big! We all cut them into smaller pieces so that we could soak them in the sauce, but oh… such a small price to pay! It was FANTASTIC and a BIG hit with the kids. While they ALL agreed that they loved Auntie’s Au Jus sauce better, they agreed that this Italian version was pretty darn tasty and would certainly eat it again. In fact, here’s their rating on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the worst, five being the best:

The Boy: 6.5! Not that it’s BETTER then Aunties, it’s DIFFERENT and are you gonna eat that piece? Yeah? bummer…
The Girl: 7! It was good! And easy! and did I mention GOOD?
The Pup: 82!!!! (No, dear, seriously.) Oh, ok. Yeah, definitely a 9 then.

Clearly, I’m going to have to rethink my rating scale. As for me, I give it a 4.5. It was good, and we’ll definitely make them again. I think it needed more garlic. Everything’s better with more Garlic!

–

Today on the Rachael Ray Show, President Bill Clinton spent the majority of the hour at the Kitchen Table, and along with Rachael Ray’s Yum-o! Organization announcement, they talked extensively about what President Clinton and his Alliance for a Healthier Generation is doing as well to help battle obesity in American kids.

Bill Clinton is still a dynamic speaker, and it’s clear he really cares about this Alliance, and helping families that work so much, and lack the time to come together in the kitchen, at the table, and rely on fast food and other things to keep them fed. It’s not a quick fix, as it’s not been a quickly growing problem. He’s working with schools to give better choices on their school menus.

President Clinton spoke a bit about his own struggles with weight, (Hello! we remember his Presidential runs to McDonalds, right? Hee!) and like Rachael, he preaches all things in moderation. It’s ok to splurge once in a while, as long as you’re basic diet is healthy!

It was a really good show, and if you missed it, try and catch a replay.

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Today, The Rachael Ray site unveiled their new Yum-O organization. A non-profit organization, Yum-o! seeks to empower kids and families to improve their relationships with food and cook, with easy to use tools, affordable and delicious meals.

Why Yum-o!?
Today’s kids and their families are pressed for time. Many don’t know how to cook or assemble basic meals or are simply too busy and tired to spend much time in the kitchen. In addition, easy access to inexpensive food with low nutritional value has caused eating habits to worsen. However, most kids and parents are eager to make better food choices if given the necessary tools. Yum-o! enables kids and their families to take control of their meals and improve their eating habits.

“Yum-o!” is the sound you make when you eat something really delicious. It is kind of a combination of “Yummy!” and “Oh wow!” You can’t help but smile when you say it because it’s such a fun word to say. A big part of the Yum-o! organization is about making cooking and eating something that makes people happy. Food should be delicious, fun and put a smile on your face.
Our three work areas are:

COOK - Educating kids and their families about cooking
FEED - Feeding hungry American kids
FUND - Funding cooking scholarships

Be sure to check out Yum-o.org for more information, recipes, and inspirational stories of people working hard to help our kids grow up healthier and stronger then ever before! I think this is a fantastic idea, and one even the hater’s can’t complain about. With the focus on our kids, American kids, how can we possibly go wrong? Visit Yum-o! today!

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So, tonight, after watching yesterday’s Rachael Ray show and getting all nostalgic for stuffed peppers, I decided to tackle my first RR Recipe; Stuffed Pepper Stoup. I printed the recipe, checked what I had on hand, and headed off to the store, with the ingredient list in hand:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
Salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice (eyeball it)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bay leaf
1 quart chicken stock
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup orzo pasta
12-15 basil leaves, shredded or torn
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to pass at table

As I live in Alaska, I knew I may have to make some adjustments, and sure enough, that’s what happened. Nothing too major, and one addition because of taste, and we were good to go. The adjustments to the original recipe were the following:

Added mushrooms. Because I like them.
There were no fresh basil leaves at the store, so I bought dried basil instead.
A little slice of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese cost over $10. I’m a single mom on a budget, so we got shredded Italian Blend instead - which contains Parmigian, Ramano and Asiago.

And that was all she wrote! It’s a 30-minute meal, but I had a little 8 year old helper, and thus it took closer to 45. The end result, however, looked just like the picture, and tasted divine! And the smell! Oh my goodness, my house STILL smells good.

It is said to serve four, but even with sending samples down to Nana and Papa for their opinion, we only ate half of it, which means there’s at least four more servings to be had. The biggest surprise was my son, who hates all things soups and stews, wouldn’t stop eating it to tell me how much he liked it. Stuffed Pepper Stoup is a HIT.

The ratings.
I asked each person who tasted it to give it a rating between 1-5, 1 being “never again” and 5 being “Yum-o!” These are the results:

The Pup (8):5! Can we have it again TOMORROW?
The Boy (15): 5! But not an everyday 5, more like a once a month 5.
The Girl (13):4.75. I don’t like mushrooms, mom!
Nana (1 week older then Papa): 4.5! Papa, don’t you eat that last bit…
Papa (1 week younger then Nana): 4.5! It’s horrible. Don’t ever make it again. Really. Though I may have to have several more spoonfuls to be certain. HEY! Nana stole my last bite!
And Me (old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway): 4.5

It was very easy, it came together really in no time at all, and it is definitely something we will have again, soon. So what are ya waiting for? Go try it!

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On Monday’s Rachael Ray it was all makeovers, all the time. An Audience member was chosen randomly and made over. There was a house for sale staging, and a closet full of bridesmaid dresses were updated for everyday (or Date Night) function.

Gretta’s got some tips before heading off to the tailor.
* Hit up someone who knows how to sew. “It can be a friend or relative that’s willing to help you out,” says Gretta. “But if you don’t know someone, many cities and towns have local seamstresses or tailors or even dry cleaners that can do what you’re looking for.” Before they pin and cut, make sure your get an estimate or quote to find out if it’s worth it for you to reconstruct the dress.
* Look at the fabric before tossing it out. “Even if you think the overall look of a dress can’t be saved through sewing or if the dress is damaged, see if you like the fabric, you may be able to make something else out of it,” Gretta advises.
* Leave some extra fabric. With most of these dresses you will take several inches of the length, but always remember to leave some in the hem so that you can add length back if you need it.
* Customize in the details. Use that extra fabric to create a matching purse, belt or scarf that can help dress the piece up or down.

And of course, there was a hearty Stuffed Pepper Stoup (a soup so think it’s almost a stew) for dinner. The Stoup brought back memories for me, as my mom made stuffed peppers for us many, many times! It’s a total comfort food that I have not had in some time, so this Stoup is definitely on the list of things to try. (The list! It GROWS!)

Coming up this week:

Tuesday: Aaron Eckhart, Nanny Nightmare, Too Attached Mom

Wednesday: The New York vs. Chicago Pizza Throwdown! and more Mom Troubles.

Thursday: This is the biggy. Today, President Clinton sits down for an hour long Kitchen Table Talk. Childhood Obesity issues, and a new partnership to change the way kids eat, Cooking on the campaign trail and President Clinton’s healthy drink he swears by. Don’t miss it!

Friday: Michael J. Fox comes by and surprises a woman who’s raised over $60k for his foundation by flipping pancakes. He’ll talk about family life, as well as his battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

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I mentioned a few days ago one of the hater websites for Rachael Ray, right? Course I did! Well, I’m still eternally amused by some of the things they come up with. Neil Patrick Harris was on the show on April 9th, and one of the things he said was the title of this post. You can see the clip of it here.

What makes it funny? Well! To hear them talk, he snarled at her, more then once, to stop screaming at him because he was standing right there. I wonder if they were watching the same show I was? Seriously? What he said, and was referring too, was that she didn’t yell at him when he mutilated a meatball, as earlier in the show he made the comment about someone else yelling at him in the kitchen, if I remember right. I’ll be sure to catch a rerun of this episode at some point and hopefully be able to verify my take on it.

It just amuses me that some people will find any reason at all to talk bad about folks. It doesn’t stop there! There’s a whole post about washing mushrooms! Now most chefs will tell you not to soak them, because they get waterlogged and you lose flavor. Alton Brown, the science food geek of the Food Network, has proved that you don’t waterlog them unless you soak them for a long time. And agrees that if they don’t look dirty, they don’t even need a quick rinse - but either way, it’s all good - which means they’re BOTH right. (Don’t believe me? Here:

Comes up at about minute 3:30 to 4:30)

So who’s right and who’s wrong? My take is - does it really matter? The biggest question is why on earth these folks keep watching day after day after day? Do they really have nothing better to do then to pick on everything about her? Some people’s kids.

So - here at Watching Rachael Ray this week - I’m going to set up my RR inspired ‘pantry’ (which is really just a shelf) and also pick a couple recipe’s to try out with my kiddos. Be sure to tune in and catch the fun!

Thursday’s RRShow featured a couple who have different ideas on Marriage. He wants too, she is content to live together with their son. It touched home a bit for me as Nikki mentioned how everyone was constantly asking her “You have a child! Why aren’t you getting married?”

It’s a hard question to answer, and I should know - I ‘did things backwards’ myself! My son was a year old when he was the ring bearer at my wedding to his daddy! I understand where both Nikki and Steve are coming from, as I lived it back then. She says it’s just a piece of paper, and they are already committed, he says he would like that piece of paper anyway.

For once in forever, I actually agree with the suggestions the Expert, Deborah Tannen and Rachel ended the segment with: Keep the communication open, talk about it every 3 or 6 months or so, and re-evaluate. Don’t keep harping at each other, and perhaps they will eventually make that trip down the Aisle.

More power to ya, guys! As someone who’s been there, done that, I’m pulling for ya! So, what do you all think? Is marriage just a piece of paper, or the ultimate commitment? Did you get cold feet before you made that trip down the aisle? Did it last seconds, minutes, hours, years? ‘Fess up!

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Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund

April 16, 2007, will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of the Virginia Tech community and the world beyond.

To remember and honor the victims of those tragic events, the university has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

The fund will be used to cover expenses including but not limited to:

• Grief counseling
• Memorials
• Communication expenses
• Comfort expenses
• Incidental needs

If you plan to give, please click the link below:

Did you know there’s a whole site(s) that is(are) dedicated to proving Rachael Ray sucks? That has little derogatory nicknames for her, and point out everything from her clothing, her posture, her voice and laugh, her cooking, her pet words and every little thing under the sun on every show?

I KNOW!

You know what amuses me the most about those guys? It’s the silliest little thing, but it makes me laugh every time I pop over there to see what today’s irritants are… The thing that gets me is this: They proclaim their hatred all over their little club, but?

They. Still. Watch!

Every Day they’ve a new complaint, every day there’s dozens of comments on each episode, and every single day - they tune in again.

Nice! Thanks for helping make Rachael Ray a hit, guys!

Also: Amazon has Rachael’s new cookbook available for pre-ordering! Rachael Ray: Just in Time: All-New 30-minute Meals, Plus Super-Fast 15 Minute meals and Slow it Down 60 Minute Meals. The cookbook is due to release in November, and is on sale currently for $13.57 with a regular retail price of $19.95.

Tuesday’s Rachael Ray show saw the uber sweetheart Valerie Bertinelli stopping by for a chat about Jenny Craig, and how a picture by her son convinced her to be a stay at home mom. As down to earth as ever, Valerie looked totally cute and has already lost 12 pounds! Not that she was fat to begin with! When asked about Jenny Craig, she had this to say:

“They don’t care about being skinny-minis, they care about health and that’s what I wanted.”

Already halfway to her goal, she says she misses cooking the most. As such, when she’s reached her goal, she’ll be back and the first meal she cooks will be in the Rachael Ray Show kitchen!

As Rachael would say: Nice!

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Monday’s Rachael Ray show featured the website SeenOn right off the bat. SeenOn.com is the place to find what we see our favorite stars on TV wearing, carrying and making use of during our favorite shows. From Addison’s necklace on Grey’s Anatomy, to the briefcase Jack carried the weapons into the Hatch, to the cute little apron worn by Desperate Housewife, Bree - it’s all to be found with a few clicks! Awesome!

Unfortunately, the woman that’s helping her with the segment drove me absolutely NUTS. Danielle Ravano and her ultra perky chipper little voice… You know, people bag on Rachael for being too chipper and loud? But clearly there are worse folks out there. Danielle’s chipper little high-pitched love fest moment about Jack made me throw up a little in my mouth. Rachael’s moment about McDreamy wasn’t bad at all - but Danielle… oh man. As they say on Grey’s Anatomy… Seriously? Seriously.

Also on today: Eva LaRue, scary things in our bathroom, Mini Meatball Soup. Check it out at the Rachael Ray Show Website!

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I wasn’t sure what to expect when I heard about the Food Network awards. I figured they were giving awards to their stars or some such, until I actually looked at the nominee/winner list! It was the stars that were presenting, but the awards were for various foodie goodness across the nation, from best comfort food (voted on by viewers!) to the first Hall of Fame inductee, to Dream Scholarship and Humanitarian awards, and best shopping center and burger place. Awesome.

As award shows go - it was alright, but pretty boring. They haven’t quite hit their stride yet, but it’s the first one, so give’em time! The stars were looking fine though, from Bobby Flay, to the always gorgeous Nigella Lawson in a red dress that was just…. BAM!

And of course - Rachael Ray was there, handing out rewards and looking cute as a button in a black and white polkadot sundress. She looked comfortable and pretty all at the same time.

Yum-o!

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Here at Watching Rachael Ray, we’re all about equal opportunity! Which means we’ll take the good and the bad. That said - this first Weekend edition will be of the You Tube variety, and Rachael Ray spoofs.

First! Mad TV’s take on $40 a day:

And of course, the always fun “MMMM” Montage:

And last but not least - we all know David Letterman hates to spread rumors, but here he is, talking to his Secretary about her ‘visit to the Rachael Ray Show’:

Happy Sunday, everyone!

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Thursday’s show brought up some interesting things for me. Rachael brought in a viewer who wanted to know how much spying on her kid was enough, while her daughter was all “Mom thinks she knows, but only knows maybe half of what’s really going on.”

Now, I have teenagers, and this show just reinforced what I already knew - I picked a great place to raise my kids. Not only do we have a trust that I don’t see in parents elsewhere - and seeing their kids, it’s not hard to see why they’re freaking out.

I know, I know, every parent says that, right? But really - I don’t see the need in my house for the Private detectives, and the snoop stick that allows the parent to remotely monitor everything a child does online. And I mean everything - emails, IM, keystrokes, everything. Nor do I need a spray for the liquor cabinet so that I can scan for fingerprints. I don’t even have a liquor cabinet - I keep my stuff right out in the open! The best of the gadgets was the car keeper, which will store a month worth of locations, and how fast the teenager is driving. With a son ready to take his permit test? That one I might consider.

Nah.

I don’t know. Sure, my kids might be lying to me, but I prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt first. A lot of folks fear the teenage years - but you know? I find myself having more fun with my kids than ever. Hopefully that’ll keep me in tune with them and what they need until they finally decide they’ve had enough of ole mom and move out.

At least as long as I promise not to hide prunes and beans in their brownies!

(for more on teenagers and parents, check out Parenting Teens on the 451 Press network!)

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