Watching Rachael Ray

Part of what I love about Rachael Ray is that so many kids are inspired to cook! Like this little girl, who has the perfect attitude to be the Next Great Food Network Star when she grows up!

How cute is she?

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While poking around the Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine website, I once again was drawn to the list of imaginative centerpieces! Some are way to fancy for my tastes, other’s are pure fun, and still others hold a serious “…huh?” factor.

I mean really - Asparagus planted in pistachio nuts? I don’t like asparagus anyway, and potted on my table in pistachio nuts that I don’t care for either just seems odd. But! To each their own.

The fun paper airplane one made me grin, and the flowers in Yellow Jello? Awesome! But by far, this one is my favorite:

I have a little artist in my family - my 8-year-old daughter, and she’s constantly coloring and creating and making something in vibrant messy fashion. This centerpiece has her name written ALL over it, and is a very clever idea for any happy table! We just might have to put something like this together next time we hold a family function.

What is your favorite type of centerpiece? Fun, fancy, upscale, easy? Do tell!

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Another week of repeats - but it includes two shows with cutie Colby Donaldson from Survivor. Whoo!

Paula Deen & Family
The queen of southern cooking dishes up a special dessert treat in our kitchen. Then, Paula Deen takes us home to meet the newest addition to her family. Plus, a one-of-a-kind adventure with Colby Donaldson and a BBQ menu that you can make rain or shine.
Enter for a chance to win a copy of The Deen Bros. Cookbook

The Hills’ Lauren Conrad
Meet a 19-year-old girl who’s never worn makeup! She’s getting her first makeover with MTV star Lauren Conrad. Then, basketball star Stephon Marbury has cool sneakers for your kids that won’t bust your budget, and actress and mom Nia Long gets a lesson in kid cuisine.
Enter for a chance to win a pair of Starbury sneakers.

“It’s Not Your Fault You’re Fat”
Think it’s your fault you can’t lose weight? Find out the surprising reasons you may be packing on the pounds. Plus, our animal guy Jarod is back and he’s playing a “wild” game with Rach. And what’s for dinner? This baby penne is satisfying enough for grown-up appetites.

Gary Sinise
Ready for a little kitchen scene investigation? CSI:NY’s Gary Sinise is swapping pasta recipes with Rach. Plus, it’s a fashion potluck - liven up your wardrobe and throw a party at the same time! And, what you must know before you buy your next place settings. Then, Rachael’s cooking up a ham & cheese pasta!

“Is Chivalry Dead?”
Colby Donaldson puts chivalry to the test when he hits the streets of New York City for a special investigation, and what our hidden cameras reveal may surprise you. Then, the search for an over-40 model proves that beauty is ageless. And, Rachael’s making Thai-style shrimp wonton cups.

…how to get to Sesame Street?

Rachael Ray joins many other stars with an appearance on Sesame Street this season! All kinds of excited about Pumpernickle.

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…the better then nothin workout!

Rachael’s facial expressions in this one crack me up!

So, all alone Saturday night, with the kids off at Auntie’s, I decided I’d give one of those recipe’s listed last week’s Bare Pantry Recipe’s a try. They’re supposed to be easy, fast, and stress free, AND I had most everything, or could fake it, so why not - right? Right.

I considered the Aglio Olio, but then my friend, Jamie, told me that she learned the meaning of the word Puttanesca in her Italian class this week. A pasta dish is named Puttanesca because it is easy - as apparently the word “puttana” is Italian for, um, let’s just say, a “Woman of the Night.” Now how could I POSSIBLY resist making Tuna Puttanesca Sauce after learning THAT? Exactly. I couldn’t.

The recipe is rediculously easy. All told putting it together, from ingredients to plate, took a whole 15-20 minutes or so. I didn’t have (or like) olives, or capers, so I just ignored those. I topped it off with some grated cheese, with some toast on the side.

My first comment to my above friend was “Holy cow - anchovies DO melt away!” though I never got the ’salted nuts’ smell/taste that she promises. The end product was EXTREMELY tasty, though I think the tuna + anchovies gave it an overwhemling fishy taste. Not bad, just fishy. Of course, being Alaskan, I’m kinda used to the whole fishy thing, so it wasn’t offputting. It’s extremely filling, and yummy, and it put me into a delightful food coma where I sat around, belched loudly (because I’m all class, you know) and declared myself full to the gills. (HA! See? More fish humor!)

And I didn’t have to share a single bite with the kids. Aaaaaaaah, now THAT is awesome!

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Another week of all repeats, kids! But the new season starts September 10!

Neil Patrick Harris
The actor goes undercover for a game of “Celebrity Incognito.” Can Rach’s audience spot him? Then, do you have way more stuff than you do space? Kristan Cunningham has three great ways to conquer clutter and tips to create more storage space in your home! Plus, a new twist on an old classic salad: Grilled Meatball Caesar Salad.

Craig Ferguson
The host of the The Late, Late Show, Craig Ferguson, stops by for a little game of “Stump the Rach” and joins Rachael in the kitchen to prepare the ultimate man-pleasing burger. Then, meet a family with three daughters and three weddings all in the same year! We’ve got the latest wedding trends that won’t break your budget. Be the first to enter for a chance to win a copy of Craig Ferguson’s book, Between the Bridge and the River

Project Runway’s Tim Gunn
Meet three amazing clothing designers who are only 12 years old! Tim Gunn’s giving them a Project Runway-style challenge. Do they have what it takes to “make it work?” Then, Jamie-Lynn Sigler talks about life after The Sopranos. She’s sharing behind-the-scenes photos and revealing the one thing she can’t live without. Plus, Rachael’s ultimate fakeout meal: Double Eggplant Parm Baked Ziti! Enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of Wish Bone Salad Spritzers

Justin Chambers
He sizzles in his scrubs on Grey’s Anatomy, and now Justin Chambers reveals how he handles his steamy love scenes and shares his secrets for the perfect date night. Plus, meet a viewer who’s obsessed with makeup — and she’s only 4 years old! Can we help mom break her little one’s beauty obsession? And, if you’re looking for new recipes for the kids, Rach has a day’s worth of meals to feed the whole family!

Gayle King
What’s it like being Oprah’s best friend? Find out when Gayle King joins Rach at the kitchen table and shares photos of her cross-country trip with O! Then, got too much junk in your trunk? We’ve got the one item you must have in your wardrobe that will keep you looking good. And, worried about your teen dating? We’ve got a mom who thinks she has the problem solved. Plus, Rachael cooks up a Double Chicken Dumpling Stoup.

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The haters would have you believe that Rachael Ray will disappear by virtue of their snide comments and will alone, but it’s clear that the boisterous Food Network and talk show star isn’t going anywhere but straight to the top.

The latest circulation numbers for Every Day with Rachael Ray, has the magazine - one of the youngest Reader’s Digest Association publications, turned in a 57.6% increase. That included a drop in newsstand sales, but an almost 200% increase in subscriptions.

In addition, there are over 110,000 people on the waiting list for tickets to the Rachael Ray Show according to a show spokesman for the new season that kicks off on September 10th.

Sorry guys - that smile simply isn’t going to fade anytime soon!

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click for larger view.

She truly is every where - and don’t we ALL fast forward to the food??

Can’t afford to run off and get everything on Rachael Ray’s must have pantry list? No worries - just add a little EVOO, Garlic and pasta to the three basics below and you’re all set for a myriad of recipe’s to sooth the cheapskates palette!

Anchovy paste and whole anchovies
“I always keep tons of them on hand because you can put them with some garlic — a lot of garlic — EVOO and then add pasta of any size or shape and that’s dinner. It’s called Aglio Olio pasta and it’s absolutely fabulous. Once you melt the anchovies down into the olive oil, they taste like salted nuts. And who doesn’t love salted nuts?”

Canned fish
“I love canned fish because you can make so many different meals with it and it’s so easy to keep on hand and stocked up.”

Boxed stock
“Love this stuff. Saute any vegetable you have in the house, stir in any kind of pasta, macaroni or rice, throw in some stock and you’ve got instant soup. It also gives an all-day, slow-cooked flavor to pasta sauces and pan gravies. The great thing is that they come in paper containers now, instead of the cans, so you can just pop the top, and pop it in your fridge.”

Straight-from-the-pantry recipes:
EVOO + garlic + anchovies + spaghetti = Aglio Olio
EVOO + garlic + anchovies + linguine + baby clams + white wine = linguine with white clam sauce
linguine with white clam sauce + canned tomatoes or tomato paste = linguine with red clam sauce
EVOO + garlic + canned tuna + canned tomatoes + olives = tuna puttanesca sauce
canned salmon or tuna + egg whites + breadcrumbs + parsley + seasoning = fish cakes

You know… some of those sound REALLY good. Good thing tomorrow’s payday!

You decide! It’s 60-second meals with Michael May and his friends. Join them as they teach us the ins and outs of cereal, as well as how teenage boys spend their boring summer days when they’re given a kitchen and video camera!

Color me amused!

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It’s a week of Mystery Taster Repeats!

Tim Allen

Rachael’s celebrity mystery taster has some playful suggestions for “fixing” her pizza. Then, Peggy’s creative home decorating tips, and Rach puts a French twist on an italian classic. Plus, are you a beauty junkie? Meet a woman so obsessed with beauty that she left her best friend’s funeral to get her lips done.

Brooke Shields

She’s the first mystery taster to stump Rachael! Brooke Shields joins Rach in the kitchen for a cooking confidence booster. Then, are you a mom who never makes time for yourself? Tune in for a crash course in time management! And find out how to make delicious soup in 15 minutes.

Brad Garrett

The mystery guests keep coming, and it’s a pretty tall order for Rachael to guess this “beloved brother” when Brad Garrett drops by. Then, Gretta’s busting beauty myths and sharing the affordable must-have eye cream that will help keep you wrinkle-free!

Julie Andrews

You’ve already seen some huge mystery tasters, but none of them has ever gotten a reaction quite like this! Julie Andrews stops by to talk about her latest book, co-written with her daughter. Then, identical twins who couldn’t be more different! It’s twin vs. twin as they try to put 28 years of friction behind them. And, it’s a family-friendly dinner: stuffed pork tenderloin and stuffed mini potatoes!
Be the first to enter for a chance to win a copy of Julie Andrews’ book.

Dustin Hoffman

Sanjaya stops by to give Rach a behind-the-scenes view of American Idol. Then, this mystery taster has it all: 2 Oscars®, 6 Golden Globes®, an Emmy® and a bit of a feminine side. Plus, it’s Rachael’s take on a Middle Eastern specialty.
Enter for a chance to win a copy of Hollywood Dads.
Enter for a chance to win a Lisa Hoffman skin care packet.

She’s said it a thousand times, sometimes in a single episode. Rachael Ray is simply an upstate NY waitress who got lucky. (And yes, many haters take that statement and run with it - we’ll just let it stand as is, here though.) Few can argue that she’s one of the hardest working women in Show Biz, though, as she seems to use that never-ending energy to work, work, work and show up absolutely everywhere. She’s back from her short summer vacation and hard at work filming her daytime talk show, after filming numerous episodes of her Food Network shows $40 a day and Tasty Travels.

Rachael was recently spotted in New York, donning her waitress apron once again, presumably for an upcoming segment on the show, possibly at Bubbys, in the Tribeca neighborhood of NYC.

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Personally, I never understood doing extravagant birthday parties for children who are too young to remember them - and if you believe that, I’ve a bridge to sell you, cheap! When my daughter - just turned 13 - was turning two, we invited everyone to a Princess Party, where my mom made costumes for the boys (Robin Hood-esque, completely with swords) and girls (Tiara’s, tu-tus, and princess wands), we rented the Fun Jump for several hours, and generally had a fantastic time. I’ve done similar with all my kids - but that one was priceless because my Princess pouted through the whole thing, having missed her nap.

What’s that got to do with Rachael Ray? Well, she’s been advertising on the website asking for stories of people who had “over the top” parties for their kids. A Hammonton, NJ woman, Kasi Anderson was intrigued and decided to present her party details.

Kasi Anderson knew her first child, Kiley Ann would only turn 1 once. So for her daughter’s first birthday party, she decided to go all out.

On a recent afternoon at Valenzano Winery in nearby Shamong Township, 150 guests enjoyed a festive afternoon featuring a petting zoo, a caricaturist, pony rides, plenty of food and even a motorcycle-riding parrot.

“It was like a carnival. It was my first kid so I just wanted to do it. It was crazy,” Anderson said.
A fan of television personality Rachael Ray, Anderson recently went on the cooking celebrity/talk show host’s Web site inquiring about tickets to the daytime talk show. While online, Anderson noticed the show’s producers were looking for people who presented “an over the top” party for their child.

Intrigued, Anderson typed in all the details on the upcoming celebration for her daughter and sent it in.

She didn’t think anything else of it, figuring there were more people with bigger parties then she had planned. However, a few days later, Rachael Ray Show producers called and said they were sending a film crew to document the party. Not only that, but they also covered the smaller, just family version at their home on Kiley’s actual birthday.

Kasi, Brian and Kiley are tentatively scheduled to appear on the show sometime in December. Big fans of Rachael Ray and the show, Kasi says the only question she doesn’t want to answer is “How much did you spend?”

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Rachael Ray has been promoting a 10 ingredient challenge for the past couple of months. One of the entrants posted her entry at youtube for us.

How cute is she? Click to see part 2, 3, 4, and 5.

(I’d post a link to the contest but Rachael’s site is malfunctioning at the moment - I’ll try to add it soon. Otherwise, check out rachaelray.com!)

Rachael, Ray, Rachael Ray, 30 minute meals, RR, TV, a day, Food Network, Everyday