Watching Rachael Ray

We start out with the most BEAUTIFUL display of chocolates on the kitchen counter, where Rachael tells us her staff has tasted them all and has chosen the best tasting chocolate for the price. You can enter here to win some of the treats yourself as well!

For under $20, the tastiest of the treats were: Fannie May Candies Assorted Chocolate Heart ($12.99), BT McElrath Chocolatier 9-Piece Truffle Assortment ($20), and the Staff favorite - Limited Edition Godiva Mousse Collection ($20).

For $20 or more: La Maison du Chocolate 18-piece Chocolate box ($38), Norman Love Confections Valentine’s Day Heart ($45) and the Staff Favorite, Garrison Confections Valentine’s Day Box ($27).

And, on the website, there’s Four More favorites! They are: Lindt Crystal Tin Heart, Hershey’s Pot of Gold Velvet Heart, Fran’s Chocolates Red Satin Heart and Moonstruck Chocolate Co. Dark Chocolate Valentine Heart Collection.

One box was saved of course for today’s guest, the gorgeous Diane Lane! Joining Rachael at the Kitchen Table, she dishes on her romantic husband - Josh Brolin. They like to keep it simple on Valentine’s Day with just a romantic dinner. Of course, no talk about Diane Lane is complete without dishing on the long list of leading men, starting with Sir Laurence Olivier in A Little Romance and she’s currently working on her third picture with Richard Gere (Nights in Rodanthe). When it comes to her current hit, Untraceable, she loves the thriller because she’s a strong woman doing her job - not playing the prey or victim.

They talked about family a bit more, and Diane’s daughter wants to be a model. At 14, she’s already taller then she is and ready to borrow all her fabulous red carpet dresses and shoes. When questioned about her ability to eat anything and look as fabulous as she does? Diane admits that she can eat anything at all. “Don’t hate me! This is not fair!” She’s utterly lovely, of course, and loves to be one of the normal girls - Red Carpet night is like Cinderella, then at midnight Poof! It’s back into the sweats!

Next up - our boy Colby is back to help the men with the all-important job of picking flowers for their women. Poor Josh thinks that if he can get a dozen roses and a dozen eggs at the same place, it sounds like a great arrangement. He says the thought should count - but his Allie says that there’s no thought involved in that at all. Colby heads off with Josh to talk to other couples as well and gets the low down on if he’s alone. Naturally, he’s not. Colby chides the women to TELL their men the kind of flowers that they like - and they’re more likely to get it. And whatever you do - DON’T buy them wilting flowers from the deli!

American’s spend over $6 billion on flowers a year, and 2/3 are bought by women - so clearly it’s important! Women want originality, less predictability. So put some thought in it, guys! And if your woman works at an office? TOTALLY have the flowers delivered there - that gives her bragging rights, and she’ll be beaming by the time she comes home. Josh has done a complete 180 at home, and now it’s wall to wall orchids, which are Allie’s favorites. Awww.

Tip on taking care of your flowers: Change the water daily, Cut them down every day just a little bit, and add a splash of hydrogen peroxide to the water - just a little bit! - to kill the bacteria. Some do’s? Put some thought into it - don’t go for the traditional, and order ahead of time. And include a note - girls dig that!

As for what to get your guy? Colby says it’s a no-brainer. This is a holiday that is strictly for the woman and what she wants. You can’t go wrong with his favorite meal and a bit of tv. Don’t stress! Keep that for the important ones (to the guy) - their birthday, Super Bowl Sunday…

Don’t forget to enter for the chance to win $100 gift certificate from 1-800-Flowers.com too!

And, what’s for dinner? Try Chicken Cutlets & Spaghetti with Peppers & Onions.

Today, Stump the Rach has moved into Stump the Trump - he’s unstoppable in the boardroom, but can he figure out the oddities in the trunk? The Donald comes out and off course points out how beautiful the women in the audience are, while doing his best to behave because his wife loves to watch the show!

Donald Trump is, as Rachael says, “frighteningly good!” as he goes four for four with the Dish Rack, The Stuffing Cage, the Spilsbury Back Massager and the Bilibo Chair.

Then Donald is at the kitchen table to give some inside scoop about the Celebrity Apprentice. The ratings, he says, are better then ever (though this week it’s going against the season premiere of Lost…), and he loves working with his kids on the show. He says he loves Omarosa, but she’s a negative force. He says all of the Celebrities have more drive then any group on the Apprentice ever. They’re fighting for their charity, but also protect their reputation. They’re more competitive then kids fresh out of college which surprised Donald. The kids love to do the show with dad, they’re both great students and have impressed Dad.

They talk about some of the things that have Trump’s brand - and the Vodka surprisingly does the best, but he loves building buildings the most. If you’re going to diversify, stick with what you know and love. He says “You love having the show and better ratings the Martha, right?” and Rachael’s eyes got a little wide and she says “Not going there! I love Martha!”

One of the behind the scenes scoops? Gene Simmons tried to pick up Ivanka! Hahah! Then everyone in the audience gets one of the Kodak Easy Share 5100 all-in-one printer that was seen on a recent episode! If you’re as jealous as I am, pop over to enter for your chance to win one!

Next up, it’s another Human Lab experiment, this time tackling the difficulties of quitting smoking. Monica, April and Christine try three different products to stop their longtime smoking habit. Monica tried using the ‘fake’ cigarettes, E-Z Quit* which says it helps quell the oral fixation. She didn’t find it very successful, because of the lack of nicotine in the product. She was in withdrawel, and cranky. Dr. Phillips says it doesn’t address the nicotine addiction, and that’s a downfall of the product.

[*Side personal note here - My dad used E-Z Quit to stop his 36-year habit, and it worked for him. It kept his fingers busy, and he used it without the filters for a year afterwards. The grandkids called it “papa’s binky! (pacifier)” and he’s not smoked again to this day, 16 years later!]

Christine tries Crave-RX Drops, an herbal drop she adds to her water which is supposed to reduce the nicotine cravings. She didn’t like the flavor of the drops, but noticed she was smoking less, and has cut down to just one or two cigarettes a day vs. her pack of day.

April undergoes New Life Laser Therapy that claims to stimulate the release of endorphins to reduce the nicotine cravings. April didn’t think this would work at all, but she was surprised to see that she did end up quitting! Dr. Phillips says it worked so well because she was ready to quit and motivated. It’s a bit of being in the right place at the right time.

Dr. Phillips talks further with the Lab-rats and Rachael, and tells us that there is no miracle cure product that works for everyone. It’s complicated, it appeals to all of the senses. She does say there’s no harm in trying different methods. As long as the products aren’t harmful, try what ever you need to in order to quit!

All of that and what’s for dinner? Power Burgers!

Cojo is back again today, this time to speak of things far more personal then the normal red carpet fluff. He’s there with his memoir, Glamour, Interrupted, to talk about his 2004 diagnosis with polycystic kidney disease. After a failed transplant and dialysis, his mother donated her kidney for a successful transplant. He talks about seeing the light “And it ain’t pretty!” and his drugged fantasy of planning his funeral - with Rachael there sitting next to Queen Elizabeth! That’s scary!

Cojo now looks back on the experience as one of empowerment that helped him learn a lot about himself and his inner strength. He’s discovered the kind of gratitude that feeds the soul. He now shares his story in order to raise awareness and give hope for others with kidney disease.

Then he shares the story of two couples whose husbands donated their kidneys to save each other’s wives through a unique program at John’s Hopkins University - if John wanted to donate his kidney to someone that was a match, they would find a similar person to match with his wife. It ended with them swapping, each husband giving up the kidney to the other mans wife. When they finally met face to face, it was instant family. They’ve just had their one year anniversary and both women are doing well!

Cojo says that his experience was foisted on him because he ha a “really big trap” and can spread the word about the miracle of Kidney transplants, how you can give someone a kidney while you’re still living and take them away from the hell they’re existing in.

Then - remember back in October when Trey Laird announced the Gap Casting call for the cutest kids? Well, after 800,000 entries the choices have been made! It was all about the eyes, and how the characters of the kids came alive in the picture. The four winners - chosen by 500,000 American votes, are here and couldn’t be cuter!

Today’s incredible person from Rachael’s new Community of Incredible People is Troy Lynn Lavigne who wants to see kids jumping around and eating healthy - plus educating their parents too! She’s works with the Head Start early learning centers by teaching them songs and dances about eating healthy, and gets to have the first taste at the kitchen table of what’s for dinner tonight - Spanish Chorizo and Chicken Chili. Be sure to check out Choosy Kids too!

Monday
Cojo’s Emotional Surprise

Cojo returns with an inspiring story of two families in desperate need of a miracle, and the incredible twist of fate that brought them together for life. Then, the search for America’s cutest kids is over and Rachael’s revealing the winners! Plus, ideas that’ll make sure your Super Bowl party stands out from the pack.

Tuesday
Stump the Trump

He’s unstoppable in the boardroom, but is Donald Trump “unstumpable”? Find out in our first-ever Stump the Trump! Then, the “Human Lab” has three smokers who are trying new products to kick the habit for good, and Rachael’s cooking up a power burger that Trumps all others!

Wednesday
Diane Lane

Valentine’s Day is coming, and we’ve got you covered! Find out how the gorgeous Diane Lane gets romantic with hubby Josh Brolin, and then don’t miss Colby’s simple rules for ensuring your man scores a Valentine’s Day victory with flowers you’ll love.

Thursday
Rachael Ray on Ice

Are you ready for the first-ever talk show shot entirely on ice? When Rachael straps on her skates, she’s joined by Denis Leary, wild animals, a red-hot Olympian … and she’s even cooking dinner on ice!

Friday
Super Bowl Recipe Cookoff

The Super Bowl is Sunday … but first three NFL players are going head to head in Rach’s kitchen! Only one will win and superstar chef Mario Batali will be the judge. Then, we’re kicking off Rachael’s February Favorites, starting with Gretta’s favorite beauty products … and your chance to win ‘em!

And Lara Spenser, of course, which is how we start off the show, just like every other Friday! February first is Go Red for Women - for heart awareness. With my mom’s recent troubles, I can’t recommend this enough. Check out the site, and get checked out yourself! (What do you mean, when was the last time I went? You shush, you and look! SHOES! Something SHINEY!)

Next up, shoes! WHY do people wear UGGS in LA? Seriously, weird right? Now they have flipflop sandals, the Ugg Fluffie, coming out soon which have the super soft feel of your regular Uggs - and aren’t quite as ugly. Except that they’re sandals. But hey, you do what you gotta, right?

The Feed Bag is next, made by Lauren Bush. It’s the UN’s way to feed kids in school around the world. One bag for $60 and you feed a child every day for a full school year. Terri Hatcher used them as gift wrap this Christmas - excellent idea!

For the men - what do you get our guys who have everything? Jack Black skin care system. Not horribly expensive, a full set for $50. Nice!

For the girls - La Mer Cleansing Foam, very chick, very expensive, but it has pearls in it! Whee! (Serioiusly? Why? I still don’t get it. (L) )

On to the ultra cheap - Gillette has a new razor out for women, the Venus Embrace coming out on February 1st, has 5 blades and leaves legs ultra smooth. Then the whole audience got $125 bucks to spend at SpaFinder.com. Nice!

Diane Keaton joins Rachael at the Kitchen Table next, and I’m completely distracted by the shiny black gloves. The hate is too cute, but the gloves… really? She asks if she’s gone too far? And I hate to say it - yeah. But otherwise she looked uber classy, as always. She laughs when talking about her style and says “it’s a very good idea to cover it all up.” She’s very interested in not having any visual reference to her body at all. No more long baths for her, it’s showers and no lingering!

She agrees that she’s not comfortable on the red carpet really, and jokes “If I had a man, I’d take him with me!” and asked for volunteers. They move on to talking about her kids, and she says she’s something of an awkward mom when it comes to her 11 and 7 year old kids. Who knew a hair dryer will help do CPR on a pet rat that was dropped into the toilet? How cool is she, really? I can forgive the gloves for that alone.

That, and the fact that her first job was selling bras and as she was - at that time - interested in her breasts and whether they would grow of course, and she got caught poking the bras in the department store to check if they were soft or padded, etc. Hahahh!

They moved on to let Diane gush about her Mad Money co-stars, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes. Diane says that she feels bad for ‘other people’ who can’t handle the spotlight and paparazzi like Katie does - she’s like, a pro. Rachael talks about all her great experiences and movies and Diane grins and says “All those MEN… it was pretty good!” She added it’s the best way to relate to a man because in the movie they have to love you - then you can exchange them for another one!

She’s also pleased to be able to showcase that a woman at her age can still be sexy, still has blood pulsing through her veins. But what does she love more then anything? A good bulliten board. She’s also involved in saving old homes - she says “all you need to do is call me, I’ll help you!” Of course, it’s easiest to go through her book, California Romantica, which showcases the homes she’s helping save.

Next up, Dr. Travis Stork, everyone’s favorite Bachelor is back to help a viewer who’s never gone to the doctor in all her 23 years. She’s terrified of the process…. and she’s an EMT and a med student! While hers is a little more extreme, it’s not unusual to be afraid of the doctor - it’s a common anxiety. Rachael holds her hand through a B-12 shot, and Maria admits that it wasn’t THAT bad.

The three most important tests you need to get at the doctors? Remember, says Doc Travis, most of the diseases in the country are silent killers. Get your blood pressure checked, colesterol checked as well as your blood sugar checked for diabetes. And if you panic? Remember that YOU are in control - the Doctors work for YOU.

(Made me laugh when Rachael told her to “grow up!” by the way - because that is SO my mom. haha! We’re very big on “Just say ouch and be done with it!” round bout here!)

Lauren Ogles of Get Cooking Kid joins Rachael at the kitchen table as one of Rachael’s Community of Incredible People, teaching kids how to eat healthy.

Oh yeah, what IS for dinner tonight? Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders and Buttermilk Smashed Potatoes. Yum!

Straight to the kitchen today after letting us know KT Tunstall is there to perform today - which is twice as awesome as they play her cd to rev up the audience all the time. In the kitchen, she gets started on what’s for dinner right away - Chicken Tortilla Stew, extended and speedy versions. A quick stock making lesson (Don’t fear the stock! It’s super easy to make!), and then it’s on to the main topic of the day: Gossip.

Four friends, Talia, Sarah, Stephanie and Beth LOVE to gossip - coworkers, celebrities, it doesn’t matter, no one is safe. They love to gossip, one even has a blog! And no, they didn’t give us the addy. Harumph. They all admit to being addicted to gossip, and use it as something to bring them together. They say they don’t feel bad about gossiping about Celebrities, because they’re not real people… So they challenged them to go 7 days without gossip, not one bad word, not one snarky comment, etc. (And for the record, Suxtors? I’ve been calling myself “snarky” for YEARS. It’s not always about YOU. (grin) but I digress…) They gave them camera’s to diary about the experience, and bracelets to remember not to gossip. Oh, and if they mess up? They start the 7 days all over again.

Rachael’s first comment was to address the comment on Celebrities, of course. They have real families and real feelings. 90% of the stuff you read is garbage, and spreading it and buying the trash rags is hurtful. - Mostly, though they have learned to laugh at it, it hurts their families, which makes it harder. Of course, she then suggested if the public didn’t support them they’d get better jobs, which had the suxtors up in arms again too. And they think fans are predictable? (Hi Molly!)

Naturally, they sent them to a nail salon together first, and the silence between friends was deafening. They had to slow down and think about what they were saying. They’re already jonsin’ for some dish at the 30-minute mark. Hahah!

Naturally, life coach Harriette Cole is back to help gossip about gossip. I mean talk about it. They agreed that it’s natural to talk about other people - it’s gossip when it turns negative. Bottom line, if you don’t have the courage to say it to someone’s face - don’t say it at all. She’s big on ridding herself of the negative energy, and the friends are trying to do that by this gossip diet.

The diet wasn’t easy, and they had to start over twice - the second time at midnight on day six! One of them says the general consensus is that she’s no longer fun to be around. Too funny! Bottom line is, if it is true, kind, timely, and necessary - then talk away. Harriette says they’re on the right track, and suggests they use the energy they used to spend negatively to talk creatively and perhaps garner some ideas to make something for themselves that will last a life time.

Want to try the gossip diet? Enter here for a set of No Gossip bracelets of your own to help you remember!

After a performance by KT Tunstall of her new single “Saving my face” (and by the way, the KT “is a bit of a cheat…” Her name is Kate, and wanted to stand out. A friend called her KT, and it stuck!) it’s back to the kitchen to finish what’s for dinner tonight - the Chicken Tortilla Stew.

We start with a very funny embarrassing story that Rachael tells about being so single minded in telling her assistant what was coming up, she didn’t even notice she was in the elevator with her guest, Ted Danson! Cheers! Is it just me, or is he even cuter now with the white hair and glasses? Ted gives her a hard time off and on through the interview - it’s very cute. He does say that a “couple of WOOHOOs in an elevator would be nice!”

She talks a bit about making out with other women while happily married - he says HE doesn’t get jealous watching his wife make out with someone else, but his eyes… THEY are VERY jealous! He’s thrilled with his latest project, and getting to work with Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes. Ted said it took a half hour to get through his “I’m such a FAN!” stuff before he could get down to work. On the other side of the coin, he tends to get recognized and such by women more often - guys discover he’s one of the girls and move on. Ha!

Ted says he’s the short order guy at home - he does breakfast, lunch and can go into the fridge and make something good out of what’s there, but his wife is the Big Dinner guy. When he was trying to get his kids to eat eggs, he started the myth that he’s the best omlet maker EVER. Then he had to learn to make omlets.

Ted’s favorite comedy is, of course, the Office. (Sigh. I just don’t GET that show… the appeal just escapes me!) They talk about his working with Glen in Damages, and he loves the writing for the show, and Rachael teases that he’s lucky that he doesn’t have any bombshells. He begs to differ, but says they’re not remembered because he won’t talk about them. How’d he make money for his first car in college? He was at Stanford and let them do scientific experiments on him. His wife says “This explains so much.” Once he was locked in a box with them pumping in carbon monoxide - he lasted about 17 seconds before demanding to be let out. Haha!

The audience gets to ask questions next - and Janine asks what he would do if he weren’t an actor. He says without hesitation “A Butler! I am for my family already, and I love it!” It feels good to have someone say “thank you, I love that!” right away after you serve them a quick meal or pick up their coat. Another audience asks how it was working with his wife, and as a husband would you recommend working with her? He says absolutely if you’re married to my wife! You get to sleep with the leading lady! The one down side is reading the reviews. Donna asks if Sam walked into the bar with Diane on one end, Rebecca on the other, who would he sit next too? He laughs “Do you think I’ve learned NOTHING? I’m 60 years old! I know better then that! Next question!” He laughs, and then says that’s the magic of Cheers, they created a show that Shelly Long helped put on the map, and then Kirstie Ally followed, and he says “I’d just pass out” And Rachael says “Ha! Sit in the middle and let them come to you!” to which he applauded and declared that he could learn more from Rachael.

Apparently Mad Money is based on a true story in England! Ted has nothing but glowing reports about working with the three women. Ted’s also just finished a movie with Jada Pinket Smith - which she wrote and directed. He doesn’t give any details away, it’s sexy and has great actors but won’t let the cat out of the bag. It’s called “The Human Contract” and he says it will be amazing. So be on the lookout for it!

We come back to talk about doovers - moments in life you wish you could go back and do it over. Justin is back, and talks about the one acceptable for daytime tv - he bought a term paper online once, and he learned his lesson. Rachael decides to skip over her own with a laugh because “the list is lengthy!” Instead we see Disa’s clip where she talks about skipping out on her best friend’s wedding and cutting the cake because she didn’t have a date - without telling her friend she wouldn’t be there. It’s been 17 years. They bumped into each other about 8 years after, but neither would bring up the wedding, and Disa has not forgiven herself, or said she’s sorry. They’ve not dealt with The Elephant In The Room at all.

Justin, of course, is there to bring the ladies face to face. Why Justin is the buddy for this task, is that he’s a people person and being an entertainer has noticed people tend to spill their guts to him anyway.

He meets with Laura, and she’s curious as to who wants this do-over talk with her, and she starts to laugh as she watches Disa’s video. Laura says she was disappointed, and curious as to why she wasn’t there, and agrees to see Disa without hesitation. There’s a lot of giggling and embarrassment, and Disa says finally how awful she’s felt for all of this and Laura finally tells her why she didn’t come - she didn’t have a date. Laura forgives her instantly, and felt bad that she’d carry around the guilt for so long. She got to see the wedding pictures, and they feel they will get closer once again now that the air has been cleared.

Or so we thought - but then, they got a letter and Laura sent an email to the producers. She was being protective of Disa’s feelings, but if the friendship meant as much to her as it did to Laura, that she would have been there. They’re in the front row, of course, and Laura says she downplayed her disappointment because she was trying to protect Disa. But she didn’t want to go back there, and revisit her own disappointment. But they’ve talked through it, and are able to talk about anything. Rachael ends it with laughter “Dummy! Weddings are a GREAT place to meet men!” She then gave them a small cake so that Disa could cut it for them, Cake bites for the snack of the day for the rest of the audience, and then!

Then - what’s for dinner? Mile-High Lasagna!

Ricki Lake joins the show right away to cheers of “Go Ricki! Go Ricki!” Ricki looks FANTASTIC. She’s even posed for US magazine in a bathing suit - she’s gorgeous! The key for her is learning to love her body and accept it for what it is. At her heaviest she was a size 24, and is now sporting a size 4. She still finds it strange that she can now fit the dress she always wanted too. She has no magic, she just committed to the process and it was hard as hell. She set a goal and worked her ass off - literally - to accomplish that. She decided to stay on the down low after her talk show ended, and spent time with her family. She’s just really content with her life and so happy right now.

They laugh about the tabloids and then get to the movie, The Business of Being Born, a documentary on the practices of maternity care in the United States. The infant mortality rate in the US is second highest in the developed world - and we spend 3x the money with poorer results. The system isn’t working and her movie is about woman’s choices in giving birth. She says that she hadn’t planned on including her own home birth footage when she filmed it. It was for her own eyes - if she knew she was going to share it with the world she would have had better lighting, removed the shampoo bottles from behind her head AND she would have worn a top for SURE! It’s not about telling people to have home birth at all, it’s about giving women more information to make their own choice.

Ricki sticks around for the next segment, another Human Lab with exercise products. JoAnn, a new mom, tried the Hoodi-Spray, an appetite supressent. Julie tried the WeightView website which motivates through images of yourself at a thinner weight, and Patricia tried the Thimage Weight Loss Program which claims to help you by changing your mindset.

Christine Bybee is on hand as a nutritionist to give us the low down on the diets and such. She’s been there, done it all on her own. Ricki says she tried the master cleanse once - and only lasted for 4 hours. Haha!

As for the Human Lab - Patricia says she didn’t see any difference in the scale or measurements, but she saw some differences in the way she was thinking, which made her happy. Joann said that the Hoodi-Spray didn’t do anything for her, and it sure didn’t suppress her appetite - it’s supposed to be used along with diet and exercise, but as Joann says - if you’re doing the diet and exercise why do you need the spray? Julie LOVES the Weight View website, and the way they motivated her to lose 15 pounds. She feels great and strong, and has more energy. It gave her confidence and motivated her to join the gym and start to eat better.

Christine adds that the number one key to success isn’t for sale. It’s conviction and determination to do things the right way that is the ultimate program. She does offer up some tips for some supplements to help and aid you in your journey. Vitran multi-vitamins, Pro Endorphin, Marine Omega-3 Fatty acids and ABC and Tea daily B complex.

Next up - my boy Colby is on hand to talk about the Olympic Games - sort of. Tyson foods challenges Rachael to come up with a recipe to help feed the athletes in Beijing! Rachael decided to take and adjust the most downloaded recipe from the site- Buffalo Chicken Chili - and send it off with Colby to the Olympic Training Center where they serve 1000 meals a day!

37 lbs of chicken for Rachael’s dish for just lunch! He talks to a dietician on hand and says that the Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac meets all the needs for athletes in training! Colby played around with some weight trainers, some fencers, and then served dinner. It got rave reviews all the way around, and Rachael’s recipe will make the cut and be going to Beijing with the athletes this summer!

Of course, that’s what’s for dinner tonight, Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac!

We start off in the kitchen today for a snack for itty-bitties home from school that they can make themselves - Banana Sushi! Of course, Rachael says “big kids like them too - I ate like 7 of them earlier.” Ha!

Then she switches Tempo a little bit, because Dancing with the Stars season two champ, Drew Lachey, is in the house. First question, of course, is where does he keep his Sparkly DwtS trophy - he keeps it on the Bar, because it’s a little loud, and you have to be drinking to truly appreciate it. He still keeps track of Dancing with the Stars, and is enjoying the hosting gig for Carrie-Ann vs. Bruno Dance Wars. He’s also still touring with DwtS too - he loves the relationships he’s built through the show. He jokes that keeping up with his current 7 day a week schedule is made possible by a lot of booze.

He laughs when she asks if he dances at home and says if he doesn’t at the clubs, people are like PSHAW he cant dance. He has a standard to live up to, of course, and people ask him if he knows things that he doesn’t really. All the dances were made specifically for him and the piece of music, so most he remembers is that the Cha-Cha starts on two.

Drew gives us the inside scoop on Carrie-Ann and Bruno - that they really are like that, and it’s a challenge to referee them and get them to hold back a little - and he has to translate for Bruno half the time too! But he’s having a blast and loves it. He’s also a medic, being trained in the Army. He met his wife, who’s a dancer, and then he got 98 Degrees and everything has snowballed from there. His wife does the cooking, but he boils water - grills and does omelets. That’s the extent of his cooking. Lea, his wife, has gone on tour with him in order to to steal some time together. And Drew gets AWWWs all around as he busts out the pictures from his wallet. And she dances better then Daddy - he says she has soul!

Lea Lachey provided the snack of the day, from her new company The Sugar Cup. Drew is pleased to say he gets to nibble all the fruits of their labor before they send them out - not the ACTUAL cookies sent out, of course, but the test batches.

Next up - Chris Jordan - how cool is he? He takes pictures and makes statements about the environment. Every picture involves taking hundreds or thousands of items that represent what we use on a daily (or by minute) basis. For instance - 426,000 cell phones a day are thrown away, so he gets a few phones, photographs them over and over and puts them together digitally to make a large image. A former Lawyer, he left it all to chase his passion. His art is now traveling museums in an exhibit called Running The Numbers.

Next up - Chase Crawford from The Gossip Girl steps in to join Rachael on stage. He talks about moving from LA to New York and getting lost on the subway, but he loves it. He also loves the newfound fame, though he’s not used to it and trying to keep his head on straight and treat people with respect. Sometimes he does mess with folks who ask if he’s Nate from Gossip Girl - and replies “that’s so weird, I get that all the time, what’s Gossip Girl?” and gets told that the show is great and he should watch it. Other times he just smiles, and talks to the girls who want to send him emails and be pen pals and the like.

His family aims to keep him down to earth, and sent Rachael some photos that Rachael joked that he should sue - because who would do that to someone they love? He looked like the Cracker Jack kid. Personally, I loved the striped jumpsuit that made him look like he broke out of Toddler Prison. Awesome.

Last, but CERTAINLY not least - what’s for dinner tonight? Dinner Size Texas Chili Cheese Fries!

On Friday, the Rachael Ray Show took to Bryant Park to film Rachael Ray on Ice, an upcoming episode which will be shown on January 31st. Rachael joked that she was complaining she never got to go out and do anything, and is always asking John to go ice skating, so they brought the two together for a day of fun. Many fans waited 3 hours or more to get a seat by the rink and watch the taping - they were cold, but excited to see her in person during the atypical show.

Guests for the day are Dennis Leary, who plays hockey with Rachael, Olympic Figure Skater Emily Hughes, the New York Rangers’ Adam Graves and the Guinness World Record Holder for breaking the most blocks of ice with his hands in 60 seconds. Also on hand, Angie Schindler of Sea World, and some of her friends.

The whole set was made of/surrounded in ice, including the couches and yes, even a cook top where Rachael makes what looks to be a steaming soup/stoup to keep warm with the aid of hubby John Cusimano.

Even one of the suxters was in attendance - what’s a show without some naysayers, huh? (grin) Of course, her commentary is filled with the sux, but if you’d like to read it, it’s here. Don’t say I never did nothing for ya, Suxers! (I even have one that lurks around here on occasion. Hi, Molly!)

See more pictures after the cut!

Oh - and! We’re having a bit of a problem with our over-excitable spam filter around here, so if you comment and it doesn’t show up right away - fear not! I’ll fish you out of the spam pond asap!

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Monday
Drew Lachey and Chace Crawford

He’s a Dancing with the Stars champ, but did Drew Lachey’s little girl inherit his dance moves? Then, Gossip Girl cutie Chace Crawford wasn’t always so dreamy … and we’ve got the pictures to prove it! Plus, a snack that kids will want to make themselves and a slimmed down version of a cheesy dinner.

Tuesday
Ricki Lake’s Weight Loss Secrets

How did Ricki Lake go from a size 24 to a size 4 without going under the knife? Find out her tricks, and then let our “Human Lab” tell you which weight loss products really work. Plus, Rachael’s number one recipe is helping the U.S. go for the gold at the Beijing Olympics!

Wednesday
Ted Danson

When Rachael’s audience does the interviewing, Ted Danson finds himself in the hot seat … right down to the details about how he paid the bills before he was a big-time actor. Then, a woman who blew off her best friend’s wedding - and lived with guilt for 17 years - is finally confronting her face to face. And for dinner, a mile-high lasagna is taking a classic dish to new heights!

Thursday
A Gossip Diet

Could you go a week without gossiping? See what happens when four girls agree to stop gossiping for seven days. Then KT Tunstall performs her new hit song and Rachael’s got a meal that’ll feed the whole team on Super Bowl Sunday!

Friday
Diane Keaton

Rachael sits down for some very personal girl talk with Diane Keaton, who’s opening up about her family, career, body image and aging. Plus, Dr. Travis Stork helps a medical student face her biggest fear - going to the doctor! Find out the three medical tests you need to get.

It’s Friday, which you know means it’s time for The Dish! Lara starts out with Rachael’s book tour, and the bengay wrap she had to wear to get through the signings. Lara has something that might help - it’s bengay without the smell, and it’s even safe for pregnant women and children and was developed for those with carpel tunnel syndrome Topricin Pain Relief Cream. It’s not cheap, but it’s really effective.

Now to the fashion stuff:

– 1154 Lll Studio handbags. They’re custom made, and you can even have purse parties at home where they send a rep with fabrics and everything. Prices range from $20-200.

– B’s Purses - they also do at home parties, and you can become a party rep, have a bag party and make up to 26% of the purses that range in price from $35-150.

– Kissable Couture Lip Gloss - it goes from day to night, with a buildable pigment. Reapply and the color darkens with each coat. They’re each named after boys, which is also uber cute.

Time to play Audience Incognito! Today’s prize is a trip for two to Cable Beach Resorts. The Clues: on tv for over 11 years, learned to speak English from watching tv, has three kids, married on tv to their real life wife, often subs for Regis with his co-star wife - it’s the fake camera man Mark Conseulos, Kelly Rippa’s hubby!

He joins Rachael at the kitchen table, and talks a bit about living life in front of the camera, and how they deal with it. He does caution that everything Kelly says, bout half of it is exaggeration, but it’s all in fun. He’s in a new romantic comedy on the Oxygen channel called Husband for Hire. He got to work with one of his heroes - Erik Estrada. He is a child of the 80s, huh? He says he was the coolest guy. After the clip, he laughs and says of the scene with Mario Lopez “And then? We rip our shirts off…” Now that’s the way to get us to watch a movie!

Next up - when we think of Models, it’s all about the tall thin blonds… until now. The new model agency Ugly NY, the quirkier you look, the better. It’s all about being unique and different, special. Advertisers are finding that real people are giving them a success that they didn’t anticipate, getting covers in some pretty high profile mags.

The owner Simon Rogers, brought it from England where it’s been running for years by a friend of his. He says Now the idea is perfect for the times, because more real people are being used in advertising. It’s nice to see people who we can relate to in advertising. It’s an idea who’s time has come. Of course, being called “Ugly, New York” can get some interesting reactions. He’ll actually stop people on the subways and such, and hand out cards, and says he’s had a few funny looks, but never an outright bad reaction.

How much do they make in comparison to Top Models? Anywhere from $0 - 15k a day, it all depends on the job, and the person. He says one person he knows in London has made $250k in the last year, but he’s “a special kind of ugly, he’d been beaten by the ugly stick pretty well.” Roger says, with the top models, people come in and create the image. Ugly New York’s models ARE the image. Roger then surprises the warm-up guy, RC, with the offer of a modeling contract, especially knowing that he has a twin brother! Way to go RC!

Leslie Smith is the first of the new Incredible People showcase to be seen on the show. She started the business Chickin Feed to help her kids learn more about healthy eating, and turned the food pyramid into an interactive part of her family’s meals. Get your own chart at their website and bring some “chickin” into you’re daily routine!

And what’s for dinner? Bucket O’Chicken with Ranch Dip.

The short hair is back! Maybe someone listened to me after all! (ha!)

We start off in the kitchen again, with double duty foods for Chicken Parm. While Rachael is out of town, there’s a huge interoffice cook-off, and Andrew Goldmen made Chicken Parm Bundles based off of everyone’s favorite Chicken Parmigiana. Rachael shows us how she makes her own take on them with Chicken Parm Bites. While folks are snacking on those, she gives us a Viewer tip - double duty use for empty tissue boxes. Use them to save your plastic shopping bags!

Next up, it’s the incredibly cute James Marsden from Enchanted, Hairspray and 27 Dresses. He dishes about his co-star, Katherine Heigl, and he says he wishes every year could be like this. He and Katherine got along really well, because she has the same off-color sense of humor that he does.

Not only is he a fun guy, he’s a great family man too. James says his best wedding was his own (awww!) and they decided to have a lot of fun and not get hung up on the details. They had fun and got drunk. His wife’s dress had stains on it, footprints all along the bottom, and they loved it. James then admits “I’ve never had this much to say about dresses…”

Even his daughter gives him things to say about dresses - she’s discovered princess dresses and everyone has to wear them. They don’t fit him of course, so he wears the tutu’s on one of his legs. Now where’s the pictures of THAT? His son even got some airtime, as James admits when his boy gets upset, he later confesses that Dad’s x-men figurine is tied to the remote control car and destroyed in effigy. Nice.

Upcoming projects for James include The Box with Cameron Diaz, a dark morality type tale based in the 70s - a slight departure from the recent comedies and musicals, but sounds good none the less.

Up next were three women who beg for help changing their man’s style. One won’t wear dress pants, one won’t wear color, and a third hates t-shirts. One of our favorite Survivor’s, Colby Donaldson is on the scene to help out, and with Gretta’s aid gets the men to find compromises that help them step outside their comfort zone. Colby explains that a man’s ego is fragile, so you have to have a strategy, which is where Gretta comes in with these tips:

Pre-negotiate things! Know you’re goals, and what stores you’re going too as well as a time frame. Men have low endurance for shopping, you don’t want him grouchy!

Warm up and cool down - start with a visit to the electronics store, and end with lunch at HIS favorite restaurant. Makes what’s in between more palletable.

Be reasonable - men take baby steps when it comes to fashion. Wait before breaking out the fuscia!

Use foolproof colors - plum or lavendar, which is close to the blues he might already wear, or modernize any wardrobe with a nice steel grey.

Be generous with your praise - when he looks good, TELL him. Stroke that ego, baby!

- and? All three men looked fantastic with their mini makeovers, the wives were all happy, and the whole segment was a success. Little things go a long way, ladies!

And of course - what’s for dinner? Mini Cannelloni Bake.

We jump right into it today with Bob Greene, Oprah’s fitness guru at the kitchen table, were it’s time to talk about those pesky new years resolutions about weight and what not and how to do it right. Rachael joked that all January it looks like she’s in mourning because she wears a lot of black to hide what she’s been eating over the holidays.

Bob tells us that it is the wrong way to go to cut your foods and calories start off - the best life diet (also the title of his book) is to move more. We’re not necessarily eating MORE, statistically only about 2% more, but we’re moving up to 60% less then in previous decades. If you don’t move, you’re more prone to every possible problem including headaches and stuff. Back in the day, people were walking and moving and kids were playing outside and such - but now we’re all staying inside at desks and computers and tvs. You need to move at the minimum 60 minutes a day!

The Key - Move more! take the pressure off of your eating program and move, exercise. Stairs instead of the elevator, park father away from the doors at the grocery stores, little steps. Exercise is a hard sell, but you simply have to move more! Like Oprah says - she hates exercise every day, but just make a commitment to move. Find things you enjoy and make a commitment to do it.

Next, look at your emotional eating - what do you eat and when? Late night eating is usually a sign that something is off. Try to cut off your eating at least 2 hours before bedtime. You can adjust the ‘late night’ thing to your schedule. (so it’s OK that I don’t get up till noon and eat my breakfast then. Ha!) Food that sits in your stomach overnight goes directly to your hips! So think about that.

If you’re trying to drop weight, exercise daily! To maintain, 3x a week.

Key eating rules - eat breakfast! Not the grand slam pancakes eggs and bacon, try something like a spinach fritatta which is just as filling, but only 208 calories instead of 1400 for the grand slam. Try other replacements as well, and find flavorful options that are much better for you. Once you start eating the good stuff, you’ll start to crave it instead of the fat drenched chicken parmesan.

Beverage wise - ditch the soda folks! Replace it with water or tea - Green tea has the most health improving properties. (Too bad I hate the taste of tea - but I have gone to water instead of my beloved diet crack coke.) Best time to work out is in the (your) morning, because it boosts the metabolism and you burn calories all day long, reving your engine at a higher idle.

There’s no one best food to eat - we’re meant to have a variety, so don’t stick to one thing. For breakfast, complex carbs and proteins, like eggs and eggwhites are good. Healthy fats, and the best oil is, of course, Olive oil. EVOO Baybee!

The number one way to get off of a plateau? Up you’re pace. If you’re jogging a 10 minute mile, go for a 9.5 minute and it will force your body to release body fat. It’s the number one way to get off a plateau.

Want a copy of Bob’s The Best Life Diet? Click here and try to win one!

Next up! Our buddy Jared is back with some cute and furry animals, as well as the one animal on earth that scares Jared! It’s a Kinkajou! Of all the things to frighten someone… I laughed out loud! Of course, it’s because he’s been bitten by one before as a kid and they are known as being the nastiest drunks of the animal kingdom. Ha! Jared didn’t even hold him, but had an assistant do so! Too funny! There was also a Wallaby Joey, a little fox, and an 120 year old Alligator Snapping Turtle. Awesome!

(** As an aside - is it just me, or does Jared totally have the hots for Rachael? Or does he get that close and snuggly with EVERYONE? Just sayin’. **)

Want a set of the new stainless steel pots from the Rachael Ray line? Click here!

Then, of course - what’s for dinner? Smoky Tomato Soup with mini Grilled Cheese Sammies!

So, Rachael’s hair is longer again today - either it’s pre-haircut and they mixed them around, or she’s got extensions. Sigh. I LIKE the shorter hair! Dammit. Why don’t people listen to me? (Probably because I am only a fan, but whatever! (L))

We start off in the kitchen today, where Rachael shows off her new toy, used to make Apple Ebelskivers (stuffed apple pancakes). How cute were they? Lovely little nibbly bits, that made my mouth water.

Then it’s time for the raciest Human Lab ever! Three co-workers try out products that are supposed to increase the sex drive! Carolyn says that it’s hard to switch from hectic supermom to being with her husband and is trying the Hubba Hubba Tea. She says that the sex drive hadn’t increased, but she found it let her emotions switch gears and think of what might be ahead and let her set her other worries aside. Now ‘making a cup of tea” is their little code for a good night, indeed!

Jamie lives with her finace and tries out the Bring Back the Passion hypnosis CD (you can even download a free copy!) to try and bring back the spark she remembers from when they first got together. She said the CDs didn’t result in a bigger sex drive and more sex, but that when she DID have sex, it was more intense. It brought bag the giddy emotional response toward her Fiance too.

Mary Ann says her sex drive is good, but not a priority. She uses the Scentuelle Patch that you wear on your wrist, to use the sense of smell to arouse a romantic response. She loved it - the smell triggered an immediate sense of happiness and peace, and that it worked for her. She called it her Happy Patch!

Dr. Hilda is on hand to listen to the results, and to give her own take on these products. First off - everyone thinks that they are having less sex then everyone else - but there’s no norm. The 3x a week number puts pressure on us, but the truth is, whatever makes you and your partner happy? That’s perfectly normal for you. Problems occur when one person wants more then the other. The Doc adds that most of these products are safe, but if you have to put anything into your body, and chat with your doctor wouldn’t hurt. To the above products, she also suggests ArginMax and Zestra which increase the sensitivity of your nerve endings and “Sends you to the moon, baby!”

Cojo joins Rachael next to talk about the latest celebrity styles for 2008 and to give some affordable alternatives to high-end trends. Sometimes the steals are better then the splurges, so look out for them. Don’t be shy with your shoes - two-toned shoes are all the rage, as are small clutches with big bows, and quilted apparel. And the “it” animal this season is the panther - as shown by the two pendants Cojo brought with him.

Dr. Brantley is on hand to talk about Black Foods and their benefits - and thankfully, it’s not licorice. Unfortunately, it’s not devil’s food cake either. Darnitall! But the Doc, as cute as ever, says that in Chinese medicine, the color of food is linked to different organs in the body. Black foods are said to help the kidneys, and when they study the foods, there’s antioxidants that are anti-inflammatory. Eating them help protect against cancer, heart disease and aging.

The good Doc recommends black sesame seeds are high in protein, fiber and iron AND vitamin E for the skin too! Black Rice can be gotten at any Chinese market, and whole foods and other type health stores. The black color is iron, which is a blood builder.

Black beans are loaded with fiber, and help regulate blood sugars and control cholesterol. Mix with any type of protein or grain - it’s the best kinds of fiber.

Black rice vinegar helps thin the blood and control blood pressure. Also helps give you more energy too!

Then, by viewer request, Rachael helps herself keep her New Years Resolution and make more of what we want to see. Today it’s Black Bean Chili, healthy and delicious!