Watching Rachael Ray

Monday
Post-Baby Body Blues with Val

Valerie Bertinelli and three new moms are about to go where no woman has dared … they’re talking about pregnancy, the post-baby body blues, their sex lives and more!

Then, an American Idol winner surprises a huge fan with a back-to-school makeover, and Rachael has a new recipe for all-veggie soup!

Tuesday
Jamie Lee Curtis & Jerry O’Connell

Two-time Golden Globe winner Jamie Lee Curtis gets honest about life at 50, and then this mother of two weighs in on the explosion of teen sex in the media.

Plus, Jerry O’Connell is about to become the father of twins with Rebecca Romijn, and he’s hitting the streets of New York to find the perfect baby names for their kids!

Wednesday
America Ferrera’s Big Celeb Surprise

Did America Ferrera have an Ugly Betty moment at the Emmys? See what happened on TV’s big night, and don’t miss her huge surprise from a music legend.

Plus, Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe has dressed Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz … and now you! She’s giving up their designer looks and her top secrets that’ll have you looking glam on a budget.

Thursday
3 No-Cook Suppers

In our “Human Lab: Hair Edition,” we’re testing out clip-on bangs, do-it-yourself extensions and faux eyebrows to find out if a fake hair fix could disaster-proof your ‘do!

Then, Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker’s wife Keisha is sharing the #1 beauty secret she learned on all those red carpets, and Rachael’s got three simple dinners you can make without even turning on the stove!

Friday
Dana Delany’s Mammogram Challenge

Desperate Housewives hottie Dana Delany is challenging Rachael to get a mammogram with the cameras rolling!

Then, the Rach to the Rescue RV is heading to the Midwest, and Rachael’s got a 30-minute instant hit that will make you the hero of your household!

Rachael starts out the show talking about winning the Emmy, and her speech that she gave. When she won the emmy, she said the award belongs to the fans, so they took the emmy across the country to have fans give acceptance speeches too! Check it out here.

Next up - Bindi’s back! (Not gonna lie, the kid kinda freaks me out a bit. The whole Irwin family does/did.) They show a clip from her show, then Bindi and Terry join Rachael on set. Bindi won her own Emmy, and talks about how overwhelming it was to win. She, of course, dedicated the win to the memory of her late father Steve Irwin and his goal of animal conservation. Everything, of course, is very VERY exciting and SO MUCH FUN… It’s the second season of Jungle Girl, and they talk a bit about their adventures in filming it, and her little brother has some cameo appearances in the show as well.

Terri admits to being a lousy cook, and her best thing is Sara Beth’s strawberry jam over ice cream. Ha! They chat more still about the Emmy and what Bindi’s friends thing, and I kinda want to hold Bindi’s hand down while she talks because she’s constantly waving it in front of her face. The most wild thing she’s been bitten by is her brother. Ha.

Bindi takes some questions from kids via video, and we discover that Bindi has to be 18 to get a phone, to get her ears pierced, to have chocolate cake for breakfast, and to go to paris. Rachael jokes that’s because at 18 she can pay her own bills. Bindi says “Don’t rush growing up!” in a very grown up manner. Mom’s plan is that when Bindi turns 18, she’ll go crazy… and get MASCARA and Cola! GASP! Nice.

Next up, it’s the crash of the Ugly Betty set! She comes with food, of course, and chats with America Ferrera, Vanessa Williams, Eric Mabius and Marc Indelicato (who could not possibly be ANY cuter) and the rest of the cast too. You can check it out here!

And if that’s not enough for you - we have the Ugliest Dog Challenge. And there are some UUUGLY dogs up in there! They get some Nutrish as a gift for coming out to the show, and then after a break Rachael talks about the message boards at the official rachaelray.com, and what some of the folks are saying.

Then another quick break - has anyone else noticed the shift in advertising spots? They are all at the end of the show now. The first 20 minutes is without commercial, then it’s every 2 minutes it seems like for the rest of the show. It’s nice at the beginning, annoying at the end. Thank goodness for DVR Fast Forward!

After all of THAT - what’s for dinner? Taco Pockets, of course. Yum!

This is the first outfit I haven’t liked this season - go back to the dark colors, style team! We’re in the kitchen right off today, though, as we talk about meals on a budget and stretching your dollars at the grocery store with Chicken Wing Broth and Noodle soup. This comes up because Stephanie and her husband have six kids, and are having problems making ends meet and making healthy meals for the family. They often have to sacrifice quality for price. They walk whenever they can, do haircuts at home, Kevin rides the motorcycle to work, as it’s cheaper on gas, and they’re considering cutting Harp lessons for their daughter. Even with a monthly food plan, it’s hard to be sure that the kids are getting healthy choices. The kids find it boring, there’s not a lot of variety.

Rachael has some new meals that will help them stretch their buck. They are (and the prices are based on 6-8 portions - and clearly not Alaskan food prices. For us, add at least 2 bucks, possibly more per meal.):
Spanish Chicken & Rice: $10.75
Potato Kielbasa Bake: $9.45
London Broil, Smothered Onions and Crispy Smashed Potatoes: $21.14

Sara Lee stepped in then, and gave the family $10,000 toward groceries for the year.

Rachael shows us how to use a piece of dry spaghetti to light a candle, and Jeff Probst (Yay, Mr. Dimples!) tells her if she just rubs two sticks together for 45 minutes she’ll get fire too. Yeaaaaah. Ok.

Rachael says she has a lot of jobs, but Probst has one she would never want - to go to the farthest reaches of the planet to torture people, why? But she does, of course, love it when he comes to her set to torture people - bring on Mr. Dimples! They do call a truce, as they’ve tortured each other, so this time it’ll be other people. They talk about the Emmy’s, and Jeff Probst’s win for best host. He took his mom and Mama Probst is the most proud mom in all the world. AWww…

So on to the torment. It’s a Soap-iver challenge, where three soap stars will particpate in Soap on a Rope. From One life to Live, Brandon Buddy, All My Children’s Chrishell Stause, and Kane Manera from Guiding Light. When Rachael asks Brandon what his luxury item on Survivor would be - it’d be Rachael so he wouldn’t starve. Jeff points out he’s in charge of the challenge, and Rachael says it’s MY initials on the wall! Chrishell is all about the girl power, and Kane says that he could survive if it was Rachael with him - Rach loves this game so far! Ha.

Soap on a Rope - they will hang on the rope, swing, and hold tight. Rachael points out it’s not that easy, because her staff tried and didn’t last long. Soap-ivor’s ready? GO! Jeff laughs and thinks they should steal this one for a challenge for Survivor. They start blowing soap bubbles at them to make it more difficult. Rach and Jeff go to chat while the Soap stars swing.

They talk about the new season in Gabon. (Did ya catch the premiere? if not - check here! I gotcha covered!) Jeff says it’s all about the people - you like them, or don’t. The contestants make or break the season. Jeff talks about the contestants - the gold medalist, who’s strong and big, and is she going to hide it? Then there’s Randy, who’s funny but coarse, who sits in his underwear eating pizza making wedding videos and he doesn’t believe in marriage. He mentions Ken, too, the video gamer - who thinks role playing will help him. They show some pictures of the crew living in tents until their little living huts arrived. The arial shot of the camp is amazing, they build their own town really. There’s a shot of the kitchen, and a menu for Rachael. The best? A picture of Jeff peeing - right before the open. Nice. *L* (it shows nothing, but funny none the less!)

The Soap-ivers are still hangin, and they will have to make it one hand… Rachael hits the kitchen, while Jeff watches them to make sure there’s no cheating. What’s for dinner? Brown Rice and Black Bean Burrito.

We come back from a commerical just in time to see Brandon fall. *L* awwww. Jeff snuffs his soap torch by covering it with a cloth. his “bubble has been burst” aw. *L* Back to the kitchen for dinner, and when Dinner’s ready, Rachael decides to declare it a tie - Chrishell, who’s hanging effortlessly, gets the trophy, but they both get to eat dinner!

- and neither one has to eat the tortilla Rach set on fire while she was paying attention to something else. Heh. Nice.

Robin joins Rachael right away at the kitchen table, looking, according to Rachel, “cute as bug!” What did the Dr. Phil family do for vaction? they spent four months on a yacht in Europe. They let their youngest take three friends, and it wore them out! They felt like chaparones on Spring Break. They chat a bit about The Doctors, who her son is on. The show is a good way to digest medical advice in the privacy of your own home, and it’s everyday people with everyday issues.

What does Robin watch on tv at night? They love In plain sight, and American Idol. Which of course leads to Dancing With The Stars, and how Phil and Robin both have no rhythm at all. They didn’t even dance at their wedding.

They talk about Dr. Phils new book, and some of the most challenging days of her life. One of them is part of his book, is the death of a family member, and the pivotal time in her life was when she lost both her parents, and she didn’t know what she would have done without her husband. She felt all alone, and Dr. Phil told her she’d never be by herself, he’d never leave her.

They talk about her outfit, because Robin is so pleased that in this tight economy - she is still in fashion, on the cheap! Her dress is $49, shoes for $12, and a belt for $5, that she got at Target. She loves everything in the store. She really goes down and pushes her cart through Target - and confesses that when the kids were young, their favorite thing to do was to get out the Target ad and circle what they wanted for a Monday outing.

She also plugs Cargo Cosmetics, eco-friendly Plant Love, which also raises funds for St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital. You plant your empty tube from the lipstick? And it grows wildflowers. Cool! Robin also works with Reach Out and Read program, that gives free books to toddlers, including the Pigeon Book Series. Hit up the giveaway for the chance to win!

The audience, of course, has questions. First off - tips for speaking in public. Robin says that she gets nervous too, and she has three suggestions. Remember that it’s not about you, it’s your message. Relate to the group your speaking too. And last but not least, practice the speech, use the mirror or a loved one, and get used to the words.

Another audience member, of course, asks about the divorce rumors. Robin says it is emphatically NOT TRUE. Don’t waist your money buying those papers, they will never divorce. never! There’s more with Robin backstage where she talks more about it and her secrets to a successful marriage. Check it out!

Next up - the last thing kids want to do is report to the principal’s office. What really happens behind those doors? There’s a new TruTV series calles The Principals Office, and lets viewers peek in behind those doors and see what really goes down. Eric Shenninger says that their job is not easy, and they have to expect the unexpected (Hey! That’s BB’s tagline!) Yolanda agrees, and hopes that this helps parents see that they really are working for the betterment of the kids. Now the biggest thing they deal with revolve around technology. Ipods, txting, cheating by using them, and Yolanda says that onsistency is a must - parents don’t text your child while they’re in school, knowing that they aren’t supposed to have cell phones in class.

Another no-no is to ignore the chain of command by going straight ot the principal instead of discussing the problem with the child’s teacher first. They have four years left to make sre the kids learn everything they need to know about resolving conflicts, and you can’t teach your child how to do that in a work place, society or relationships by stepping in and skipping steps. Yolanda and Eric are answering questions on the message boards too!

What’s for dinner? Caesar-Style Spaghetti! Yum.

Yay! Ty Pennington has just moved to New York and is there with Rachael, and she flirts with him (Who wouldn’t) while seeing what he’s been up to, before giving him a housewarming present for his new kitchen. He jokes about searching for a place in New York and how he had to cut down on space - and he kept being show fixer-upers and they’d be all “You can make it work, right?” and he’s all “uh, no. not so much.” They’re both downtown people, and Rachael says she loves Central Park, specially to bike, or skate.. and Ty jokes “Or mug… I’m KIDDING!”

Ty gave a little video tour of his new apartment, and you can see it here. Be sureto hit up the giveaway button for your chance to win a copy of Ty’s new book, Good Design can Change your life.

Ty laughs about his inability to focus, that’s why he constantly has things going on in his head, and even if he manages to get a sentence out he’s like YES! but that’s why he’s always working on something new. He shows some home videos of him traveling and trying to drive in England, and how he hit the sound guys car, and couldn’t find the gears… and it’s funny. REALLY funny. But nothing tops the attack of the goose!

He also shows off some DIY tricks, using simple geometric shapes to make cool graphics and art for your walls, to using your camera, and using pictures you take as art. His favorite tools are his camera and computer - he takes pictures of EVERYTHING… Big tip that I agree with 100% — always use a duplicate and keep the original picture unaltered so you can always start over. I learned that the hard way. Heh.

This season on Extreme Home Makeover, it’s all about heroes, and not just firemen, military, either - the season premiere is an every day mom who made a pledge to take care of her sister’s kids - all 14 of them. We get a peek in Ty’s lunchbox to see his perfect lunch to take on the go.

Need some housewarming gift ideas? Give the gift of food. Fill a skillet or reusable shopping back filled with some pantry staples - pasta, olive oil, fish or tomatoes, and add some of your favorite recipes to the mix that adds those ingredients! You can also give a gift that keeps on growing - topiary plants or flowers. A tip for those who keep flowerboxes in the windowsill - put pencils, pointy side up, to keep pesky pigeons and birds from messing with your flowers. You can also try a mini-garden - which is TOTALLY cute.

A gardening tip - your own organic plant food. 1 oz hydrogen peroxide in one cup of water. Spray at the base of the plants and leaves once a month. And one last idea - a Green Cleaning basket. Put together the eco-friendly cleaning products, and other items in a little tote to help them keep their new place clean.

Rachael got to go backstage at a Celine Dion’s concert, bringing her a before concert dinner. They talk a bit about birthdays, the fact that Celine does actually eat. Celiene really kind freaks me out, gotta say. It must be the Show of ADD, or something, because omg. Slow down and chill, people!

Dr. Travis is up next for some viewer questions. Is it safe to do a Cleanse? He says it’s realatively safe to do so every now and then. He doesn’t buy it, thinks it’s more hype. Go for a high fiber diet with plenty of water instead. The Colon knows how to cleanse itself.

And on that appetizing note - what’s for dinner? Spaghetti Squash with Super-Thick bolognese.

No matter your political views, this election will make history, and today in the studio we have John McCain and his wive Cindy. The McCain’s join Rachael at the kitchen table. Rachael is happy to be alive and voting in this election, because it’s made politics a kitchen table topic, it’s made politics poplular again. McCain agrees, and says he admires Obama for helping to get the talk started, and it’s an interesting campaign, very interesting. There’s a lot of life and energy, and the best place to talk politics is standing around the grill.

Rachael talks about being a product of the American dream herself - and asks if they ever thought they’d be this close to the white house, ever? They laugh and say no. John was a pilot, and Cindy thought she’d spend her life married to the Navy. John tells Rachael she’s the American dream and inspiring to everyone, and not a bad cook. Heh. Rachael talks about the guest she had and how expensive food is, and what are they going to do about it really? They talk about health care and how to pay for it, and the best way is to get our kids healthy now. John plugs Rachael’s cookbook and says yes, there are healthy recipes there, and then skips the real meat of the question and goes into the housing market and how people are losing their homes and how people are hurting and they need to create new jobs. He says that people want reform in the government, and they’re right.

Rachael asks “Mrs. McCain” about the choice of Palin, and Cindy says she was excited, because she’s a perfect fit and she’s so thrilled that John is the first republican to choose a female running mate. John jumps in with soem love for the First Dude, Todd Palin, and how he’s the real deal, and races snowmachines and is a commercial fisherman, the most nobel of professions.

(… As an Alaskan, excuse me while I throw up in my mouth a little. Ok, back to the show…)

They talk about Piper, the 7 year old, who’s “the best politician in all the world” according to McCain. She shakes hands, poses for pictures, calls her mom over. John finds it adorable, and says that they’ve (The Palins) all adjusted so well. McCain is impressed with Sarah’s comfort in her own skin - she knows who she is and is content within herself. Cindy says she watched to see what kind of parent she is, and they’re remarkable and their interaction, and the way they handle their kids as a couple is wonderful to watch.

Rachael mentions the relentless primary stuff, it’d be little left that would surprise people about each other - and Cindy says that John is a great cook, something that will be shown today. John says that Cindy was a teacher of special education, and it takes a special person to go into that kind of work. He hopes that Cindy and Sarah will be role models for how we as a country will care for special needs kids. He then goes back to the Grill, and why he loves it - it’s a social occasion, and the longer you’re on the grill with your friends, it’s his main source of enjoyment. There’s nothing he’d rather do.

Rachael asks if he’s in the whitehouse… John says yes! We’ll have a grill, and at camp david we’ll have a grill, and no one will grill but him. Cindy jokes “There is not a grill democracy at our house!” John jokes that he can handle more then one grill. Cindy’s first thing she’d move into the whitehouse? She can’t answer, because she’ humbled by thinking about possibly being the first lady, she can’t even go there. John says he’s so proud of Cindy, and her work with Operation Smile, with Halo, and all of her charity work.

When he can’t grill, in New York he likes to hit Times Square delies and find some of the best sandwiches ever there. And when they are home, it’s all grill all the time. They talk a bit about talking to the American public, how it’s humbling, and just a rush, as well as a sense of responsibility. Next up - they hit the kitchen, so the senator can show off his grilling. He apparently likes to buy his ribs at Costco, which surprises Rachael, and then she presents him with a Kiss the Candidate apron and he gets to work.

Slow Cooked Baby Back Ribs - vary the recipe with a hint of hickory, and keep the meat moist by squirting some lemon and don’t be shy about the seasoning. Here’s his recipes:

Baby Back Ribs on the grill
Baby Back Ribs in the oven
Roast Corn on the Cob

Next up, we check in with the Rach to the Rescue crew, and what they’ve been up too. They’ve been traveling and tasting their way across America and helping frazzled cooks along the way. Now they’re in Chicago, where Tiffany wants to cook for her boyfriend Gavin, but only knows how to reheat in the microwave. They pull up and surprise Tiffany, who watches a greeting from Rachael, and the big surprise? The winner of Top Chef Four - Stefani - is there to teach her how to prepare a gourmet meal for her boyfriend to help celebrate Gavin’s promotion.

They make a roasted chicken with pasta and a cream of mushroom sauce, with a light salad on the side. Gavin joins ad is very surprised, and thrilled to see that Tiffany is a mini-top chef. They settle down to eat, and he declares the dinner a success. They deliver deser - which is a kenmore range to help Tiffany further her cooking lessons. Awww.

And hey, what’s for dinner? BBQ Beef and Baked Bean Chili, Red Cabbage Cole Slaw and Sweet Potato Salad and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette.

Monday
John McCain Cooks!

It’s definitely not politics as usual when Senator John and Cindy McCain take over Rachael’s kitchen! They’re sharing their top-secret recipe for ribs, and there’s no holding back when the talk turns to McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin.

Plus, find out where the Rach to the Rescue RV is heading next!

Tuesday
Inside Ty Pennington’s Apartment

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s Ty Pennington lets our cameras inside his home for a special tour of his new Manhattan apartment, and he’s sharing some of his simple do-it-yourself home tricks.

Then, Rachael gets a backstage pass to hang out with Celine Dion at her sold-out Madison Square Garden concert!

Wednesday
Robin McGraw on the Divorce Rumors

Dr. Phil’s wife is going on the record with the truth about the divorce rumors, her darkest day, and her number one budget fashion tip!

Then, we’re heading into the principal’s office for the truth that every parent needs to hear, and Rachael’s slimmed-down pasta will have you coming back for more!

Thursday
Three Meals for Under $22

If food prices have you struggling to make delicious and healthy meals for your family, then don’t miss Rachael’s three easy, family-sized meals for under $22!

Then, three sexy soap stars agree to a ridiculous “Soap-ivor” challenge with Survivor host Jeff Probst, and the experiment literally leaves these stars hanging out to dry!

Friday
Bindi Irwin

Everyone’s favorite jungle girl, Bindi Irwin, is back and this time Rachael is letting kids ask the questions!

Then, Rachael crashes the set of Ugly Betty to hang out with America, Vanessa and newbie Mark Consuelos, and don’t miss the world’s ugliest pooches!

I gotta hand it to the style team so far this season! Rachael looks fantastic, still. We’d have some ugly paisley by this time last year - but not yet this year! Way to go style team!

Right off the top of the show, it’s all about Lynne Spears, and her book about live with her daughters Brittney and Jamie Lynn. They start at the beginning - why did she write the book? Lynne said that it’s evolved, it was poems and memoirs, and she realized there was a more meaningful purpose to the book and she felt like she needed to dig deeper. ” wanted my grandchildren to know their family, not believe the tabloid version.” (Hit up the giveaway button for the chance to win a copy of Through the Storm)

Rachael points out it’s surprising at the get go, because Lynne is literally a farmer’s daughter, a school teacher, a small town girl. She says everyone has the vision taht she drove her children which leads Lynne to quip “Oh I drove them. Dance practice, sports, singing lessons.. I drove them everywhere!”

Lynne says there were so many times when she’d call and ask if she needed to come, and Brittney would say no, everything was fine. She says you can’t control the media, and start to wonder if there is or isn’t a problem. It’s important to go with gut instincts… Brittney was always bouncy and excelled at everything she tried. Back then, you weren’t allowed to be on the set with the children, but now you have to be on the set all the time. It’s all evolved. They talk a little bit about the divorce, and staying together for the kids, and Lynne can’t answer the question, she doesn’t know if things would have been better if Lynne had left Jamie earlier, or if it would have been worse. But now, they’re really working together, he’s a great grandpa, and has been sober for 4 years.

Lynne says the first sign that Brittney was in trouble was the first marriage - the 55 hour marriage scared her. She thought it was only having too much fun, until then. She thought the marriage to KFed was too fast, as well, though she thinks he’s a wonderful young man now that she’s known him a while. She says, though, looking ahead, that Brittney is going to be all right. “Britney is just a sweetheart, she’s a sweet girl. She’s just been overwhelmed with too much.” She says that post partem depression had a big part in the final breakdown, but she loves being a grandma now. She’d love to be able to do the normal grandma things, but she can’t. She points out the photogs are the ones scaring the kids. When she came in to town for the kids birthday, there were over 100 paparazzi there at the airport. She told the security up front that anyone shoved a camera in her grandbabies face, she’d re-inact the umbrella scene.

How did she find out Jamie Lynn was pregnant? Through a note handed to her by the 16 year old girl “Mama, I’m pregnant. I am going to keep the baby, and everything is going to be ok.” She says she kept reading it, reading it.. then asked if Jamie Lynn was joking. Rachael says do you ask the child to get married? Or take things one at a time. Lynne says one day at a time, one thing at a time. They’re still going through steps, he’s at school, Jamie Lynn is at home with the baby, but she’s handling things beautifully, everything is great right now. Through thick and thin, though, Lynne’s biggest blessings are her children. “There’s no kind of love like that love.”

Click here with some more backstage with Lynne!

Next up! Eva Mendes is on set, look absolutely stunning, as always! She admits to being star struck a bit getting to work with meg Ryan on her recent movie, The Women. She loves the old school Meg Ryan, where you walways root for her - and When Harry Met Sally is one of her favorite movies of all time. She compared to spending time with the Women before filming were like a slumber party, at summer camp! And of course they compare notes about their dogs, as Eva says of her little baby “I’ve done everything but give birth to him, he’s my BABY..”

Ea is the new face - and body - for Calvin Klein’s new Seductive Comfort lingerie, and brings samples for the whole class - hit up the giveaway button for your chance to win some. Then Eva and Rachael get into bed together!

…to show off Eva’s new line,. Vida, for Macy’s home decor. They started with bedding, and they want to bring affordable design to the home. Eva says she’s a design freak, and loves to cut up things and sew them, it’s one of her passions, one that she shares with not only her partner, but her boyfriend too. Click here for some more backstage peeks about the project. Srsly, could Eva BE any cuter? Adorable!

And as if that isn’t enough? It’s dinner time! And Rachael has a new sous chef in the kitchen with her, Olympian Natalie Coughlin! Natalie joins Rachael to help her make a pot of Bacon Corn Chowder with Crab. She admits to keeping the medals in her sock drawer at home, though dad wasn’t too happy with that, so he installed a safe for her recently.

Click here for some more moments back stage with Coughlin and don’t forget to hit up the getaway for a waterproof case for your ipod shuffle.

Starting off in the kitchen once again to start a new segment, Meal for a Steal. A meal for four, for $7.14! Bird Nests with chicken and Broccoli. Yum!

It’s tough to eat on a budget, but even tougher - finding a wedding dress that is perfect, pretty, and cheap. Gretta is on hand to help a viewer, Shann, find that perfect gown. Gretta gives her some tips - and us too. Have a game plan - know the color, look and style by doing research. If they don’t have what you want? Leave the store and go somewhere else. Shop online if there’s a guarantee return, never go too small - you can alter down for a little bit of money, and it’ll need that altering to look perfect anyway. Go with hair and makeup ready, so you can get a better idea of if the dress is perfect, and wear the right undergarments and shoes, under easily removeable clothing. Most of all, be flexible, and think outside the box!

Gretta takes Shann and Brianna Glenn - a US national champion runner to bring the speed - to the Running of the Brides, where 1000 women battle each other to find designer dresses up to 95% off!

Shann finds her dress - the perfect one - after an exhaustive search and the original price was $3400, and they got it for $600, exactly in her budget. Shann looks beautiful, and is very happy with the choice, the price, the whole experience. (And her fiance promised NOT to watch the episode. hahah.)

Hey - what do you do with the cheese rind if you buy by the block? Blocks of parmiggiano-reggiano cheese, as for the rind, and one of the best uses is dropping it into your favorite soup to add a salty nutty flavor, same with marinara sauce. It does fantastic things to the flavor! So don’t be afraid to ask for the rind!

Next up, it’s Tyler Perry! He’s a true rags to riches story, going from homelessness to Hollywood success, working with A-List stars, like on his new film, The Family that Preys, with Alfre Woodard and Kathy Bates, who play women who are trying to get their grown children to get along. When Tyler joins her on stage he teases that her staff is the best - like Stepford Children “We love rachael ray! We love rachael ray!” Though he wouldn’t touch the food - he’s down 17 pounds in four weeks with the help of Janet Jackson’s nutritionist, who’s teaching him how to work and manipulate the metabolism. He looks fantastic!

The new movie has the same theme as all his others - they’re about forgiveness. Everything is shoot up, bang bang, and sex. He says he gets a lot of heat for trying to do positive movies, but he has to be true to himself. His motto that he lives by is just that - staying true to himself. If it didn’t feel right he wasn’t afraid to walk away.

Of course, he’s most known for putting on a dress and grey wig as Madea, the advise spewing grandma. When Rachael asks where it comes from - he laughs that it’s his MOther and his Aunt - but toned down! He jokes that the big ole broad has been a big blessing to him though. And when asked what Madea would say? “I want more money! It’s all because of me!” They talk then about his new studio that’s opening soon - and they’re just gonna work and work and work. The studio was built the eyar he was born, but was empty, so he considers it destiny. Rachael presents him with a plaque that says “A place where dreams believe” which is the philosphy that he subscribes too and considers the motto. “What I found in life is that even in my darkest times, there is a point when the dream will start to believe for you and even though you’re tired, you can’t make it, you’ll still get visions you’ll still get dreams about it happening and as soon as you keep moving, it comes to pass.”

Click here for a backstage sneak peak at Madea’s next movie!

What’s for dinner? Chicken Thigh Pie.

We’re starting out in the kitchen today, kids, for a good reason. Rachael says the friend stopping by who loved sour cream and onion chips - and he downed the whole bag, so she’s gonna healthy up the snack: Sour cream and onion dip, next to pita chips or pop chips. So who’s the friend? Dr. Phil of course.

Dr. Phil goes directly to the whole bag of chips, and Rachael admits that she helped. It’s all in good fun too. They talk about girl math - bag of chips and a few carrots, it works. He laughs and says the food backstage was really good, he had meatball sandwhichs. Rachael points out they healthy’d those up too, he shot back “I know, that’s why I had five!” Guy math works too. Heh.

They talk about the epidemic of obesity in the country, people aren’t moving around or working out. You can’t diet your way to weight loss - it has to be a lifesyle change. You can’t be overweight if you don’t have the lifestyle to support it. He’s not looking for skinny minis, just a healthy lifestyle. He’s running the Ultimate Weight Loss Challenge on his show in hopes of showing people that it can be done. It’s all about shaking them up and breaking their routine to make it happen. They talk some with the contestants of the challenge that are in the audience. The key is to lose it right, one time and be done with it. Don’t diet, change your lifestyle.

Phil also plugs his new book, Real Life - Preparing for the 7 most challenging days in your life. You can read an excerpt here, and hit up the giveaway button over there for the chance to win a copy.

OH, and the divorce thing? Not happening. Dr. Phil says that it is astounding to him that they obsess over it, and it’s the core definition of their family, he’s never going to leave his wife. Rachael points out she gets the tabloid divorce rumors too, and Dr. Phil jokes that he hates to say it, but it’s comforting when they are writing about Rachael, as it gives him the week off. Rachael grins and shoots right back “I feel the same way, brother!” Course now, they’re gonna get the split cover - getting a group rate on divorce!

They talk a little bit about The Doctors, and how it is for him to watch his son, and how proud he is of the show. They deal with a lot of issues on the show, and he thinks it’s fantastic. Then there’s a very special guest - Robin McGraw, Dr. Phil’s wife comes out to introduce them to Maggie, their rescue dog, and she’s clearly loved by the family. It’s the perfect opportunity to plug Rachael’s new dog food, of course. They talk about Nutrish, and they bring it out and Maggie gets a little snack and she eats it on the set. 100% of the proceeds of the selling of Nutrish goes directly to animal rescue organizations from coast to coast. (hit up the giveaway for a sample of Nutrish too!). Backstage Dr. Phil points out that Maggie is a picky eater, and he’s shocked she loved the dog food - he might have to try it himself. Ha!

It’s time for the first Human Lab of the season! This time, it’s baby safety devices! One mother isn’t sleeping because her son is used to being cradled, so when he wakes up, he won’t go back to sleep without it. Another mother of boys says the hospital isn’t a strange place for her - because they tumble and run and walk and toddle.. al over. Another wants to know how to go to a public restroom, and deal with the situation with a baby while she’s out.

One tests the Zaky, meant to simulate a mother’s touch, another the Thudguard, a helmet for toddlers learning to walk on hard surfaces, and the third tests the Baby Keeper, that hangs the kid on the bathroom door while you pee. Haha!

The Zaky didn’t work the first night, the second night helped, and by the third night they slept all night long. Please note it’s not suggested for constant use under 6mths of age - if you use it, take it out of the crib once the baby is asleep. Susie says the Thudguard was conceptually a good product - but had issues, he wouldn’t keep it on, he got too hot, and well, it’s silly looking, so she won’t use it on a daily basis. Even the doc says bottom line - you can’t bubble wrap your kid. The baby Keeper wasn’t quite as successful, as it was complicated to get on, but as she got arond to using it, it’s a great idea, but it’s not quite right for her since she didn’t start while her kiddo was younger. Check online for the top 14 baby safety tips from Dr. Ari Brown.

So hey, what’s for dinner? Plum Good Pork Chops, and Jalapeno Rice.

(This is where Lessa admits that she never watched 90210… I know. Shocking, isn’t it?)

Shannon Doherty is at the Kitchen table with Rachael to talk about Beverly Hills 90210 then and now. It’s been 14 years, but now the series is back and Shannon has joined to recreate her infamous roll as Brenda. They talk a bit about her leaving the show the first time, and Shannon says it was the easiest decision she made, as it wasn’t the good place for her anymore. When she was asked to go back, she wasn’t interested at first, but with the outcry of the Fans who all wanted her back, she decided to come back as the ultimate thank you to her fans.

Shannon admits that she likes Bernda more now - her fashion is better, she’s still sassy, but she’s fun now. Brenday’s been in New York and London, fashion forward, no more high wasted jeans, which makes Shannon much happier. She says the best thing for Brenda has been getting out of 90210, and her attitude is ‘whatever’ and she’s very cool, and more mature now. Shannon gives some good advise about keeping the lines of communication open - especially in the work place. Don’t get sucked into the drama, the hype. She also says that now, she’d fight the bad press, and draw a line in the sand. not every little thing, pick your battles, but stories that are detrimental to her career, she’ll fight.

They talk about the new show, and says it’s a lot of fun, and the new cast is great. She does make a ‘work-fession’ now that it’s been so long since her first stint on the 90210 set… she actually stole a car - for 15 whole minutes - she bottomed out on a bump and her co-star took the blame. Awwwww. A couple of audience members give their work-fessions too. Robin told her boss she had a twin, so that she could call in sick to the library - and still show up to the library to study. Joey snuck off to sleep in the bathroom on the job. One of the RR staffers confesses that she spilt a soda on the new carpet and the boss was furious and she looked through the footage and told the boss that it couldn’t be seen. Haha!

Up next, after a quick peek into the backstage pantry where Rachael tells us that it takes alot of pounds to make one pound of frozen spinach… (….) - it’s time for a pantry makeover. KC is on hand to help Lori organize the pantry that her husband won’t even go into. First tip? Make it pretty. If you make it pretty, you’ll want to keep it need. After the whole makeover, Lori says her husband sure hopes so!

This month, Bill Clinton has declared it “Go Healthy Month!” and he’s on hand via video to ask that people commit to getting healthier and getting exercise. Check it out!

And hey, what’s for dinner? Tuna Casserole.

She’s come a long way from not knowing what Chicken of the Sea was, hm? Or so they’d have us to believe, right? Right. Jessica joins Rachael at the kitchen table right at the top of the hour to start chatting. Her hidden talent? She burps. Sexay. She declares there’s another hidden talent that she’ll show later on, it’s a surprise. Rachael points out that she seems so happy, and Jessica agrees, says she’s very happy and comfortable. They plug the new CD, and how she co-wrote the songs. “I just went to Nashville, plopped myself down on people’s couches and spilled my guts. It was theruputic, I’m happy to share my heart with people again.”

Jessica jokes that people forgot that she actually works, not just drinks Starbucks and pumps gas. She’s staying southern lately, and away from LA and learning more about football and impressing her friends. She says it’s easier there, in the south, being yourself instead of dodging paparazzi. When it comes to going country, Jessica declares she’s going to stick with it. She never felt quite at home with pop music, but she feels at home with the country music - it fits her voice and she loves the lyrics and it only took her 6 albums to figure it out. Heh.

Dolly Parton wrote on of the songs on the album and sang on it with Jessica, and Jessica admits to having a crush on Dolly, Rachael calls it her rock star moment. Rachael then shows off her Jessica Simpson boots and earings, she loves her fashion - and Rachael looks very cute today, btw - the denim skirt and boots make her legs look fab! I’m liking her looks so far this year, keep it up Style Team!

Jessica’s inspiration for fashion comes from people who are individuals - and her mom. Then they talk about her perfume, Fancy. (Click the giveaway button for a chance at your own!) She talks about the process, the differerent smells, and says that if you’re in an elevator and pass gas, no one can tell! Now that’s some great perfume! Rachael, of course, always smells like a salami.

The craziest thing Jessica has had written about her was that she gave birth to her dog, Daisy - or impregnated with an 8 headed alien. She’s not allowed to say the sex of her sister’s baby, and she’s looking forward to “spoiling that kid rotten.”

Talk moves on to cooking, and Jessica says she can make some mean chicken and dumplins - that’s her hidden talent, so it’s off to the kitchen to do exactly that. She sucks at explaining what she’s doing, but Rachael helps her and they get the dish put together. Jessica says “I’m a dork.” Yes, yes you are.

Then Jarod Miller is back with cute lil baby animals, and ones that shouldn’t scare Rachael… much, including African Lions, wallabys, kangaroos, and a baby vulture. Jessica can’t resist them either - stopping on her way out to cuddle some of them too.

After the animals take off, it’s time for dinner! Jerk Turkey Chili with Fried Okra.

Monday
Jessica Simpson’s Romance Secrets

Stand back … Jessica Simpson is giving Rachael a cooking lesson! She’s also opening up about life with her quarterback boyfriend, and sharing her new perfume and country music CD.

Then, Jarod has five baby animals that even Jessica can’t resist, and the Value $quad has the one shoe you need.

Tuesday
Shannen Doherty’s 90210 Confessions

TV’s original bad girl is back in America’s favorite zip code, and she’s sharing her biggest real-life 90210 confession.

Then, watch Kristan’s incredible makeover of an out-of-control pantry, and Rachael whips up a bargain family meal made from ingredients you already have.

Wednesday
Dr. Phil: “We’re Not Getting a Divorce!”

You’ve seen the tabloid rumors about his marriage, and now Dr. Phil opens up about his personal life. He’s also challenging America to get healthy with the Ultimate Weight Loss Challenge, so find out how to get involved.

Then, three moms put unusual baby products to the test in our “Human Lab.”

Thursday
Family Dinner for $7.14

It’s Rachael’s meal for a steal that the whole family will love … and it really is only $7.14!

Plus, one of the hottest men in show business, Tyler Perry, gets a surprise from Rachael, and it’s the infamous running of the brides as Gretta helps a viewer find the dress of her dreams on a budget.

Friday
Britney’s Mom Speaks Out

She raised two of the most famous girls in the world, Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears, and now Lynne Spears opens up about her family’s struggles.

Then, Eva Mendes shares her hidden talents, and Olympian medalist Natalie Coughlin is Rachael’s new sous chef!

I’m liking the dark colors Rachael is wearing now days - she looks good and her voice is sounding better today. Rachael tells us she was hugely addicted to America’s Got Talent, and the audience agrees - because “it would be un-American to not love this show!” And Jerry Springer is in the house!

Not a single audience chant of “JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!” and I find myself disappointed. Le sigh. Jerry shows pictures of his pet pig, Bella - who he didn’t mean to buy it. They were gonna sell the blue ribbon winning Bella for Bacon, and he bought her for $1000. (That’s a lotta bacon.) Of course now, he has to pay $100 a month to feed her, and he has to put her in the will, and is living better then he is. Ha!

She asks if he’s still “gliding” after his stint on Dancing with the Stars. He laughs and says he was pathetic, everyone was so much younger, and he ended the dance in the same corner every week because that’s where the paramedic’s were! Ha! But he didn’t get in the best shape, as he ate a lot of cheeseburgers.

He loves doing America’s Got Talent, because they’re just regular people, 10s of 1000s of people auditioning. He says it’s heart-wrenching sometimes because he meets the families and it’s so important to them, they’ve never been the center of attention and they want to do well, but sometimes the Judges are so rough he feels bad. He talks about 4 year old Kaitlen… and then jokes “And the people on this show, I’m not used to it, they have teeth!”

They decide to make Jerry a judge today, and they try to prove that the audience has talent. They even get him a buzzer - since there’s no sparkly lights, the audience makes the x when he hits the buzzer.

The talent? A beatboxer: He’s pretty good! He gets the audience behind him, and there’s a lot of applause, including from Jerry and Rachael. Jerry mimics the Hoff “You are what this show is about!” and calls him unbelievable.

April, a ventriloquist. …It’s pretty blah, Jerry almost buzzes… then does buzz when she makes a Scott Peterson joke. Jerry tells her that the standard is the winner last year, Terry Fader, and to compete with him, you have to be good. Fader signed $100 million dollar deal.

Josh - he solves the rubix cube in under a minute. Rachael is trying to mess up the cube for him, and Jerry tried to buzz her but the audio guy is sleeping. Haa! So they start timing him, and he starts spinning - Jerry says he spends too much time alone. Says he can talk while he’s doing it… and he solves it in… 38 seconds. Jerry was impressed that he wasn’t looking at it… He asks if the kids at school used to beat him up a lot, he says nah. Cute kid. They say don’t laugh at him, one of these days he’ll own some computer company, buy and sell them. Ha!

Last up - David and Joey. Old school roller skate disco guys. In their 40s. Mkay. Jerry said it was entertaining, but reminds him of the show-offs in the middle of the rink on a sunday afternoon, and when they fall you feel so happy. Hahaha!

Jerry’s clear favorite and winner of 2 tickets to the Hollywood Finale of America’s Got Talent? The Beatboxer. Everyone else gets dinner for 2 at The Striphouse - which a disappointed Jerry finds out refers to steak. Bummer. Hah. More with Jerry backstage - he even begs for a to-go bag from the greenroom. ha!

Next up - Waitress confessions… dundundun… Rose and Heather, the authors of Turning Tables, are on hand to help you learn what not to do in a restaurant. They assure you that you can expect professionalism, but you need to give them a fair shot, and treat them respect and they’ll take care of you. There’s a lot that can go wrong if you’re not nice - they even admit to being a revenge waiter. One would actually eat pieces off their plate before delivering it to them. They never know and stay thinner that way.

Their tips? Don’t ask personal questions. Make a reservation, and cancel if you can’t make it. Treat them like professionals. Don’t snap at them. Don’t touch your waiter - they may avoid you then. Don’t ask for multiple substitutions. Bottom line? You can be a demanding customer, but smiling, being polite and a good tip goes a long way toward getting good service. (Hit up the Giveaway button for a chance to win their book!)

After some Value $quad tips, it’s dinner time - Cheesy Tater-Topped Chili.

Rachael starts out in the kitchen today, and talks about snaking through suppers, and how it’s back to school and teenagers are hanging out, so it’s a twist up on Nachos! Pretzel nachos with Turkey Dogs.

This segues right into it being tough to be a teenager, and how things are worse because people don’t have the money to afford looking like tv stars and the popular kids. Today it’s all about helping one of Rachael’s teenage viewers, Katie, get a back to school wardrobe and look like the girls from the hills. Rachael’s show give her a personal shopper - and it’s Whitney Port from The Hills to help her shop on a budget and figure out what she can and can’t get on her budget, getting the staples and a lot of items to mix and match. Whitney stresses that accessories can be used to dress up or dress down a look. Whitney then says “ok” about 15 times. They hit H&M and Forever 21 for their looks, and Whitney says to be bold, and take some chances, don’t be afraid to stand out.

Whitney Port then joins Rachael on set, where they talk a little more about shopping on a budget. Rachael thought watching them shop was fascinating. (…ok.) Rachael proves that it can be done, because her outfit is under 100 bucks, except for her shoes, of course. Fortunately - she looks pretty damn good today! She should shop cheap more often!

She is happy that there are options out there for ‘older women’ too. Time for Katie to show off her looks (And that scarf has GOT to go. OMG. What is with that trend right now? Who wants to wear vomit around their neck? Whatever. At least the scarf proceeds are going to charity.) So the outfit she’s wearing was 120 bucks… and they had $200 to spend. Ok. Other models show of some of the rest of the looks they got and showed some of the mix and match-i-bility. (the third scarf is better - but still. heh.)

Rachael helps out the accessories by pulling out a tray from her new ‘walk in closet’ - bracelets and bobbles and cute little hoopies.

Next, they talk about The Hills and how real it is. Whitney says it’s pretty real - the drama, the controversy, and they’ve never been handed a script. She wanted it to be her, and show who she really was. It’s changed the way people treat them, and changed her life completely in terms of attention. She says when she’s stopped when off camera, she gets a huge reaction - not in LA, where there’s celebs everywhere, but at home it’s different and people stop and stare, and get a little nervous. She tries to lead a good example, and feels good that people look up to her. She asks for teasers on the upcoming season - Whitney says she’ll be in NY a lot, and see some of her dating situation.

Her side job and real passion is designing clothes, and she’s wearing her own designs on the show, and it’ll all be out in stores soon. And something for the whole class - last season of the Hills on DVD for the audience.

Next up - a clip of various peoples gardens and how much they grew when Rachael challenged them to grow some of their own food, including a 15 year old who grew her first garden with her grandparents. Her grandpa taught her the gardening, and Gramma taught her how to cook it, and they saved $256 over the summer, and best of all she had fun.

Then - how to get value in your meet department. Butcher Ray is there to show how to get your best value for meats.

Ground Chuck - 80% meant, %20 fat - best for meatloaf and chili.
Ground Sirloin - best for hamburgers.

It’s good to have the chopped meat dark on the inside - the red comes from oxygen hitting it, and there’s nothing wrong with it - if you open the chopped meat and it’s not dark inside? be a little wary. If you’re not using the chopped meat that day, freeze it. If it’s a piece of meat, a day or two in the fridge won’t hurt it, but that’s the max.

Picking a good package - make sure the plastic film is clear, and there’s a bright color. Blood at the bottom of the package, not clear wrap, it’s been handled, so stay away from that so that you get what you’re paying for.

Here’s some more tips:

Choosing choice or prime cuts “You don’t necessarily always have to have prime,” Ray says. “There’s a lot of cuts in ‘choice’ that are very well marbled and very reasonable in price because they’re off cuts. Skirt steaks, hanger stakes, they’re great items. They’re very kid friendly — kids go great with the skirt steaks, teriyaki marinades and they’re not very expensive because they’re not your mainline steak items.”

But if you’re in the mood to splurge, Ray points out prime cuts. “If you want that top-end steak, that NY strip steak, the rib steak, you are better off now spending a little more for the prime,” Ray suggests. “With the prime you’re going to get better value, because you’re going to get what you pay for. You’re going to be talking about that steak for days.”

Ask for Help: He suggests going to a shop with a butcher where you can request a piece with no bone and minimal amounts of fat … That fat doesn’t add to your taste; it only subtracts from your pocket book. You’d rather have a piece that’s trimmed down.”

Look at the Numbers: Compare the boneless price per pound to the price with a bone … you can’t eat the bone but you’re still paying for it!

Extra Tips!
Top sirloin is great for kabobs, which can be portioned easily for a light meal. It’s also rich in nutrients - just 3 ounces of lean beef provides more than 10 percent of the daily requirements of protein, zinc, iron and B-vitamins.
Top round London broil is a very common low price sale item. Just marinate for tenderness and this affordable cut can be a very flavorful, tender cut of beef.
Roast beef is also often overlooked these days but most cuts are very reasonably priced and make an easy, satisfying meal for a family.

Then we get to see Rachael’s wildest fan - a 600 pound silverback gorilla, Mwelu! It was discovered by an 8 year old who was reporting for his mom’s blog. Awww, cute! For his birthday, Rachael sent him a special message, and promised to see him when she’s next in Memphis. The zookeeper declared Mwelu is in love. Awww.

After a quick q&a with the audience, it’s time for dinner and It’s Not your Mama’s London Broil.