Watching Rachael Ray

The final two are back to go head to head as we declare a winner! Like any good ‘reality stint’, there needs to be a full recap of the competition to date - then it’s time for Angie and Pete to go at it while the former contestants watch from the front row and cheer them on. Suzanne says she’s rooting for Pete, but hopes they both do well. Angie says she’s not done anything special to prepare, just ready to get to it. Sweet Pete says that he hopes nice guys don’t always finish last… He feels good and is ready.

First challenge - a memory test. They show them a picture of a finished kabob, and they have to recreate it from the ingredients in front of them. Pete finishes his first - but it’s wrong and has to keep working, and Angie sneaks in for the win with just a second to spare and gets the advantage for the big final challenge!

They’ll have 30 minutes to create a high end meal for a special Celebrity Chef - who demands the very best - Chef Gordon Ramsey from Hell’s Kitchen! Angie is star struck - it’s cute, and poor Pete is like quaking now, but still smiling - though he’s asking for a helmet and protective gear. Hahah! Rachael shows them examples of dishes Gordon Ramsey would want to see. HE wants presentation, but flavor is important. Imagination and excitement - he tells them to just let it roll, let it grow for the full half hour.

The catch? The main ingredient is HOT DOGS. Ramsey is like “….oh dear.” Angie gets to choose her dog of choice, since she won the first challenge. She takes the Deli Style - she wants all the fat, she says, and she assigns Pete, and she says he’s been good to her all along, so doesn’t give him the lowfat version - he gets the Angus dog. And they’re off to the test kitchen to get started!

Angie works on Angel Hair Pasta with “Hot-tie” dogs, and Pete works on Beef and Scallops Three Ways. While they do, Rachael talks with Gordon Ramsey about his new book, Fast Foods. He says his house is like a zoo, with four kids and a perfect wife. The book is accessible hands on easy recipes for busy families, and the book itself is beautiful too.

He has three girls and a boy at home - and he says that the bathroom is a nightmare, so he and Jack, his son, have decided there will be another boy. They just haven’t told the wife yet. He admits that he’s not the tough guy at home at all, they even have two kitchens, his and hers - saves the fighting for sure. His new restaurant is due to hope on Sunset soon. He loves to surprise his chefs, they don’t know when he’s coming, but they’re like partners and keep him on his toes as well, just as he does them. He always knows what’s going on.

He says the success of Hell’s Kitchen has helped him get through customs - the agent said he’d push him threw if he called him a donkey - so he did, and customs was a breeze. Gordon joins Rachael in the kitchen and teaches her hw to make Sticky Lemon Chicken, a kid-friendly recipe from the new book. He bribes his kids to eat their vegetables - he told his son if he doesn’t eat them his willy will shrink (”Jack eats while looking in his boxers - it’s working daddy!”), and for the girls, their boobies won’t grow either! There’s no problem eating veges in his house!

You know, I kinda like him a lot more then I did before after this interview. He’s FUNNY. Who knew?!

Next up, they check up on the contestants in the kitchen, with less then two minutes left. Angie says hers is where little Italy meets the Bronx. Pete is going more upscale, even finding some caviar in the pantry. Chef Gordon checks in to see if they’re tasting, if they’re happy with the finished products, and gets them to tell them what is in their dish, and they get it plated and time is up! Poor Pete broke a serious sweat, but they’re content! Chef will taste, as we go to the kitchen for Rachael to make dinner - her take on the hot dog challenge: Polish Pigs in a Blanket with Dill Slaw Salad.

And the champion is…. Chef Ramsay has made his decision! Cue Creepy Lighting! Godron loved Angie’s food, it was tasty, fast, well executed and she was spot on with the paprika. The lettuce was soggy and unneeded, the plate was a little big. Gordon loved Pete’s scallops, it was balanced, and tasted good. Down side - it was a little too greasy. And the winner is - SWEET PETE! His family is there and joins them all on stage to congratulate him, and the next time we see Pete - he’ll be cooking in Rachael’s kitchen. We’ll see ya when we see ya!

It’s nearing the end of May, and you know what that means - Reruns! 3 new shows this week, then we start the repeats - which are linked to their original recaps!

Monday
“Hey, Can You Cook?!” Finale

It’s the final battle in our “Hey, Can You Cook?!” showdown and the two remaining contestants face TV’s toughest judge, Hell’s Kitchen’s Gordon Ramsay. Only one will pass the ultimate test and survive to win it all - including a trip to Paris!

Tuesday
Valerie Bertinelli & Leah Remini

After losing a combined 200 pounds, two women get a second chance at their dreams with a little help from Valerie Bertinelli. Don’t miss an emotional, inspiring story from Hawaii about taking charge and changing your life. Plus, remember Leah Remini’s battle to wean her 3½-year-old off the bottle? See how they’re doing now.

Wednesday
Cindy Crawford

The supermodel and supermom opens up about food, family, her secret crush, and her favorite guilty pleasures! Then, think it’s tough to feed your kids? Try cooking for 50 college kids every single day! It’s payback time when thankful fraternity brothers give the surprise of a lifetime to the woman they depend on.

Thursday
Minnie Driver - Repeat.

How do you know when it’s time for your aging parents to stop driving … and then how do you tell them? See what happens when a daughter asks her mom to hand over her car keys live in our studio! Plus, Minnie Driver is hanging with Rach and singing for us, and for dinner it’s a hearty chicken stew all the way from Sicily.

Friday
Helio Castroneves - Repeat.

Helio Castroneves may be a Dancing with the Stars champ, but how does he do when Rachael gives him his first-ever cooking lesson? Then, international superstar and sexy singing sensation Enrique Iglesias tries to “Stump the Rach” … and it could get a little naughty! And we’re also having breakfast, lunch and dinner with two-time dancing champ Cheryl Burke.

That is an AWFUL shirt she’s wearing today - the cut is great, but the pattern… ew. But that is beside the point, of course, as we get right to the excitement of American Idol’s Clay Aiken! He jokes that he feels like grandpa to the new crop of little AI kids who are part of the huge production of AI - he and Kelly used to joke that they had to do it old school and walk 10 miles to the studio in the snow…

They talk about the Claymates - and he laughs and says they’re confused really, but it’s wonderful. He never can quite understand why they love him - it’s still overwhelming, and it’s hard to believe now with the stunning specimen that he is, that he used to be a geeky kid so it’s fairly odd. He had a blast on Broadway with Monty Python’s Spamalot, and said he didn’t expect it to be as fun as it was, and it was different every night. New York City scared him a bit, but the food is great and he can’t cook, and could have it brought to him any hour of the day! He no longer runs away from NYC. He’s met some of the nicest people ever and it was a great experience all the way around - he says they talk kinda funny (with his accent of course…)

He’s excited about the new album, full of new stuff and he’s proud to have included songs that say something, after learning through experience and how it makes you how you are. He’s also thrilled to be working with UNICEF. He was a teacher before Idol, and he talks about education for them, working on programs in Uganda and Afghanistan, and encourages folks to get involved with the organization. It works in 156 countries and have saved more children’s lives then any other organization - so get involved!

It’s nice to see how personable he is - it was a cute interview! Click here to see him answer some more questions backstage.

Next up - my favorite food network star - Duff from Ace of Cakes! WHOOO! I *heart* him. He says it’s crazy how much it’s grown - he started in his living room, and now it’s huge. He was a personal chef and in a band. He wanted a job where he could go on tour - he knew he had to own the company in order to do so - decorating cakes was the only thing he could do out of his apartment without it being a health code violation! Not that that’s a problem now, of course! He’s thrilled when folks tell him thank you for making baking cool.

He was a graffiti artist, and one to break the rules - so he took some of that into the Cake Decorating, and turned the heat up on preconceived notions using blowtorches and arc welders, and he asks where Rachael’s is? She says she doesn’t have one, and he counters with his love of fireworks. His insurance agent threatened to drop him like a bad habit if he sold a cake like his dad’s with fireworks in it.

His worst cake disaster was the boat that fell apart during one of his Food Network Challenges. His mom was in the audience and started crying, and he hugged her and said it was ok - they’re gonna give him a tv show - and they did! The most memorable cake was for the opening of Harry Potter - it’s amazing!

Next up - some double duty baking tips in the kitchen - simple things: no rolling pin, use a wine bottle instead. Need a smooth edge on the fondant? Use a pizza cutter to trim and tuck. Rachael is pleased to have made a baby earth out of the fondant, though she’s clearly nervous about rolling out the fondant - even as she’s thrilled by the creases just smoothing out. He shows her how to make a piping bag, and puts Isaboo’s name on the cake quickly. Other tips include using things around the house - bracelets and such - to press patterns in the fondant to make interesting designs - then highlight them with spray paint.

Anyway - LOVE DUFF. In case you hadn’t figured that out already. (grin)

Oh - and the challenge! She’s making a pasta dish for dinner, and Duff is going to try and decorate a cake out back to look just like Dinner for desert. While he does that, Venus Williams stops by to serve up the snack of the day. She travels all the time with her racket, ready to play - she stole it from her sister. Ha! Her favorite win was the -05 Wimbledon because she had to fight so hard for the final. The match against Lindsay Davenport was ranked as the longest-ever woman’s final. Venus keeps that trophy by her bed.

Venus has been playing all her life, and training since she was four. She says she’ll play her whole life and there will come to a point where she won’t be obsessing over every little point anymore and that will be good, and hopes to relax into a nice retirement after winning a few more times. She’s headed to Beijing in hopes for a three-pete with a third gold medal.

She also has her own fashion line, called EleVen at Steve & Barry’s where everything is under $20. She says she wears everything on the court, it’s her life. Enter to win a Venus Williams Eleven gift bag. She also loves powerade zero - all the hydration, none of the calories.

What’s for dinner? Roasted Caprese Spaghetti - and yes, the cake decorated by duff looks exactly like it, right down to the dish she is serving it on!

We start off in the kitchen today with a plug for the Yum-O! Family Cookbook, 100% of the proceeds that go to the Yum-O! charity. It takes kids from breakfast, to lunchbox, to dinner. She makes several cream cheese spreads for breakfast or a snack, including ways to cut carbs and fat: to help get rid of some carbs, scoop out the insides, or cut it in thirds, or use the mini bagels. She makes a BLT Spread, an Asian Veggie Spread and what she calls a Bunny Spread (Because rabbits like to eat the vege’s in it.) (I know.) The point of making them at home, of course, is so that you can add more vege’s with less of the cream cheese.

All the kiddo centric snacks can only mean one thing - SuperNanny Jo Frost is here! She’s just wrapping up the 4th season of Supernanny, and says the one thing she’s learned about the parents she’s helping is that they all say they’ve tried it, and it doesn’t work. With further talk, however, she learns that they’ve skipped steps in the technique - either because they don’t have the patience to follow through or be consistent. When they get her in the house, they know what they’re going to get, and she helps them make it a priority.

They surprised a viewer who’s about to give birth to triplets! She says she needs all the advice she can get as a first time mom, so it’s Nanny Jo to the rescue. They told her they would attend the baby shower as part of the segment, but surprised them with Nanny Jo instead. Lauren says she’s nervous and wonders how to take care of all three at the same time. She says at the end of the day, realize you can only change one bottom at a time, and it’s ok to tell her family and friends she’ll call them back if she’s busy with the baby or simply needs to sleep. Nanny Jo takes Lauren on a surprise shopping spree at Babies R Us and helps make sure they’re well stocked for their new arrivals.

Nanny Jo isn’t without some key advice for all expectant parents - Take care of yourself. You need your rest so that things don’t become so overwhelming, so take care of you so that you can take care of the babies. And secondly, communicate with your spouse - talk about everything and anything, so that you become confident parents in that first year.

Nanny brought along some of her favorite things - she’s into aromatherapy body lotion, candles, and Lime and Coriander Handwash.

Rachael then turns the tables though, and lets kids ask Nanny Jo some tough questions about issues with their parents. Brett wants to know why he gets in trouble for behaving badly, but his parents don’t. Jo says that parents are responsible for them and set boundaries for what is healthy for him. The things that he’s getting in trouble for are them teaching him family values - but it’s very important mom to lead by example. It’s critical not to be hypocritical.

Kylie asks why it’s ok to lie when mom tells her to tell someone on the phone that she’s not there… Jo tells mom she needs a voice mail message machine to work. Don’t ask the kids to be honest then show them examples of how you’re not always honest. Mom needs to answer the phone and say hey, I can’t talk now and learn to say no. Teach telephone etiquette too, to help the kids be safe because they don’t know who’s on the other end of the line.

Allison wanted to know why she has to eat her vegetables, when dad doesn’t eat his. Jo says daddy needs the naughty corner! It’s all about setting a good example for the kids. If they don’t like a particular vegetable, it’s ok, try something else. You’ll find something that they like.

Don’t forget to sign up for a copy of Nanny Jo’s new book - Jo Frost’s confident Baby Care.

Miranda Cosgrove takes us on a BLD - showing us her favorite restaurants to eat at while she’s working. She’s so cute - my kids LOVE iCarly!

Next up, Ben Barnes, Anna Popplewell and William Moseley are on hand from the Chronicals of Narnia, Prince Caspian. (I recently read a review that complained that the kids get to Narnia “not by the whimsical magic wardrobe, but by a subway tunnel” and how he hated that and felt it made the new movie less magical then the other. Clearly, he’s not a fan of the books - as that is EXACTLY how it happens. Harumph. Been waiting to get that off my chest. Moving on…)

Ben says that he was picked on by the cast when he joined, but they were very open and warm and welcoming - just as he expected. He did get razzed everyday though, and William protested that it sounded like they were serial bullies - not the case at all. They were all three, of course, delighted by how well the first movie did, but they just go on set and try to make a good film and hope people like it. They were excited that there was much more ‘real people’ fighting and locations this time around. There’s still a lot of cgi, but it’s expanded into even more human filming. The three stars were very cute and the accents are absolutely lovely - even when teasing Anna - she said she tried out for Hermione in Harry Potter, but then again, everyone in London did. “I didn’t try out for Hermoine!” protested Ben, though he was assured his hair was just as fine as Hermoine’s. They were all disappointed not to meet Eddie Izzard though, and the lines that made it into the movie weren’t the same ones they worked with so it was exciting to watch. Anna says “You never know when you’re going to be upstaged by a mouse!” Too much cute on one stage!

And we’re not done yet! WHEW. Gossip Girl’s Penn Badgley joins Rachael at the Kitchen table. Did you know he was named after a tennis ball? He was! Mom confirms. Penn then confirms that they only do photoshoots in bed. Ha! He then joins Rachael in the kitchen, after Rachael asks him if he likes to cook for the ladies. He admits he doesn’t do it often, and gets him to help her make what’s for dinner - skillet roasted chicken with potatoes rosti. Penn does say that he can make anything with eggs - his secret ingredient? Hummus. Alrighty then.

And we’re out! See ya when we see ya!

Cute outfit today, as Rachael welcomes Patricia Heaton back to the show. She says she’s having fun, and promptly jokes that she was belching pork balls in the make up artists face while getting ready for the show and thanks for that. (Sexay. Heh.). She does love being in New York but doesn’t get to do a lot of things that she’d want too. In LA, though, she lives next to Korean Town, and has discovered their spa, where they do a salt scrub and deep tissue massage and Patricia says its fabulous - your skin is shining, and burning… Rachael admits she’s spa phobic, and when John tried to give her a neck massage she screamed so loud his head went through the dry wall. She likes the creams and potions, but not so much the HA!

Patricia is 50! It’s true 50 is the new 30. She says embrace your age instead of trying to stay younger. It’s too much pressure. Every year she takes her girlfriends on a trip for her birthday - this year it was Hawaii. Last year they gave her a membership to the LA Gun Club, to take her boys. This year, they gave her opera lessons because she had mentioned she’d love to go back into singing. Rachael says she has a huge voice packed into her little body. Patricia had auditioned for a black gospel musical - she sang something from little shop of horrors and got the job.

Rachael says that means, of course, that before she goes - she has to sing! But before that, it’s time to hear where she’s going to go drinking vacationing this summer - she’s doing a tour of the southwest for all the cheesey exhibits and such they can find on the way to Vegas. (She won’t have to hurry, though, since the show’s been recently cancelled. heh.) The audience members have questions for her. Jodi asks her what she likes to watch on TV. She loves reality shows, and just met Brooke from American Idol, especially the auditions. Then she loves Project Runway - and is friend of Laura Bennette. Another one asks how her family enjoys her music. Patricia says her boys hate it when she sings broadway in the car - especially when they pull into school, so she has to switch it to bad to the bone. Her kids want her on American Idol though. Awww. She thinks they should do Celebrity Idol, like Dancing with the Stars. Rachael says she won’t do Dancing with the Stars until they give out enough fabric to cover her backside. She says she’s not giving up her s’getti for nothing!

Then they put that voice to the test - She sings Amazing Grace, and is surprised by the mount Olive Baptist Church Choir who joins her halfway through. (How she could be surprised when the guy goes to the keyboard in a CHOIR ROBE, I’ll never guess… heh.) She baubles a bit at first, but then finds the right key and belts it out. She’s not bad - not GREAT, but not bad. Course, she’s laughing as the choir joins, so that didn’t help. The Choir though - THAT helped.

Poor Colby, he’s still snoring. He’s exhausted all other things, so now it’s time for the big step to end it once and for all - hopefully. Colby is back, with his doctor in the front row - Dr. Raj Kanodia, who explains that Colby has a deviated septum. It usually occurs when you’re young, and there’s an injury to the nose of some sort. Colby’s nose has been broken, and that’s likely when it deviated, impeding his ability to breathe. Colby agrees to go into surgery, and takes the cameras with him.

The Doc shows him the twist with the scope, but gives him some good news too - it’ll all be done from the inside, no cuts or bruising, no breaking any bones. A couple days of discomfort, and that’s it, so recovery should be easy. We watch bits of the surgery, and see up Colby’s nose once again, and Dr. Raj Kanodia says it looks amazing, he can see all the way back to the throat as it’s supposed to be. Colby wakes up and the Doc tells him that it’ll change his life, it’ll be great, no black and blue, and Colby says he feels great. That’d be the drugs, Colby.

48 hours later, they pull the packing out of his nose, and he takes his first deep breath through his nose and says the difference is amazing, it feels a million times better. He’s looking forward to his first good nights sleep. Colby joins them on stage and one girl in the audience is practically in tears she’s so giddy to see him. He begs Rachael to get the cameras out of his house now - she says deal. It’s barely been a week, there was no swelling, bruising and he can’t even describe how much better he breathes. He says the amount and quality of sleep is fantastic - he needs an alarm to wake up now, because he gets that deep sleep for hours longer then he used too.

He hadn’t seen the tape to see if he’s snoring any longer or not - but the breathing better is enough of a plus for him. Rachael shows him the tape, and it’s night and day difference - no more snoring for Colby!

A couple of tips for those who can’t afford the surgery - use a humidifier to moisten the air, and don’t sleep with your pets. (HA! Not gonna happen.) Colby won’t kick Deuce out of his bed, but he did get a humidifier and says it’s fantastic as well.

We meet Kathy Wright, the latest Incredible Person, who uses dogs to help kids get exercise, through walking the dogs twice a day. The kids use a pedometer to see how long they walked. She also gives them lectures every week to help them eat better. And that, of course, means it’s dinner time! Individual Quiches.

We start off in the kitchen today where we’ll start with a fast, faster and fastest meal - Chicken and Stuffing style. First up is Roast Chicken and Roasted Veggies with Mushroom-Apple stuffing for the fast version.

Time for the first guest, a good friend and a good eater, of course, and they both love the Big O - Oprah. It’s Gayle King! After Rachael tells her she looks good in Yellow, Gayle calls her out on how she said she’s a good eater, not a good cooker, which is honest because she doesn’t cook at all. She makes pancakes with bisquick, so she has something, and Gayle says Rachael always makes people feel good. The funny part is that Gayle doesn’t cook - but is there to promote a cookbook. She says she’s not made the recipes, she’s eaten them though! It’s the new O, The Oprah Magazine Cookbook.

Gayle, of course, was impressed with the food back stage, and they talk about Rachael’s dislike of mayo. Gayle counters with her dislike of cottage cheese, she says it reminds her of curdled milk. Rachael says it tastes like ricotta cheese. After a break, they talk about their mutual love of Oprah. Gayle says she had a great time on the road trip with Oprah - but it drove Oprah crazy because Gayle sings in the car. They had a lot of fun meeting people across the country, which Oprah enjoyed much more then Gayle’s singing.

They touch on the tabloids and how they take a grain of truth and build a story of lies around it. Gayle asks Rachael what she and Oprah are fighting about - and Rachael says nothing, she sent her a note an snack of the day for her birthday, and Oprah sent back a note with a butterfly on it. Gayle says it doesn’t bother her anymore, and Rachael says that usually she does, but reading about the Oprah thing broke her heart.

Gayle has some of her favorite things - spanks, clogs, and cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery. Then they put her on the spot with Truth or Dare. Truth first - have she ever missed an episode of the Oprah show? She says no, she records it every day and the only time she didn’t watch was the week her mom died in 94 - but has caught it in reruns. Then it’s time for a Dare, and Rachael dares her to sing her current favorite fun. Gayle only does it because Rachael does it with her, and they hold a little singalong and channel they’re inner Mariah Carey.

Then it’s a Splurge vs. Save, Wedding style. Melissa Floss of The Knot shows how to have a dream wedding on any budget. You have to pick your priorities, and then they show off the latest trends and their inexpensive counterparts: flower girl dresses, bridal gowns, cakes, centerpieces and chocolate favors. The one that amused me the most was the Styrofoam cake with the real cake bottom layer used to cut and eat for the ceremony, then they take it out back and bring in sheet cakes to eat. Funny! Of course, mine only cost me the supplies to bake it, because a family member made mine. Said family member also stole all the left overs and I never got anything other then that first bite, but whatever. *snerk* It was still cheap!

Then it’s back into the kitchen for the Faster version: Mushroom-Apple Stuffing Stuffed Chicken Breasts with parsnip Smash and Fennel-Apple Saute. Then the Fastest - Mushroom-Apple Stuffing Stuffed Chicken Roll-ups with Pan Sauce and Apple Fennel Salad.

We’re down to three in the ‘Hey, can you cook?’ contest, and Rachael’s back to wearing the collared shirt tucked into her jeans. Is this the same outfit she wore the other day? I’m not sure, but I still don’t like it, though it can’t be the same shirt/jeans because it does look smoother then before. It looks alright, but it’s just not… not as good as she looked Friday. Oh well - time to get to the contest.

A recap, of course, as we watch Pat leave with her doggy bag, and it’s time to get to today’s contest. Colby whisked them off by helicopter for the next challenge, and they’re all nervous. Pete guesses that they’re going on a helicopter before they get there and poor Angie is mortified - says they crash all the time. Poor girl! Colby doesn’t tell them where they’re going, just that its 130 miles away in CT. They end up at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino.

Everyone is nervous, not knowing what to expect as they stand in the Marina, where 10k fans will pack in to see their guest judge. He prefers a light and healthy meal before he performs and their challenge is to create one light, energizing, protein-based meal for Michael Buble! They spin the roulette wheel to determine the main protein they will use in their dishes. They have 45 minutes to prepare and deliver their meal to Michael’s dressing room. They spin the wheel, and Pete gets Turkey Breasts, Suzanne gets Pork Tenderloin, which she says she’s least familiar with, and Angie gets Ground Lamb.

Colby gets them started, and they rush into action. Angie makes lamb kabobs with yougurt sauce, Suzanne is making an Asian inspired pork tenderloin, and Pete goes light with turkey with citress and avacado on the side. Angie remembers to make a smaller patty so that she can taste her seasoning before making them all. Pete can’t find cold water to chill his asparagus after blanching. Suzzanne’s pork gets stuck on the grill, she says she likes her tenderloin medium rare and hopes he does too because that’s all the time she had.

With 15 minutes left, Suzzanne is the first out the door to start the race to the dressing room. Angie is next, and Pet takes a little extra time to make sure his dish looks perfect before he joins the race. Suzzanne goes up before she goes down, and that gives Angie time to catch up - they both make it with time to spare, while Pete races up with just seconds to spare.

Time for Michael to taste the dishes, and he’s feeling the heat too, as he has to choose a winner. He does love all three offerings, saying Pete’s is light and flavorful, Angie’s kabobs are delicious, and Suzzanne’s is a little rare, but he likes it that way and it’s good as well. He makes his decision, but doesn’t tell us, as the contestants get to relax with VIP tickets to the show.

Back at the studio, before we find out the results of the competition, Jarod Miller is on hand with more of his animal friends: pigmy goats, and a zeedonk.Then it’s Rachael’s least favorite game - what am I touching. He goes easy on her this time with squirrels and guinea pigs and a frog. Heh. Nothing poisonous this time around though, and everyone survives without too much in the freak out realm. I totally can’t dis Rachael at ALL for her squeemishness because I’m the same way. You’d NEVER catch me putting my hand in ANY box containing an unknown animal. No way jose! All you brave people without phobias and fears, you just go ahead and point and laugh. Someday, SOMEDAY you’ll get yours! (grin)

We head into the kitchen next, for Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes, and THEN it’s time to announce the contest winner and loser.

Michael said that Angie’s kabobs were delicious and melted in the mouth, but a little heavy and bare. He said Pete’s meal was light and crisp and delicious, but the culinary team said that some of the turkey was undercooked. Michael said that Suzzanne’s was tasty and pretty, but the salad was a little soggy, and the culinary team said the pork was too undercooked. Michael is on screen to reveal the winner - and it’s Pete! He takes his spot at the head of the table. He’s then joined by Angie, which means Suzanne is the one eliminated today. Click here for her final thoughts.

Monday
Hey, Can You Cook?!

The final three cooks in the competition head to a casino where they’re racing to make a meal fit for music superstar Michael Bublé! With tempers running hot, who will stay and who will hit the road? Then, Jarod’s back with new wild animals, and Rachael’s combining a Philly classic with the Sloppy Joe for one delicious supper!

Tuesday
Gayle King

We’re playing a little game of “Truth or Dare” with Gayle King, who’s talking about Oprah and the reality behind the tabloid rumors. She’s also bringing along their brand new cookbook, which you can enter for a chance to win! Then, it’s a wedding edition of “Splurge vs. Save” with unbelievable tips for planning the day of your dreams on a budget.

Wednesday
Patricia Heaton Sings?!

You know that Emmy winner Patricia Heaton is hysterical on TV, but did you know she could sing too? See what happens when she steps up to the mic! Then, Colby’s got one last chance to kick his snoring problem for good, and he’s giving our cameras complete access as he goes under the knife and then back to his bedroom … will it work?

Thursday
Supernanny Jo Frost

She dishes out tough love on her hit show, but now kids are turning the table to put Supernanny Jo Frost in the hot seat! Then, she’s got a huge surprise for a soon-to-be mom of three. Plus, Rachael’s getting chatty with Gossip Girl hottie Penn Badgley before she cooks up a simple chicken and potatoes dinner.

Friday
Clay Aiken & The Ace of Cakes

The big American Idol finale is almost here, but we’ve got one of your favorite idols right now! Five years after Idol, what does Clay Aiken think about the show that made him famous? Then, he calls himself the Ace of Cakes, but can pastry superstar Duff ace of one Rachael’s challenges? Plus, tennis champ Venus Williams talks about the one victory that meant the most to her.

Patrick Dempsy is here, and not only did her staff dress up - Rachael did too! Finally, a dress I can get behind this week! Yay! After the Sizzle Reel, McDreamy shows off his hidden talent as he Juggles out of the garage with the Flying Karamazov Brothers, showing off and working up a sweat already. (What a dork. Aren’t dorks the CUTEST?) They catch a ride over to the Kitchen table, where Patrick talks more about the juggling - he was actually ranked number 2 when he was in jr. high! Nice - though he admits to breaking 11 plates while filming the juggling scene in the new movie, Made of Honer.

He talks about filming in Scotland, and that hilarious little kilt he wore. He confirms what we all know - they wear Kilts traditionally. He, however, didn’t. Chicken. He brought his family and his daughter got to learn to ride a horse and it was a great summer vacation for them.

He says he learned a lot in the movie - and I learn something new! I had TOTALLY not put 2 and 2 together, that he was the kid in Can’t Buy Me Love! Of course the minute I saw the picture I was like OH! OMG! It IS him! in such a fangirl way I embarrassed myself. I know. You’re totally picturing me doing that now, aren’t you? You’re welcome.

He also has young twin boys who are 15 months old now, Sullivan and Darby. He admits that his wife is the tough one when it comes to the kids, but they try to be consistent, and he makes sure to take the ‘listen to your mother’ role. His wife, Jillian, is a hair professional and cuts his hair, and he says it’s time for just the two of them to reconnect, and then they get flirty and stuff and… yeah. Heh. She’s a global colorist, and are always creating new colors. McDreamy Calogne is in development, too, and he loves working with Avon and alongside his wife, in there “sniffing away”.

And what would a segment with Dr. McDreamy without dishing about Grey’s Anatomy? He says Erik (McSteamy) makes him laugh a lot, and then admits he wants Meredith and Derek to get together, and he says he thinks the back and forth will end when something happens at the end of the season. He does hope Derek joins Meredith in therapy. Ha! He also admits that his surgery scenes are all involved with small movements, so he can put his lines in there in the medical medical medical talk. During the round table read, they actually put “medical medical medical, how are you?” and then they put the correct terms in at the last minute. He says he’s dyslexic and it’s like a trainwreck, but still fun as he learns to cope with that. He writes them out, and also looks it up to see what it means and help solidify it all. Though the downside to it is now when he gets a headache he’s prone to saying “what’s going on, omg, I need an MRI stat!” and join everyone in x-raying themselves. (haha!)

He says working with Grey’s cast is like winning the lottery, there’s chemistry, writing, and great music too. Rachael shows off his cover of J. Crew from 11 years ago when he did a modeling stint. Then the audience got to ask a couple questions. Erika asks her what secret rituals or superstitions before getting onto the race track. He says he always does something different, and not to have any, not to get into his head, just to breathe. Tracy asks when the last time he watched Can’t Buy Me Love, and he says he can’t remember for sure, but it was a very special movie for him, his first turning point. He does like to watch it on occasion and laugh at himself. Kerry asks about his new cancer clinic, and Patrick can’t talk about it - his mother is the inspiration for it, but it’s too emotional and he has to stop himself, but manages to come back and say it’s the Dempsey Center for Cancer Help and Healing, and they’re revamping the website to make it user friendly and put the information within easy reach.

Next up, they play “Ray’s Anatomy” which has nothing to do with Rachael’s body, she promises. They show a piece of a picture of a famous person, give a clue, and he guesses who it is. He does pretty well, and the one he didn’t miss a beat on was Tina Turner’s legs. Like anyone could miss those!

Next up, another Superstar mom, Denise Jonas, the mom of the super popular Jonas Brothers! She says that it’s an interesting journey - but her third son was born singing. Nicholas was singing at the hair salon, and the ladies would take up a collection for him -he learned to love getting the money for singing, but then also swept up the hair. Mama Jonas works to keep her kids grounded, though she says it’s a challenge. They have strong faith and values and have taught them to be thankful and work hard - they know nothing comes easy. She says the hardest part is the schedule, but they remain a family unit, and she’s still mom, dad’s still dad, and they stick together. She admits to being a sap though, she cries every night when they perform. She remembers that she was washing dishes the first time she heard them on the radio, and even now she loves it “Turn it up!”

The boys surprise her by wishing her a Happy Mother’s Day via video from the road. She says they do good on Mother’s day, as hubby makes sure they give her a card every year, and then they pay attention and when she points out something that she likes, they take note and make sure to make it happen. Good boys! Of course it backfired once when she said she should get some anti-aging wrinkle cream. Whoops!

She’s also helping run a contest to find a mom’s craziest breakfast story, and they’ll be giving out great prizes - including tickets to see the Jonas Brothers.

All of this and dinner to? It’s a Spring Shephard’s Pie.

….isn’t that just an audience of women?

And also, hi Molly! My favorite suxtor gave me a shoutout on the Rachael Ray Sux site once again. She makes me laugh, she does, and is proof that not everyone over there is a bitter ole queen! I love it when I get shoutouts over there, though some people aren’t quite as happy about it. To me, hits are hits and I like visitors! They even send me some folks like Charlie, who happily shared his “Meeting the Rach” story with me. Check it out!

Anyway, back to the kitchen were we start this show, where Rachael is jazzing up store bought biscuit mix so that she can make an Italian eggs Benedict, because hollandaise (sp?) is too hard to make. (…can’t ya get that in a can too? just wondering…) She also makes Mom a Peach Bellini to drink alongside, to “make mommy blush”.

Anyway, moving on to the rest of the show. She’s wearing another one of those gathered shirts that I love, though I’m not a fan of the ‘belt’ on this one. She welcomes her favorite star mom, Valerie Bertinelli to the Kitchen table, where they gush with each other for a bit. Valerie has brought her favorite Mother’s Day gift, including the plate Wolfie made for her in kindergarten. Rachael asks if she’s hard to buy for, and she says she didn’t think so. She shares a couple favorite gift ideas to help some kids out though. She loves the Amazon Kindle - an electronic paper display that stores up to 200 titles, like a ipod for books as well as the Walk Vest.

They move on to talking about Valerie’s mom and how they spend mother’s day on the phone - usually her mom calls first since Valerie is awful at remembering phone calls. Rachael surprises her with first a video, and then of course Mama is there and joins them at the table where they dish about Valerie as a little girl. She shares the story of Valerie’s police report from when she was three years old (her brother and her were in the car, he let lose the ebrake and they rolled back into a tree. heh.) as well as her Easter Coat that suffered blood splatter with a bloody nose she got watching some neighbor boys playing baseball - she was sporting a lovely black eye!

Valerie says Mama never says anything bad about anyone - she denies that Valerie said she hated her when she was a teenager, and Val remembers it clearly. Mama Bertinelli jokes that she forgets a lot, though!

They end the segment with a preview of the new commercial for Jenny Craig where Mama joins Val - it apparently brought tears to Papa’s eyes (in the front row) but er.. I am not sure why. It was cute, but not that cute. But Valerie is uber sweet as always, and her parents are cute too. Click here for exclusives backstage with the ‘rents, and with Valerie.

Next up - Eric Mabius from Ugly Betty is on, and after a clip he joins Rachael on the couch and talks about his family too. He spent the Writer’s Strike spending time with the family, especially with his 22 month old son, sledding and making snowballs. He loves working on Ugly Betty, because his work family is the most ego-free group of people. He loves going to work with all the wonderful people, including Selma Hyack, who Rachael invites over anytime, of course. He and America Ferrara celebrated their birthdays forever, and Rachael says her voice is scratchy because of her Kareoke machine in her living room, and she teases him for not getting up there and belting it solo in front of his co-workers. Says Eric “I spend the week making people laugh at me, why do it on the weekend?”

Rachael talks about his dedication it’s the reason many women are angling to make him their spouse. She shows off the T-shirt that’s sold all over the UK, that says Mrs. Eric Mabius on the front. She gives it to his wife who’s joined them in the front row. And just so there’s no confusion, they made one for Eric too, that says Mr. Ivy Sherman. Ivy says that people wouldn’t recognize Eric at home - he’s 100% with Max and in the bottle, changing diapers, and is way into the dad role.

Turns out he and Ivy went to High School together, so have known each other a long time. Their so excited, having found out 2 Sundays ago that they’re expecting baby number two. They’re invited to come back and show off the new addition when s/he arrives, and then we’re off to the Kitchen for dinner - Sweet Red or Yellow Drunken Pasta and Fried Goat Cheese Salad.

Today, Rachael takes us all backstage on one of the biggest nights of her life - Café Uno Notte. I’m totally distracted by those big ass earrings… and the fact that her shirt is tucked in and the pants a little tight. But anyway…

She brought together five teenage chefs and President Clinton together to help her with the first annual charity event for Yum-O! and to launch the new Yum-O! Cookbook. Pretty daunting task for these kiddos, who not only cooked, but created their own menu. Rachael pulled them from all over the country to New York two days before the event.

Rhianna 17 says that she likes to make people happy with food. She was picked on in Jr High for being “the fat girl” and learning to cook helped chang her life. She wants to be a culinary teacher. Brett, 18, has been cooking since he was 11 and he loves to cook for his family, and teaches his younger brother helping him to open up to Brett and enjoy the meal at the end of the day. He’s also an assistant at the Young Chef’s Acadamy. 17 year old Aria is called the cake girl. She started her wedding cake business at 13, and is pleased to clear up misconceptions of how young she is by brandishing her portfolio. Bernie, 16, has been cooking as long as he can remember as his dad and grandparents are all professional chefs, and he wants to open his own restaurant. Chloe, 15, says she’s like an artist, plates are her canvas. She loves watching people discover new flavors - seeing their face as the taste explodes in their mouth is worth it.

They thought they were coming to New York to help Rachael cook something, but they discover upon arrival just who they will be cooking for - they’re the chefs, and will be running the kitchen with the help of Iron Chef Michael Symon.

With 24 hours to prep and create a menu,, Michael Symon takes them on a shopping trip through New York Markets and discover some of his favorite places to taste and work together to pull off a menu worthy of a president. Aria is tagged to make a big fancy cake, and Michael pairs up those with a little less experience with the more confident ones to even out the nerves a bit.

With 8 hours to prep and cook, they check over the finalized menu, and everyone gets their own Chef coats. The menu sounds fantastically yummy. They’re off and cooking, and the nerves are high, as they hope they don’t cut their fingers off, or stick to the meatballs, though Symon doesn’t leave them alone, there to help wherever he’s needed. Then disaster strikes with Aria and the cake! The third layer crumbled as she tried to place it on the cake, so now she has to go with two tiers instead of three, and she is struggling to not cry and says it’ll be fine, it’s all good. Hang in there Aria!

Out in the dining room, KC is on hand to take over the decorating of the entire tent, including framed pictures of the young chefs highlighted on the walls along with a chalkboard filled with their sayings. She shoes off to the kids, and they’re thrilled with the look and the way they’re showcased. Everyone gets an Enviro-Tote with Yum-o! on it too. She shows Rachael around when she arrives, and then President Clinton arrives for a tour of the kitchen as well.

The kids are shocked and amazed to meet President Clinton in the kitchen. Brett says he almost blacked out, but said some great things - to have someone that big give you the time of day is amazing. Rachael and President Clinton are shocked at how good the food looks - in a good way. President Clinton talked about their families with them, and Rhiannon says it’s mindblowing to think that someone like him thinks of her as a role model.

The dinner went off fantastically, and when it came time for desert - Aria’s cake - Rachael surprises each of the kids with a $10,000 scholarship toward their first year of collage, no matter where they want to go. Yum-o! wasn’t forgotten either, as they raised $200,000 for the charity during an auction. Everyone agrees that it was a fantastic evening, and it was topped off by Carly Simon giving a little mini concert - bringing many of the folks to tears. (..I don’t get it. But then again, I’m not a fan. Heh.)

To finish off the show, it’s dinner time, with Ratatouille.

Rachael joins us from the elevator today, and she’s in another of the gathered shirts that fit her so well - she should totally wear these every day. (…is it just me or is she doing just that this week? *L*) They’re really flattering. Anyway! She welcomes Elizabeth Hasslebeck to the show, who’s got a shirt/dress thing that’s… awful. Over leggings. Or something. Sure, she’s a stick, but ugh, ugly. ANYWAY! She declares that the ladies of the View watch her every day, and there is mutual butt kissing and congrats for awards and shows, etc.

They talk about the View, of course, and Elizabeth says it’s like being a relaxed family, and it’s a special thing to be able to sit and talk to your friends about everything. She says that they do talk about the Hot Topics before hand, but if the energy is really there, they stop and save it for the show. It’s never as good unless they save it for the table. Rachael says sometimes she’s scared of them when they get heated, and Elizabeth says yeah, it makes her nervous sometimes because everyone looks at her like she’s crazy, but she never gives up. She admits that she can’t remember any time when the ladies changed her mind about something.

She’s been on the view for Five years now - she says “Long enough to get knocked up twice!” She is thinking of having more kids, but right now she’s got to learn to handle the two she has. She doesn’t want to be outnumbered yet, because right now she fears her three year old daughter who runs the house. She’s thrilled when Rachael explains how to make the perfect hard boiled egg.

And Elizabeth’s favorite things? Her running shoes, and baby wipes - the latter of which I TOTALLY agree with. Baby wipes are good for EVERYTHING - even cleaning glass! Love them! The third is her paint chip wheel. Oookay… She also gives some parenting advice behind the scenes, if you’re of a mind to care. Heh.

I’m kind of disappointed that there was no mention of Rosie, since she was just on the show last week and talked about the View as well. Sigh. Way to softball the interview, Rach. (For the record - I didn’t even like Elisabeth when she was on Survivor. But that’s just me. Heh.)

Next up, further proof that today’s show is just not for me. I own two pairs of shoes - three if you count the winter boots my daughter wears more then I do. I don’t get the shoe fixation of women, but whatever, I’m no fashion diva on a good day. Heh. Susan Discorfano-Caiafa, however, has so many shoes that they live in every single closet in her house - even in her teenage son’s room. So Gretta, of course, takes her to Zappos.com Warehouse, and send her on a shopping spree. She just had to pay for her new shoes by giving 10 or more pairs per new pair to charity. Susan got some fantastic new shoes (I can appreciate a sassy shoe - on other gals!) and thinned her collection from over 350 pairs down to 180 or so. Still a lot. But whatever.

You can also go and pledge to donate a pair of your shoes to Soles 4 Souls, and enter to win a chance for a qvc gift card to get a pair of shoes from Gretta’s new collection.

Then Jennifer, a librarian at Eagle’s Landing High School in GA, says that she’s the Deen Brothers’ biggest fan. She’d love to have a signed cookbook for her school’s library - so Rachael brings he to New York to get said cookbook, from Jamie and Bobby Deen themselves! They donate all of their cookbooks to Jennifer’s library. The Deen boys then join Rachael in the kitchen to make Pimiento Cheese & Celery Sticks which is one of the first recipes they did when starting the business out of the house with Mama Deen. Click here to win a copy of their new cookbook. The boys also brought Rachael a fluffy robe with matching slippers. Awwww.

And hey - what’s for dinner? Thai-licious Turkey Sliders.

We started with a recap of last weeks competition, as we all know any reality competition thrives on the recaps. From start to Chrissey’s leaving, and a reminder of the prizes at stake - its finally time for this weeks Competition to begin!

The first challenge is Meatball Makin! Everyone has the same ingredients, and they have 90 seconds to mix and make golf ball sized meatballs. The most at the end gets the advantage. The ladies take of their rings, one puts it in Pete’s pocket and they admit his nickname is “Sweet Pete.” Awww. Hey, can they cook? Prove it! The stopwatch goes off, and they start mixing and rolling - the meatballs are flyin! (Ok, not really, but how exciting can a recap of meatball making be? I know, right?)

The winner is Pete with 15 meatballs! Whoo! (… oh hush.)

Next up is part two of the challenge. Rachael mentions her express meal concept. Each of the sacks of groceries has 6 ingredients, and they can use 4 from the pantry. They’ll have a time limit of 30 minutes. Rachael names off all the ingredients that are in the bags, and Pete, as the winner, gets to dole them out as he sees fit.

Angie: smoked ham, bell peppers, frozen corn, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, low fat sour cream
Pat: turkey bacon, ground turkey, asparagus, artichoke hearts, instant polenta, hearts of romaine
Pete: fresh pork sausage, vine-ripe tomatoes, snow peas, couscous, spinach, Parmesan Reggiano
Suzanne: spicy smoked sausage, mushrooms, green beans, yellow squash, whole wheat penne, radiccio.

The celebrity chef for this week is Ming Tsai. Ming tells the contestants that he’s looking for originality, presentation, and balance of flavor and nutrition. Rachael asks them if they can cook - hits the stop watch and they’re off to the kitchen to start the challenge.

While they are busy, Ty Pennington is on hand at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show conference in Chicago where he checks out the latest and greatest in new appliances, showers and baths. From refrigerators that dole out shaved ice, to naked people in showers “Wow, this is awkward!” There’s baths that turn into steam saunas, tubs that automatically cut off before overflowing, whole chickens that cook in 10 minutes in a new oven, a shower that tans you and fights wrinkles while you get clean and colors everywhere.

Ty joins Rachael in the studio next, and shows off some new gadgets in person. He admits that he tried to smuggle the fridge, but it wouldn’t fit in his bag. Heh. He does show off some cool stuff though: a set of drawers that opens by itself, just using a knee, foot, fingertip, whatever, and it closes just as easily. He has new recyclable counter tops that he loves to use, and bamboo sinks that are beautiful. There’s also a pizza oven that sits on a counter top, that mimics those used in the big kitchens. Nice! I want one of them!

They talk then about Extreme Home Makeover, and how it’s changed Ty as a person - he jokes he was a terrible child, so that worked out. He also talks about his magazine, and how he is something of a control freak, but loves to bring his friends and family in - even if it means pretending it’s Christmas in August.

He shows off some of his new furniture line - including pieces that include docs for all those things we carry in our pockets - cell phones, ipods, and such. He’s all about the little details to add function while still looking pretty. A lot of them come in mix and match forms, so you can design your own take on the piece as a whole and create your own look. Nice!

Time to check in with our kids in the kitchen! Pete is making Spinach Salad with shallot and orange dressing, with snow peas and cous-cous cake with sausage. Pat made a turkey burger with a sauce - a fork and knife burger. Hers is already done! Angie makes a quick Sunday Supper, and Suzanne did a ragout over penne, and a tri-colored salad. No one is even breaking a sweat and Rachael teases them about the judge being fantastic chef and they all admit they’re worried. Everyone finishes with time to spare - now it’s time for the judging.

While Mink is making his decision, we’re off to the kitchen where Rachael makes dinner - Ham and Cheese Mac.

Then - it is judgment time for the Hey Can You Cook contestants. Cue Spooky Lighting! Chef Ming told Angie that the Sunday Supper idea was nice, the texture differences were great, but the sweet potatoes were crunchy and needed some seasoning. She’s in the bottom two. Suzanne is told there was a lot of positives - it was hot, well seasoned, the pasta was al dente, the only one to do two dishes, but the portions were huge and he says it is an American problem. People are just eating too much, but Rachael points out that aside from that she made healthy choices and Ming agrees and declares her today’s winner.

Sweet Pete is up next, and Ming says it was the healthiest dish by far, and the presentation was the best - he might be working at Blue Gingers soon. However, the Couscous was dry and needed seasoning. He’s still in the competition and takes his seat at the table.

Which means Pat is also in the bottom two. Ming loved the sauce, says it was well seasoned and beautiful, as was the salad that had great balance. But the Turkey burger - she didn’t try it, which is mistake number one. It was cooked through.. and through and through and through. The problem was the polenta, and it absorbed all the moisture from the turkey so it was very dry. And because of it, Pat is the one to be eliminated this week, as Angie takes her seat at the table.

That’s it for today - we’ll see ya when we see ya!

Monday
Hey, Can You Cook?!

It’s week two of Rachael’s competition, and the battle to survive is heating up! See who the celebrity chef deciding their fate will be, and which aspiring cook will have to head home. Then, are you desperate for a kitchen facelift? Extreme Home Makeover’s Ty Pennington shows you the latest gadgets and appliances in futuristic kitchens that you won’t believe!

Tuesday
Elisabeth Hasselbeck

The View co-host and mother of two is sharing her top three “mommy must-haves” and her secrets for staying slim. Plus, do you think your shoe addiction is out of control? A woman with 358 pairs needs major help kicking the habit … so why is Gretta enticing her with her latest creation? Then, the Deen brothers fulfill the dreams of their number one fan, and Rachael has a new spin on mini-burgers.

Wednesday
President Bill Clinton

You’re invited to a star-studded gala for Yum-o! See what happens when five aspiring teenage chefs get the experience of a lifetime as they prepare dinner for celebrities including President Bill Clinton, Larry King and Mariska Hargitay! Then, get a rare musical performance from Carly Simon during this incredible one-night only event.

Thursday
Valerie’s Mother’s Day Surprise

Rachael pulls off the ultimate Mother’s Day surprise to an unsuspecting Valerie Bertinelli! See what leaves her in tears, and get her tips for planning the perfect celebration on the special day. Then, you know him as Ugly Betty’s loveable playboy, but you won’t believe Eric Mabius’ real-life love story! And for dinner, it’s Rach’s Drunken Spaghetti - a simple Italian dinner with a huge wow factor.

Friday
Patrick Dempsey

It’s the moment we’ve been McDreaming about all season … Grey’s Anatomy’s Patrick Dempsey is coming to the studio! He’s a hot doc, a new dad … but see if he can he handle a round of a new game called “Ray’s Anatomy.” Then, the Jonas Brothers are tearing up the music charts, and now they’re sharing a special Mother’s Day message for the woman they love.

Today’s the day - Rosie Day! Rosie O’Donnell is taking over the Rachael Ray show for a full hour of fun and confetti! Yay! They even start off the show like Rosie used to do on her daytime show, with an Audience introduction, and they even have John McD on hand to play the piano, and a curtain on stage - she loves the curtain, and Rachael was uber excited to be introduced on the show. Rachael looks lovely today - I like the shirt she’s wearing and think she looks fabulous.

She chats with John McD, and he says he’s been doing a lot of musicals and is a new daddy - and shows the picture of his baby - Beaureguard, a 5 month old Boston Terrier. CUTE! They joke about him being a deduction on his taxes. Beau can come over and play with Boo anytime! John plays her over as they spin their way to the kitchen. Cue the sizzle reel!

The Queen of Nice is in the house! She joins Rachael at the Kitchen table for a sit down, and the crowd goes wild! Rosie misses the ‘hug’ of an excited audience and jokes that after the show she made her kids do the standing applause every time she entered the room for 6 months. She says if you need a celebrity fix, hit the mall - you’re loved there! Rachael asks about some of her guests on her show - who were some of her not so faves? Apparently Robert DeNiro doesn’t like to speak, and Keanu Reeves was the same way. She had to lean over and said “Hate to tell you this, it IS a talk show - you have to talk!”

The one guest she wishes she could have gotten was Johnny Carson, though she appreciated his ability to step out of the limelight and live his life privately after fame. Rosie Jokes “It’s hard for most people - it’s like a drug. I’m going to go home and life with my kids and… is Rachael Ray free, because I’m available!” She loved the familiarity that she had with her fans with the talk show, and how she’d have so many conversations about things in the store.

They talk about her kids not watching TV - apparently the school they send them too has a no media policy. The system believes that the amount of media and images we’re pummeled with deadens the ability to learn. They have a movie night every week, and it’s part of why she wrote the book Crafty U - people kept asking what she did with her kids, and that book is the answer. Rachael says she’s crafting challenge, and Rosie admits to being cooking challenged. She made a grilled cheese for Vivi (5) and she exclaimed “I didn’t know you could COOK mama!”

The point of the book is that you don’t HAVE to be good at it - it doesn’t matter. You’re building memories, nothing else, so it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t look like what is in the book - go to her website and see what they REALLY look like. All that it is, is going to the craft store, spending 10 bucks and making what you can from it.

They talk about the View, and Rosie said she loved the experience right up until the last three weeks. What she learned, though, was it is always better when she’s the boss. She didn’t get to choose topics, and “then there was that little republican and whatever…” She has nothing but respect for Barbara Walters, and considers her a feminist hero. They did a little mother/daughter dance, where she’d get her feelings hurt and Barbara would be “why is she crying?!”

She talks about visiting Martha Stewart in prison, and how she’s really just one of us - What did she miss most in prison, Martha? “the flavor of lemon” - it’s not an act! Funny stuff!

There was SO MUCH that went on in this show - if you love Rosie even a bit you should hit up the official site and see all of the behind the scenes clips, and show clips! They even did some crafting, with a project from the book, and finished off with a song and dance number! CONFETTI!!

All of that and DINNER TOO! Go Greek Fried Fish with Roasted Veggie Greek Salad.