Watching Rachael Ray

April 23, 2009

A viewer named Martha appeared on the show a while back, and her similarity to Paula Deen fooled a lot of the audience members into thinking the Southern Butter Lover was in the house! They showed the video, and some pictures, then talked a bit to Martha about it - only to surprise her with the real thing as Paula Deen joined them on stage!

No visit from Paula would be complete without a stop in the kitchen - and this time the southern belle’s makin whoopie! Red Velvet Whoopie Pies, that is… check out all the tom foolery here!

Then it’s time for 39 year old twins Monica and Melody to break out of their rut with a twin makeover! They both feel they’ve lost their stylish look, preferring comfortably oversized t-shirts and pants on a daily basis. They’re fed up though, and want their style back again! Gretta steps up to the plate, and does the makeover - with a twist! One twin is made over with products worth $999, and the other’s brand new look comes care of products from the 99 cent store, to prove you don’t have to spend a fortune to look great! Click here for the big reveal!

Marg Helgenberger joins Rach at the kitchen table to talk about her series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, on which she’s starred for the past 9 years. The skills there have even helped bust her now 18 year old son Hughie! “He could never get away with anything!” Has her son ever been self-conscious about having a star mom? ONly when they asked her to do Playboy and he begged her not too!

She stays in shape now by watching what she eats, but isn’t fanatical about it. Getting older, the 50 year old actress knows her metabolism is slowing so is more careful with laying off the sugar and carbs.

Next up Rach makes a kitchen call, checking in with a viewer named Marie who tried out Rach’s Crispy Parm-Crusted Filet of Fish and Buttery Bowties with Peas and is surprised by a special gift from Rach.

Dinner time!
Crispy Curry Fried Chicken
Lentil Salad

April 22, 2009

The “queen of hip-hop soul” joins Rachael today, not just at the kitchen table but also in the kitchen! Mary J. Blige laughs with Rach and says that even she can lose her cool, especially when performing for the Obamas! “That was the biggest moment for me” said Mary about her performance at the We Are One concert a few days before the inauguration. She admits she was shaking before she went out, as well as while performing and that’s just not like her. “Michelle Obama looked over at me and gave me this look like ‘You’d better not be nervous! You’d better sing this song, girl!’”

They talk a bit about family - as when Mary married Kendu Issacs, she gained a husband and a family. She says she’s learned confidence from Kendu’s children, and to be very sure of herself, just like they are. Be loose and free, let life be life. She says the kids are picky - they don’t like sauces, mayonase or ketchup. They like chicken and bread - dry, just like their dad.

Does she have any beauty tips? She says she just pampers herself at home with scrubs and exfoliating, and she shows Rach how to make a product she uses - a grapefruit and lemon grass body scrub. She loves Carol’s Daughter products, and that’s her pampering.

Do you hate your voice? Most people do, and voice coach Roger Love understands that. Everyone is different - what’s important is to be the best we can be within that difference. He has a technique which he teaches that can help everyone go from the lowest note to the highest without pressure or straining - and everyone can do it. Everyone has three voices, he says - the chest voice where we speak, the head voice way above and middle voice that hardly anyone knows about in between. If you have all three of the voices “you can pretty much do whatever you want” which is exactly what he teaches. He gives some techniques to some viewers who are desperate for a voice makeover.

Elizabeth wants to sound more mature, less like a little girl, and Roger says that she doesn’t have any bottom to her voice, so no way to get volume. He gives her some techniques and after a few weeks of practicing she shares her new deeper voice - which she loves and no longer minds hearing.

Dawn is desperate to get rid of her NY accent, which has always made her self-conscious and even held her back from speaking at her father’s eulogy. Roger explains that accents are created by placing your mouth in a less than optimal position. He teaches Dawn to drop her jaw more and separate her teeth and she is thrilled with the result and way more confident.

Karen says her voice is way too low, and most people think she’s a man. Roger tells her she’s trapped in the lowest part of her range, and he works with her to connect the middle and head voice to give her the feminine beautiful girly tones. Karen says it was difficult and she slips back easily, but she keeps practicing.

Roger gives three tips to help everyone wanting to improve their voice:

• Melody. “Most of us speak like we’re one note on a piano. A piano has 88 keys — you gotta touch some of the other keys! You gotta go up, you gotta go down and you have to practice that. Melody is key.”

• Volume. “We’ve become a world of whisperers. We’re talking to everyone like we’re not public speakers. I say we are all public speakers. You might be talking to one person or your dog — they’re your public. You don’t have to have a thousand people. We are all public speakers the second it comes out.”

• Breathe. “Most of us are holding our breaths when we speak. You should breathe in through your nose, not your mouth. When you breath in through your nose it sends moist air to the chords. Pretend you have a balloon in your stomach. Fill up the balloon, and then when you’re speaking, the whole time you’re speaking your stomach is supposed to be coming in. If it’s not, then you’re holding your breath.”

Get some more tips here!

What’s for dinner:
Teriyaki Chiken Lettuce Cups
Honey Sesame Chicken Lettuce Cups
Greek Salad with yogurt Dressing
Sish Kabobs with Spanikopita Orzo

April 21, 2009

The Biggest Loser trainer, Jillian, stops by today to talk a bit more about fitness, the show, and of course - her new book Master Your Metabolism. When Rachael says she isn’t going to give up her pasta, Jillian reminds her that she can still have it - just make it a whole wheat versions. The whole grain is a complex carbohydrate and breaks down more slowly, which stabilizes your blood sugar. bleached pasta has a lot of chemicals, and can actually damage your metabolism. Rachael agrees, and says that she prefers the nutty flavors of whole wheat pasta anyway, which thrills Jillian as they have a lot of common ground.

When asked about the new season currently filming, Jillian says there’s some truly tense moments. “It’s incredibly aggressive and it’s very hard on them emotionally, and that’s why you see them crying and fighting all the time with me.” She says the season is extremely confrontational, but she feels it’ll all work out in the end.

Rachael decides to give Jillian a challenge - sending her to a burger restaurant to prove she can stick to her regimen when facing temptation. Jillian says it was a test but there’s no menu she can’t tackle. Here’s some tips to help you avoid some of the more fattening options just like she did:

Avoid artificial sweeteners in your tea. “Honey is a better option,” Jillian says. “It has anti-bacterial properties; when used in moderation it can be good for you.”

Order salad dressing on the side. “You will easily save well over half the calories, and it’s not worth it to spend 200 calories on dressing,” she says. “You know what else you can do? Get balsamic vinegar on the side. There’s no calories in that and it’s great for you.”

Avoid foods that are fried or sauteed. Don’t be afraid to ask the wait staff questions about healthy alternatives, such as requesting that a dish is steamed or grilled instead of fried.

Order veggies. “I always tell the contestants on The Biggest Loser that green vegetables are free,” Jillian says. “Go bananas!”

Choose your calories carefully. Before heading to a restaurant, arm yourself with a pocket-sized calorie book or use your cell phone to track the calories in your meals. When you get the menu, Jillian suggests asking yourself a series of questions about the choices. “Stop and think it through,” Jillian says. “Do I really want this? How will I feel after I eat it? Is it going to put me in a tailspin, am I going to regret my decision? Is it getting me closer to my ultimate goal?”

What about desert? Jillian admits to being busted and liking the occasional bite of cake - but assures us that it’s fine to enjoy all things in moderation. See more with Jillian backstage here.

Jeff Goldblum stops by to taste Rach’s dish made just for him “Golden Blum Chicken” but she makes him sing for his supper - which wows the audience. He learned to play the piano from his mom, and he plays Jazz whish is a hobby since that time. He’s been playing out and about in LA with a jazz group called the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. He’s also appearing as Det. Zach Nichols on Law and Order: Criminal Intent. More backstage with Jeff - find out how he annoys his friends!

Next up a smart viewer who can help you feed your family for under five bucks - and Erin’s on hand to share her basic guidelines with us after having created 200 affordable recipies, and starting her $5 dinners blog.

• Make a weekly meal plan based on coupons and sale items for your family’s favorite foods.

• Buy meat on sale and freeze the unused portions.

• Use cash at the grocery store so there’s no temptation to overspend.

• Multiply the savings from coupons by picking up one newspaper for each family member.

She spends about 30 minutes a week following the tips, but saves $50 to $80 a week doing so - it’s worth that time!

What’s for Dinner?
Erin Chase’s Cranberry Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes
Erin Chase’s Bacon and Egg Quesadillas
Brown Rice Pilaf
Cheeseless Quesadillas

Bob Saget is back - not just with RachaelRay, but on a new show, Surviving Suburbia. He teases Rachael about smelling good, that it’s the chicken musk that drives a man wild, then they talk a bit about his new show. He hopes it’s holding a mirror up to what people are really like - simple things that everyone does, like doing a kids school project for them in order to get a better grade. In one episode he sends a drunk email to the teacher - then has to play penance and apologize. When asked if these are his OWN stories, he’s quick to point out “Not that one!”

Then it’s time for another round of Going Too Far, and they tackle several things items:

Heart Attack Grill - hospital themed restaurant that offers free food to anyone over 300 pounds - and you weigh in as you come in, and their special burger is a Triple Bypass, and the waitresses are dressed as sexy nurses, and they refer to their patrons as patients. Is it going to far? One lady says it’s ok by her, it’s just all in good fun and brilliant marketing. Of course the other side is it’s rewarding obesity and offering free drugs to drug addicts. What does Bob say? He says for him personally that he comes from a family of Heart Attacks in late 40s and early 50s, and he loves a burger, but then he has to work it off. He understands peoples indulgences and loves food himself a lot. He says moderation is the key - maybe change the name - but they end up fence sitting.

Speed round: Decorated Dogs. Groomers compete for the best styled dogs and Bob laughs and says it’s a little too far - I mean, come on, feathers and saddles? yikes.

Sponsor my Implants: Women can post photos of themsleve on a website, and have people help pay for their implants - Bob says whatever, floatation devices always needed!

High Five Ban: A school bans all physical contact including high fives, hand shakes, etc, to cut down on tom foolery because one kid was kicked in the groin. Bob says it’s a little too far, take care of the problem in the people, not taking out high fiving for everyone.

A viewer has discovered his personal diet - a fast food diet! The only way for Dough, who lost 15 pounds after one month of breakfast burritos, grilled chicken and salads at McDonalds,He was able to eat at his favorite place, choose the best foods there, and exercise. It all elad to him losing weight, and Rach congratulates him with his first home-cooked meal in a month: Sliced Flat Iron Steak with parmesan Crusted Oven Potatoes.

Think that’s cool? Check out this pair - Mother and Daughter authors of vampire stories! PC Cast started writing by herself, but her inner 70s teenager started to speak on the page and the words weren’t right, so she turned to 19 year old Kristin for some help. Their fifth book, Hunted, debuted at number one on the USA Today best seller list! Even better, their books have recently been option by Hollywood to be made into movies! Who would they like to see cast? Tom Welling maybe, and possibly Miley Cyrus, or Vanessa Hudgens.

…a disney channel vampire movie? Interesting…

But hey - let’s talk about some food. Beefsteak Tomato Salad with Steak Sauce Dressing, and Spring Stroganoff.

April 15th, 2009

Ugly Betty’s Ana Ortiz joins Rach, and gives her show job a try real life - spending a day in New Yorks Cutler Salon. She’s terrified of the prospect of taking scissors to someone’s head, but works it out in the end. Afterwads, backstage, she gives her number one pregnancy survival tip.

Art Smith is in the kitchen with Rachael, and talks about getting to serve the Obama’s on Valentine’s day - get his Goat Cheese Biscuit recipe here! - but he’s most proud about his efforts to help combat hunger in America. He’s a part of Share Our Strength, an organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger, and has teamed up with Quaker Oats to offer $500 “Quaker Go Grants” to those looking to help feed hungry people in their area. Find out how to apply here, and get Art’s recipe for Meatballs with Toasted Oats, too!

Wouldn’t you love to look 20lbs thinner without putting any exercise into it? All of us would! Two fashion stylists claim to have cracked the fashion code to using proportions to slim down any figure. They even say there’s an exat mathematical equation for how to wear every piece in your closet. Click here for Ruth Levy and her twin sister Sarah’s guide and check out their site The Fashion Code.

Here’s some tips to get you started…

Neckline “The best neckline for all women is a V-neck,” Ruth says. “It transforms your upper body from a beer can and into a wine glass! … We’ve been amazed. For the years that we’ve used it, we’ve not found a single person that it doesn’t work on!”

Slim your hips through your sleeves. “Where do sleeves fall? Right at your hip. If you have extra sleeves there, you have more hip!” Sara says, explaining that fitted clothing will always make you look younger and more trim. “This is a really great secret to take away: Extra fabric equals extra girth. You know, you gain a few pounds and you think you’re covering it with oversize clothing? But the converse is true. You’re just simply adding girth to your figure because nobody knows if that’s air or you, and they assume that it’s you.”

Pant lengths For a sleek look, keep pants long and slim. A longer hemline will give the illusion of a slender figure, because when people look at you their eye has farther to travel to reach the end of the hem. And, if you’re trying to look slender avoid wide pants. They always create wide legs.

Also: Meet a 15 year old chef who’s Public Access show “Oven Luv’n with Chef Melisa” airs weekly on the Massachusetts Public Access Chanel, get some tips on keeping your food fresh, and of course, the FOOD! Spinach-Artichoke Stuffed Shells.

April 14, 2009
She’s here to turn the tables, apparently. That’s the reason Vivica A. Fox gives for having created the reality show called The Cougar, which is the bachelorette for a woman in her 40s who’s being courted by a houseful of hunky 20 year old men. Since men have dated younger women for years without anyone complaining, it’s not exactly fair for all the heads to turn when they see the revers. Vivica wants “cougars” to be seen as strong sexy females- after all, that’s when their in their peak, and know what they want. It’s a whole new chapter.

Stacey is a 40 year old mother of four and tried out because she loves younger men - their passion, energy and drive all is something she feels she has in common with them. “To have 20 guys in one house at the same time vying for my attention? It was an absolute blast. I’d do it again in a heartbeat!”

Can she find love on a reality show with a much younger man? Click here for a sneak peak. Also - some skin care tips from Vivica backstage.

After a TV Pitchmen Challenge where rachael tests their ability to sell anything - including big name Billy May Hays! - and sends them to a store to sell… coffee cup sleeves. Something everyone can get for free. Do people buy them? Click above! Then, to cap it all off, Thriving Ivy performs on stage - and they sound fantastic!

For dinner: Cheesesteak Chimichangas, Florentine Dream Burgers, and Squashed Rosemary Potatoes

April 13, 2009
Bob Barker joins Rach today to talk about how he’s handling retirement after filming 6586 episodes of The Price is Right during his decades on daytime television. He declared himself a complete success at retirement, walking with his dog and hanging out with his brother - who’s glad to have someone to play with since he retired years ago. What’s his favorite passtime? Also one of mine - drinking a lot of tequila! Whoo!

He’s recounting his memories of the Price is Right in his new book called Priceless Memories and says that while fans often yelled and hollered when their name was called, none can compare to a pregnant fan. She went into labor during the taping and when he said to help her out as fast as they could, she didn’t want to go- in case they called her name. That’s a dedicated fan! More backstage with Bob Barker!

An audience member helped Racahel preview the May edition of Every Day with Rachael Ray and her “Big Deals” issue where there were a variety of prizes to win. She correctly guessed the array of products as more or less than the displayed price, and the entire audience won them all.

• JVC “Bi-METAL” Structure Headphones
• Bella Professional Die Cast 12-Cup Coffee Maker
• 10-Piece Set of Rachael Ray Hard Anodized Pots and Pans
• Weber Q 140 Electric Grill
• iRobot Roomba 560 Vacuum Cleaning Robot

The heartthrob of Dancing with the Stars, Gilles Marini joined Rach at the kitchen table, after being swarmed by every female in the building! Gilles said he had started to teach them the tango, but hadn’t finished - they’re waiting for him and another lesson. Oh to have been in the audience that day! Gilles says women follow him everwhere now, and he just hugs them all and takes pictures, as well as answering emails. One guy even credits Gilles dancing for the reason his wife drug him to the bedroom afterwards - it’s like a public service! Ha!

Though he played Samantha’s sexy next door neighbor in Sex and the City movie, he’s not sure if he’ll have a part in the upcoming sequel - but he’ll sign up right away if it’s offered. In the meantime, he and his wife have been rocking out the marriage for 11 years, and “Life is good!” What’s his lucky charm? Click here!

Next up, check here to see the winner of the last Hey Can You Cook (3!) and her kitchen makeover that she gave to her mom. Then it’s dinner time with Sausage and Pepper Makeover and Lemon Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup.

April 10, 2009
It’s all about Miley Cyrus today! Rachael declares that she’s the first guest that Rachael needed to wear ear plugs to introduce, as the audience goes wild! Can Miley ever go out incognito? She says sometimes, unless she opens her mouth. “It’s the voice. People hear my voice and go ‘wait a second..’ … because it’s so low and raspy, then they know.”

She compares the Hannah Montana phenomenon to Clark/Kent Superman - it’s like superman for girls and fans relate to that. They don’t want to “put on a mask and fight people” they just “want to look pretty!” Girls are all about the glamour, which Miley says she is too, sometimes. She likes to dress up, but is a tomboy at heart, and loves to be in sweatpants as much as possible. And any guys for her will just have to accept that she’s a video game person, and would rather hang out at the house, watch movies, play games or basketball rather than be fancy somewhere else.

We’ve all seen her with her onscreen crushes - but who’s her celeb crush? Check it out here for more Miley footage!

Miley also has a new book out, called Miles to Go, in which she sets some rumors straight. SHe also uses Twitter to instantly let her fans know what is fact or fiction now, and calls it her own rumor patrol. “It’s like, I’m out here living my dream, and I’m doing something that very few people get to do, so why someone would want to take that away from me when I’ve worked so hard for it I really don’t understand. I don’t really understand the negative vibes.” She’s proud of being honest and real about herself, and kids who read her book and follow her career appreciate that. She says that all the photos are retouched, that she’d be happy to look perfect all the time, but no one does. She is, however, proud of her new skill: coloring her own hair!

The audience asks some questions, and turns out she gets in trouble most often for picking on her little sister, and yes - she has a curfew. She’s also an old fashioned girl in one respect, she wants her boyfriends to meet her dad. Justin Gaston, her current boyfriend, has a leg up though, as they were introduced by dad. She even admits to not liking him at first, but says “But honestly, he’s like the coolest guy, so it’s good. And I’ve never been closer to the Lord since I met him, because he’s actually taught me to read the stories in the Bible — not just quick little verses that will help me, but things that will help other people, so it’s just empowered me.”

Billy Ray joins them then, and talks a bit about the love of his life, wife Tish, and calls her “A ray of hope” - which had Miley teasing “I’m going to throw up!” Speaking of upchucking - is Miley a picky eater? She says no, she’ll eat anything, but she tends to pick it apart. She’s also an Ovaltine addict, which Billy Ray says is his fault - his dad made it for the family every morning, and now he does the same. He then performs for Miley and Rachael, and makes some Ovaltine too. Click here with more of Billy Ray backstage, including what’s on his playlist.

Also on the show, Justin Kredible - watch his tricks here and here!

Hungry? Try these:
Roast Cicken with Lemon and Artichokes
Sauteed Asparagus Tips and Peas
Saffron Pilaf

April 9, 2009
Gal Pal Val is on hand today, to talk about the her Bikini body on the cover of People Magazine. She’d not worn a bikini in 30 years, but after losing 50 pounds on Jenny Craig, she not only was on the People cover, but took her bikini bod for a dive into the pool too. Valerie is proud of her weight loss, but admits that it took a lot of extra confidence to go through it as she kept thinking she was too old, too this, too that. She says that this is it - “You are never too old to accomplish anything.”

Valerie stuck to an intense fitness regimen to prepare for the photoshoot - and says that it was so much work she gave up her champagne, which she’ll never do again! She stuck to her Jenny Craig food, and worked out for 2 hours in the morning and another 2 in the afternoon for a month to lose the extra 10 pounds. She was down at 123 for the photoshoot, but is comfortably stable at 132 now, with an hour of daily exercise. She’s been working her abs like crazy, but declares it’s a body anyone can have. She contributes part of her success to being partnered up with Tom, (click here for some workout tips!) and that’s the key - get a friend to work out with you. Here’s a look at her workout, too!

What’s Wolfie think of Mom being in a bikini? “He actually came by for the end of the shoot and was like ‘Oh wow, you look great!’” says Val, and adds that the first person to call when the magazine hit the stands was her mom. With the careful eye of her family and fans, she is extra vigilant about her program and remembers how bad the old habits made her feel. IF she gets a craving now, she just smells it, and doesn’t indulge! Here’s some more answers with Val backstage.

Are you lost around Facebook? Facebook Frenzy has hit Rachael Ray and you can become a fan of the show if you haven’t already! Omar Wasow is on hand to help you get stared and explain a little bit about what you need to know.

Pages and Profiles. Individuals can create a personal profile page with information about themselves, or they can also create pages for things that they like, such as elected officials, restaurants or their favorite hobbies. “Basically, it’s a way on Facebook of showing love for something you’re passionate about,” Omar says.

Status updates. You can update what you’re doing or how you’re feeling and all of your friends will see that. Plus, fans of the Rachael Ray Show can find out what’s coming up on the program!

The “Wall.” Omar explains, “It’s a little bit like a guest book where your fans or friends can post things to the page.”

Friending. If someone wants to see your page, they send you a friend request, but it can get sticky if you have information on your page that you don’t want certain people or groups to see. “There’s no one right rule that’s going to work for everybody,” Omar says, “but make a rule and stick to it. If somebody invites you to be their friend and you don’t want to accept, what you can do is send them a note that says, ‘I only use Facebook for alumni issues, I don’t want to be friends with a co-worker.’ That allows you to say it’s not personal.”

Omar adds, “You can also ignore that note if it’s not somebody you know well. They won’t know that you’ve ignored it and that allows you to keep some distance, and there doesn’t have to be a confrontation. If you do want to accept the friend request, you can set up a group and then use privacy settings on Facebook so that none of those students or coworkers or family members have access to some of your private information.”

Photos. “There are lots of embarrassing things that can happen on Facebook,” Omar says. “With photos, you can set privacy settings so that your photos become private and your co-workers won’t see those naked photos of you when you were 2 years old. Also, what people will often do is tag a photo of you on their profile, and if it’s embarrassing, anybody who has access to your profile can see those photos too. What you can do in that case is untag those photos. It’s very straight forward, but like anything, you need to play with it a little.”

Got questions about Ham? Rachael has answers!

Types of Ham

Bone-in: “Bone-in” have at least the leg or hip bone still intact. They are also available whole, as a shank-half or as a butt-half.

Butt: A meatier portion, it has a round, blunt end.

Shank: This portion has a tapered end and is generally easier to carve than the butt-end.

Semi-Boneless: Some of the bones have been removed — only the center bone remains.

Fully Cooked: Nearly all hams sold in supermarkets today are fully cooked. They only need to be heated through before serving.

Boneless: All the bones and most of the fat have been removed before cooking. These are processed to reform the shape of a ham and bound to hold the meat together. Boneless hams make carving extremely simple.

Wet-Cured and Smoked: These have been soaked in or injected with a brine (a salt solution that may also contain varying amounts of water, sugar and spices to cure, then hung in a smokehouse to absorb smoke from a fire or injected with liquid smoke flavoring for the flavoring.

When choosing a ham, select one with a minimal amount of marbling for the lowest fat and best taste.

Cooking Ham

Uncooked hams must be cooked to an internal temperature of 155-160ºF before eating.

* Bone-in raw ham (butt end): 3 hours
* Non-spiral, pre-cooked ham: 2 hours, 30 minutes
* Spiral, pre-cooked ham: 2 hours (spiral hams cook faster because the heat penetrates better)
* Ham steak: 30 minutes

Glazing Ham

If you intend to glaze your ham, remove it from the oven 30 minutes before end of cooking time. Prepare your favorite ham glaze and apply evenly over the surface of the warm ham. Return the glazed ham to the oven and continue to cook, uncovered, 25-30 minutes.

Carving Ham

To carve a bone-in ham, place the ham on its side and cut off a few long slices to create a flat surface. Turn the ham onto the cut surface and make perpendicular slices down to the bone. Cut along the bone to release the slices, then remove the slices with the fork.

And if you aren’t hungry yet - check these out:
Fresh Bone-In Ham with maple-Cherry Glaze
Spiral Cut Smoked Ham with Spicy Rum and Orange Glaze
Ham Steak with Apricot-Peach Sauce
Thai Lettuce Cups
Caesar Lettuce Cups

April 7, 2009
Alyssa Milano joins Rachael at the kitchen table today, and talks about how her Fiance charmed her! He left little notes in her luggage, including one for her dog, Gibson that said “I woooof you!” and she found it very sweet, no matter how embarrassing it would be for him. She says she knew he was the one when she noticed how much they giggle together. “If you can laugh in a relationship, you’re going to be able to get through anything.”

She’s excited about the upcoming wedding, but admits that her first true love is baseball! She even goes to batting cages, and says that she grew up watching the game with her dad. She shares her stories in her new book, Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic. She even has a line of female fan gear, because all they ever had in the stadium shops for women was pink! Alyssa went to MLB, who gave her the licensing needed, and this is the first year that her line is available for all the leagues. Her Touch clothes include a satin Red Sox Jacket, one of which she gifted to Rachael. (More with Alyssa backstage!)

Next p - Jeanine and Debbra married two brothers, and while they’re not related themselves, they look enough alike that people think they’re twins, and say that they look more like sisters than their husbands look like brothers. They spend a lot of time together, and shopping trips often result in them picking up some of the same clothes. Even the husbands have confused them a time or two! Gretta 12is on hand to give them their own style, matching it to their personality and making sure it’s easy enough for them to handle on their own. And now they can raid each others closets too! Click here for the makeover!

Two viewers ask for suggestions to reinvent a sentimental piece of furniture, and Michele Beschen is on hand for some ideas, and shows how to transform a jewelry armoire into a new storage piece, as well as how to turn window frames into cabinets and shelves. Check out the video here!

Hungry? How about some Garlic sliced steak with watercress and horseradish Baby Potatoes, Veggie Matzoh Fritters, and Romensco Sauce.

April 6, 2009
Today’s show had a full choir on hand to sing the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore show to welcome the star to the kitchen table. When talking about the series that aired nearly 40 years ago, Mary says that it was exactly as much fun as it seemed - they never took themselves seriously and you can’t keep a straight face around Chloris Leachman if you tried! Rachael asked what she’d do if she could spend one more day with her character, Mary Richards, and the real-life marry had a simple reply: “We’d probably head for the sweet shop and we would sit there and order the most sugary thing that we could find, because in fiction, I am not a diabetic!”

Mary recounts her experience with her adult diagnosis in her new book, Growing up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes. Mary declares herself a rebel at first as she balked at her diagnosis and continued to eat whatever she wanted. She hopes that those who read her book will realize that those are not good behaviors and that you have to be careful. “The more careful you are, the less work it becomes. The proceeds from the book will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She found her own inspiration there in volunteering with the children. “Because I’m supposedly their leader, and they’re the ones that seem to do it so much better than I ever did!” she says. “I wasn’t going to be outdone, so I decided to grow up after all.” Find out her pet peeve here!

In the March Menu Showdown, Rachael and her staff picked 16 of the best casual party recipes of the thousands submitted. America voted for their favorites, and those 16 have been narrowed all the way down to the Tastiest 2, who compete in Rachael’s kitchen for the top honor and $5000 of free groceries! Mandi, 22, submits her WHite Chicken Chili which her mother-in-law said was a spiritual experience on first taste. Sara, 28, brings her Chickn’N'Ranch BBQ Crescent Squares to the party, which she says is affordable, easy and delicious. Who did the audience choose? Mandi and her White Chicken Chili!

Can’t get to the dentist right away? Here’s some quick DIY fixes for your teeth in the main time, from Dr. Jonathan Levine.

• Missing filling. If your filling comes out, Dr. Levine recommends Dentemp O.S., the same material dentists use. Take a small amount and apply it using a wet Q-tip into the empty cavity and let it set for 60 minutes. This should tide you over until you can see a dentist to replace the missing filling.

• Lost crown. If a crown comes out and is lost, chew on a piece of sugarless chewing gum to get it wet. Apply it to the area where you lost the crown, tighten it down with your finger and it will dry to the tooth. This will hold for 24-48 hours as long as you avoid sticky foods before you can see the dentist.

• Loose crown. If a crown falls out but you still have it, mix Vaseline and baby powder into a paste. Place the mixture inside the crown and put it in place. See you dentist within 24-48 hours.

• Chancre sores. If you’ve bitten the inside of your cheek and have chancre sores, apply a bit of vegetable oil with a cotton ball to the area 2 to 3 times a day.

What’s for dinner? French Onion French Dip Sammies with Roasted Garlic Au Jus.

April 3, 2009
HLN Anchor and Legal Analysist Nancy Grace is on hand today to talk about the newest cell phone texting trend: Sexting. (You can see my take on it over here.) Rachael starts off with a statistic - more than 20% of teenage girls have sent out nude or semi-nude photos of themselves. That’s almost 3 million teens! The consequences can be dire for both the teen and the families, as it can possibly be punishable under child pornography laws.

Nancy first heard of sexting when she was covering cases that involved pictures that had gotten teens in trouble, not realizing that they could in up in jail with felony charges. Phillip, who had just turned 18, sent a mass email on his ex-girlfriends account that changed his future drastially. Said Phillip “I did something because I was upset, a very very immature teenager thing to do.” He sent nude photos of the 16 year old ex girlfriend to everyone in her address book; friends, teachers, parents and grandparents. Such photos are considered child pornography, and PHillip was arrested and convicted and now is now a registered sex offender. He was kicked out of college, can’t visit his family, can’t live with his father because the property is too close to a school, can’t go to the internet, can’t find a job, and has to attend weekly classes with other registered sex offenders who have done “some pretty bad stuff”. Says Phillip “I’ve lost so much because of it, I want to say that I am sorry.”

While I don’t agree with the depth of punishment that Phillip is suffering for this “offense” I agree with him in that his story needs to be told as a warning for other kids.

Nancy adds that it’s not only the sender of the email that could be in trouble, but the recipient as well, and they could also face criminal charges if the prosecution can prove intent to know what they’re opening. Currently there’s a case where teens created a Facebook community and trashed another tean saying she was a slut that had AIDS. “Now there’s a lawsuit not only against the teens but their families for not supervising them correctly,” says Nancy.

So what can parents do? Watch your kids while they’re on computers, place controls on the computer and cell phones to help them make the right choices, and remind parents that supervision is required. And as I always say on my other site - TALK TO YOUR KIDS.

Anna Kournikova joined Rachael at the Kitchen Table, and talked a bit about her amazing experiences - from the Tennis Court, to magazine covers, to dating Enrique Iglesias! She started playing tennis at just 5 years old, and moved to America at age 10, before going pro at age 14. Since retiring from tennis in 2004, she’s kept busy being a spokesperson for K-Swiss, and is also part of the Get Animated Campaign with the Cartoon Network and the Boys and Girls Club of America. Their goal is to promote physical fitness and help combat childhood obesity. “Sport gave me my life,” says Anna. (Click here for more backstage with Anna.)

Also on the show - a bus driver that’s been behind the wheel for 14 years, Terena, has always had problems finding time to eat right and exercise. When she found herself weighing in at 254, she decided to do somethin and joined with her fellow co-workers who were also overweight, and found the motivation to get healthy in preparation for their annual state health exam. They used a free gym program from the school board, and haven’t looked back since! They keep each other motivated, and Terena has lost 25 pounds so far.

Recipes on today’s show: Cornbread-stuffed Cherry Peppers, Cornbread-stuffed Jalapeno Poppers, Baked Birds in a Nest.

It was a show filled with cheers and memories and guests - packed with surprises, giveaways and unexpected dinner guests! It’s a show nearly 3 years in the making, and it all happened on April 1st, 2009.

Barbara Walters stopped by to sit at the kitchen table and chat about what Rachael considers her favorite highlights of the last three years. Rachael didn’t hesitate - “My favorite moments are the times when my whole crew and I reach out and help a community.” She loves that the entire show is so community-orientated, like spending time with a neighbor.

Her top five episodes would be The Prom at Enterprise High, The Brides fo Harris County, Launching Yum-o! with Bill Clinton as guest, having Ringo Starr perform, and of course - Oprah. “It was a moment that I’ll never forget! When the two of us get together you know it’s going to be fun!”

At the Kitchen Table, Barbara promises an exclusive scoop at the end if Rachael does a good job on the interview. She admits that she was only tempted to stop an interview once - and it wasn’t because she made her guest cry. It was with Clint Eastwood, before he was married, and he was flirting with her and she got flustered. “I could have been Mrs. Eastwood!” she joked. That interview, and 999 others are in her book, Audition.

She even followed through on her deal after telling Rach she was perfect - and reveals something no one knows about her life and tells a story from her daughter. When she was asked what she knows about her mom that no one else knows, she said “My mother has kept the same nightgowns for 25 years.” She defends herself by adding “They don’t go out of style!”

There were giveaways too - 500 Snacks - given to Jamie who wished she could have a snack a day delivered to her. Rachael sent her every Snack of the Day featured in the last 500 shows! The entire studio Audience celebrated getting $500 Walmart Gift Cards, and there’s even a 2 for two to Hawaii!

Mmmmmmmmm… Matthew McConaughey! Rachael sat down with him to chat at SXSW Music Conference in Austin, and ended up with a cooking lesson. He says he dreams of being a chef, and his strategy for dinner with the wife is to get everything in one bowl. “We’ll make a past and a salad, and a meat dish - put the paston on the bottome, then salad, and meat on top!” Of course, he’s also a bbq man, and devises his own sauces and rubs. He’s also a record producer now - and his first protege is Caribbean singer-songwriter Mishka!

And, of course, there was cake - from Carlo’s Bake Shop, and delivered by Rocco DiSpirito. Happy 500th Episode, Rachael!

What’s for dinne? Italian-Style Chicken and Rice.

March 31, 2009
Kevin McKidd - Grey’s Anotomy’s newest hot doc - is on hand, and of course the big question is, what’s HIS characters nickname? Kevin laughed and said one name being bantered around is “McBadAss” which he found amusing. They talk a bit about his character and the fact that he suffers from post traumatic stress disorder, which he says is a very important topic. “I think it’s really brave of the show, and I’m really proud of the fact that we’re really talking about this in prime time. We’re really opening up on the subject because there are many service men and women who feel they can’t talk about this - that they have these problems - because there’s this stigma in the military that you’re supposed to be tough.”

After they chat a bit more, Kevin takes on a round of Ray’s Anatomy - can he do better than McDreamy did? He got 7 out of 7 - and here’s how it works, the photographer takes pictures of the wax figures, and it’s time to try and figure out who it is. He finishes the game with with 3 out of 4 - and he got help on that fourth one. Not bad! Click here for more with Kevin backstage.

It’s time to meat the Table for 12 family from TLC’s new reality program. Betty and Eric Hayes had twins, then twins, then sextuplets! They have a total of 6 boys and and 4 daughters, and Betty does up to eight loads of laundry in one day - plus cooking and cleaning and all the things that comes along with having 10 children. “You can’t sweat the small stuff” says Eric when asked how to deal with the stress. “It’s all going to be tehre tomorrow, we just move on. Dirty clothes, dirty dishes, they’re going to be back tomorrow! A hole in the wall, crayon on the counter, whatever!” He agrees that you have to have a very Zen approach to the whole thing to survive.

One of the challenges they deal with every day are the special needs of daughter REbecca who was born with Cerebral Palsy. Betty says that it’s challenging, but it brings them all a lot closer too. It took a while to decide to let the camera’s into their daily life as well, but they wanted to be able to show people so that they could understand people with special needs, and for the experience for the kids. They’ve agreed though that the first time the kids get uncomfortable or are embarrassed, they’re out. Click here to see what the kids have to say about it all, and here for more backstage.

Need some tips on how to buy the best chicken? Ray the butcher is on hand with some helpful tips:

Keep in mind that there are two labels, the sell by date and the package date on the back. Chicken has a shelf life of 13 days from it’s original packing date, and 7 days left in the sell by description. You don’t want to see blood in the packaging, which is the moisture coming out - and a sign it was previously frozen. If the skin is getting transparent and you see the meat through it, it’s older. There should be a nice shine to the skin.

The biggest value is buying whole chickens - even if you have a small family. The bones are the same size, but a 3 to 3.5lb chicken will have more meat, and you get for what your paying. Use the same carving techniques that you’d use to carve a turkey, then use the leftovers for chicekn stock, chili or other great dishes! boneless thighs are a great alternative to help trim the budget too - versatile and flavorful. Stock up on boneless breasts when they’re on sale, because it can last up to 6 months in the freezer!

Organic vs. free range? Free range birds have access to the outside, and a vegetarian diet to give them a light taste. Organic means everything from the feed to the products used to clean are certified organic - they taste the same.

To properly freeze your chicken - do so the same day you buy it, wrap it in freezer paper then put it in a zip lock bag with the air squeezed out. Date it and label it to make it easier to find again. Thaw it in the refrigerator - only enough so that it will cook through, but not so much that all the moisture runs out and leaves you with a bland taste.

On the menu: Super Sized 7 layer casserole, garlic and cheese orzo, pesto-presto italian flag chicken.

March 30, 2009

This Mystery Taster gives Rachael a bit of a hard time after being stuck in the elevator for so long, much to the amusement of the crowd. “It’s pretty dismal - and you don’t provide food in the elevator!” Rachael speeds up the questions and he gives her a hard time, saying it’s the ultimate Reality Show, and discovers the World News anchor Charlie Gibson! “No wonder you were grilling me!” she says “It’s what you do for a living!”

He joins her at the kitchen table, where they talk about working with Diane Sawyer, who he says was a joy to work with. He learned something from her every single day, and is just as nice in person as she is on the air. CHarlie took over the evening newscast three years ago, and says there is the occasional perk even while dealing with war and economy stories every night. He got a chance to drive the Lunar Rover last week - with a top speed of 10 MPH. Benefits - on the moon you can’t get a ticket!

Charlie has also interviewed every president from Nizon to Obama, and he tells of an unexpected gesture from Nixon. He asked if he had children, and on finding that Charlie had too daughters, two weeks later there were signed copies of one of his books addressed to each of them. At home, however, he admits freely - his wife rules the roost! Click here, though, to see how President Ford influenced Charlie’s sense of style!

Do you need an accessory intervention? Anne certainly does! At 48, she rarely leaves the house before decking herself out with up to 40 pieces of jewelry. She says she feels naked without the necklaces, bracelets, earrings and anklets that weigh her down every day - her husband calls her a walking jewelry store and has considered wearing a helmet to bed so that he can protect himself from flailing arms covered in bangles.

Gretta is on hand to try and help her lighten up a bit and explains that accessories are meant to enhance, not hijack your look. You don’t need all the jewelry to look beautiful! It’s all about creating a focal point with one statement piece. Anne admitted to feeling a lot lighter, and better then she has in quite some time after her toned down makeover.

What’s for dinner? Ricotta Pie Calzones and Cherry Tomato Pasta with Peas, Prosciutto and Onion.