Watching Rachael Ray

We get started right away today, as Rachael welcomes Glenn Close to the set! More jokes about feet not touching the ground on the bench couch, and feeling like Lily Tomlin. ha! Rachael congratulates her on her Emmy win for Damages, which she calls a never ending thriller. Glenn says that it’s incredible writing, and they’re in the middle of season two now, and it’s a steller cast, it’s gong to be even better this year - it’s like living a novel. She says she loves going to work! You have too, work is hard.

Glenn then admits that she’s scared of thrillers - she wouldn’t have watched Fatal Attraction herself if she wasn’t in it! Even then it was hard to make it through. Backstage news of Damages? She and one of the characters have a past - but don’t know if they have a future. The show returns in January. Glenn admits to not watching herself on film often, she’s too self-critical. She does, however, collect souviners from all of her movies. She keeps all the costumes - she has the best costume closest EVER. She says she gets attached to them, because you spend so much time in fitting, in the costume itself, it’s a very big part of getting into the character. When asked who she’s most known for? Cruella de Vil! She says it’s “Fatal attraction” from the older generation, and the itty bitties are all about Cruella and “was that your real hair?!” While she wonders “…you recognize me?!”

In real life, however, she’s very pro puppies! She’s started her own site, Lively Licks, which is a blog hosted by Glenn and her two dogs, Bill and Jake, with interviews from her dog-loving friends. That same group has now started FetchDog.com, which allows dog lovers to shop for products, the latest news, and has stories and canine advise.

She fosters dogs herself, until they get adopted, like Sweet Pea, as part of Fetchdog.com’s desire to raise awareness of the need for pet adoption and fostering. A lot of the dogs in the shelters aren’t victims of abuse or strays, but victims of relocation - divorce, eviction, foreclosure - something that caused the owner to give up their animal. The shelters work hard to make sure the animals are matched up with the right person, so that they don’t end up back in the system. Check here for some more backstage with Glenn!

After a quick lesson in cooking bacon (mmmmmmmmm bacon!!!), then it’s a bottom of the jar recipe trio: Orange BBQ Glaze, Tuscan BBQ Sauce and Chipoltle Ranch BBQ sauce or dipper.

Then, it’s Rach to the Rescue time, for a poor Dad who’s brisket is not exactly top notch. It’s Alex in the Great Northwest, Oregon, where Jeff started a Dad’s Club in his neighborhood, to brainstorm projects to help the local school. They give the wives a break, but when they do food - they get more guys there which is what they need. There’s a lot of new dads for the new school year, and he’s comfortable in the kitchen - but he just can’t do a brisket, it’s always too dry. Aaron McCargo, Jr. is on hand to give him a surprise lesson to making the perfect Brisket every time with a couple of sides, too: Brisket, BBQ Brisket Quesadillas, Oven-Baked Seasoned Fries, and Carrot Slaw. I love Big Daddy!

Don’t forget to check out the Rach to the Rescue Site, where you can watch webisodes of the cross-country journey, and enter to win a chance at a Kenmore Elite Double Oven Range.

All that, and even MORE stuff for dinner! It’s Chili Bacon Burgers tonight… yum!