Watching Rachael Ray

Rachael starts out telling us that the nice thing about being in the biz is that people are primping and making her look good - people never recognize her when she’s not working because she doesn’t do any of that. Some people aren’t that lucky though. One viewer is always late because Lisa has to primp and prepare - she spends up to 20 hours a week making herself look “presentable”. Her hubby is flabbergasted - he can’t believe it takes her so long to get ready, while she doesn’t know how he can get ready in just 30 minutes then has time to check his email, etc.

Mally is on hand thought, to help Lisa streamline her routine, which shouldn’t take any longer then 30 minutes. Some ofher tips include using Lash Illusion to make lashes thicker and longer in one step, and line the upper inner rip of the eye that makes the lashes look really thick. Do the creams at night - eye, neck, retinol and then only a moisturizer and primer in the morning. Use a good powder foundation in a circular motion that will be a concealer, foundation and setting powder all in one and for her hair? Moisturizer to make it less crunchy from all the hair spray, and for a straight look use the t-3 flat iron that works on wet or dry hair.

Next up - it’s the queen of daytime drama, Susan Lucci, who’s on hand to give her workout secrets! (Like she ever needs to work out - she’s like 2 pounds of nothing on top of toothpick legs. I always think she’s gonna break!) NAturally they talk about Dancing with the Stars, and Rach tells her how fabulous she was (…i wasn’t that impressed, but whatever.) and how it was wonderful that Susan was able to eat everything not nailed down because of how much energy it takes. Susan says she found out it’s very disciplined and she gained a huge respect for them, it’s a sport and they’re in great shape but she had the best time. She says Pilates is what helped her and keeps her in shape now!

And a couple of trivia facts - she recently filmed All My Children’s 10,000th episode, and she’s played Erica Kane for 38 years!

They ride around to Susan’s Malibu Pilates Chair, where Rach joked that she wore the most complicated thing possible so as not to have to risk getting on it and making a fool of herself. Susan demenstrates the chair, as well as helps a staffer get in a brief demo too. Hit up the giveaway button for a chance at winning your own, and click here to watch Susan share the details on her upcoming HSN stint demonstrating the chair.

After a quick stop in the prep kitchen for some Croissant Egg Boats, it’s time for some Amazing Kids! 13 year old Caitlin Sanchez is the new voice for for Dora the Explorer. She went to Nintendo World in NYC for the premiere of the Dora video game, and met some of her fans - she says people freak out, it’s amazing! She’s also done an episode of Lipstick Jungle, and has a movie coming out too but she’d love to do Dora forever! She’s a very cute girl, and confident - especially for being 13!

Next, it’s T-Man Latz, who’s a Blues Guitar Hero - he’s gaining notoriety for his incredible blues guitar talents. He started at age 4, and has performed with Buddy Guy and Jackson Browne. WHen asked where it comes from, he says “it comes from my soul - it’s always been in me!”

OMG, 12 year old Reina Hardesty is the Text Message QUeen! She sent 14,528 messages in one month of winter break. Fortunately her parents have an unlimited texting plan - though they still had a little talk with her when they got the bill. In fact, Dad immediately texted her! They’re all going to give their thumbs a rest, and try to get the habit under control.

And yup - it’s dinnertime: Cassoulet Stoup.

Now that’s the way to start a show - with a snack! Not just any snack, but Mini Deep-Dish Pizzas. Yuuuuuuuum. Then it’s time for Diane Sawyer to join Rachael on the sofa to chat a bit about the Inauguration Celebration.

Diane is getting ready to do a 48 hour marathon of coverage of the Inauguration, starting at 3am before going straight through all the parties - and she can’t wait! She admits that all the caffeine in the world won’t keep her awake, but the excitement will keep her going this time around. The people, and what’s happening, we’re watching history and standing together, and she hopes that everyone will rise to the occasion, and collectively re-dedicate ourselves to the country.

For the presidential lunch, Obama has chosen Lincoln’s menu, including a variation of Mary Lincoln’s apple cake. Diane says that her meals will be whoever fights for the cheetos - and she’ll win. It’s the one day they’ll be fueled entirely by cholesterol!

They talk a little abit about the controversy about the sermon, etc, and President Obama wanted to prove he meant it, that we can agree to disagree and still stand together. There are 10 official inaugural balls, including the neighborhood ball, the block party with hundreds of big name celebrities attending. Diane will be in her news clothes - and won’t be doing any embarrassing dancing in front of President Obama, though she expects it to be the highlight of her 30 years of inaugural coverage. “It’s rich with history, it’s a family that we are really interested to watch. This will be different.”

They talk a bit about the family, and Diane hopes we all have the decency to allow the girls to be kids, and no feel like they’re responsible for the country. They’re kids, let them be kids.

After a stop in the prep kitchen to learn how to do Jello Aquarium, it’s time for some Great American Animals with Jarod Miller - with an American Quarter Horse, a wolf, and a Bald Eagle.

Next up, some of Rachael’s viewers share some cool things they got for Christmas - from the Beverage Caddi, the Wallies Peel and Stick Chalkboard, the Perpetual Kids’ Faucet Light and the HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Clutch.

All of that and Dinner Too? You know it. Today it’s Cheeserburger Chili Mac and Cheese.

We start out today with Rachael talking about the Curious Case of Benjamin Button - and how they were on the lookout for someone who looked older or younger then their real age, and use it as a segue to talk about Jen, a 23 year old high school teacher and Carrie, 44, who are often asked if they are much younger, or much older then their current age. Carrie feels that her appearance is a hindarence as people as if she’s her sister’s mother because she’s been prematurely gray for years - and says dying it is too expensive (…drugstore stuff, baby. I KNOW I got no gray! Purple, yes. Gray, no!), and Jenn is constantly mistaken for a student instead of the teacher she actual is.

Have no fear - Kyan Douglas of TLCs “10 years Younger” is on hand to help give them a new look - in an hour! He says that confidence is the magic ingredient - you need to find it and it will help you look the way you are supposed to look. Which of course makes it really hard to do.

Kyan gathers up the ladies, and we move on to celebrities and the Grand Dame of celebrities that don’t age - through whatever means necessary, Joan Rivers! More Benjamin Button, and she was all “How boring was that - 2 hours of him looking awful, and 10 minutes of him looking good in the middle!”

Joan calls Rachael a bitch! HA! Joan says she watches movies on airplanes - she went to Mexico on AirTaco - a green airline. They feed everyone Mexican food, everyone farts, and pthbbb everyone’s propelled to Mexico. Rachael laughs and says “it gives new meaning to up up and away!” and Joan points “That’s very good. Bitch.”

Brilliant. Even though Joan drives me insane. Laughter all around!

Anyway! It’s no holds barred, as she talks about the movies that are out, and then the red carpet, of course. They talk about the Golden Globes, and the dresses, in typical Joan fashion - Heidi Klum’s dress made her look like an ornament off Seal’s Kwanzaa tree, and J’lo’s behind that you can serve sandwiches off off! Who looked perfect? Kate Winslet, simple and sleek.

Of course it’s time to plug the book - Joan Rivers, Murder at the Academy Awards - a fiction novel due out soon. She says she wanted to write a funny mystery, and about what really happens on the red carpet.

How does she look good? Botox. And good DNA. That’s it, of course! The other book, of course, is “Men are stupid and they like big boobs.” which speaks plainly about getting plastic surgery that talks about everything for every possible thing that could happen. Click here for an excerpt!

Joan and Melissa are going to be on the Celebrity Apprentice soon, and she says that it’s an absolute bloodbath, even though there’s a lot of wonderful people - it starts in March. Then it’s time for Stump The Rach! Today we have the Loo-Read Toilet Paper holder Magazine Rack, Wine Glass Holder Necklace - which someone in the audience actually guesses, because she HAS one! Ha! Also on tap is Spread Heads - toppers to squirt Ketchup out the birdy nose. Yum, and last but not least, the Over the towel bar hair dryer holster.

After a stop in the prep kitchen for some Freezer to Oven Entrees,
Justin Kredible is on hand with a bunch of Celebrity Look-alikes - from Joan Rivers to Elvis to Cher, to Whoopi at the Sunburst Convention in Orlando, Florida.

Then we’re in the kitchen for dinner - the Belgian Joes with oven Fries with Cheddar Horseradish Dipper.

And then, finally - it’s time for the Reveal! Check out this link for the transformation and, of course, the both look fabulous! Jen’s all grown up, and Carrie looks 10 years younger then her real age now, if a little wobbly on the heels. Kyan laughs and says the bad news is no more senior discounts!

Wow - Rach’s outfit today? a TOTAL win! She looks slim and trim and well put together in a long black skirt, black boots, long sleeve black shirt, and a dark sage green vest with a skinny belt. TOTAL WIN.

It’s the return of Potluck Thursday! Two choices for what’s for dinner - the audience chooses, and the meal they decide to eat is the snack of the day, and the other choice is given to the local homeless shelter. Today’s choices, Chipotle Sloppy Joe vs. Neapolitan Baked Ziti.

The winner? We don’t know yet. Instead, it’s time for more Eat this Not That - the Supermarket Survival Guide’s David Zinczenko. He’s on hand to help us make better choices at the store - which he calls like an episode of Lost, and half the times the labels that make things sound healthy mean nothing. Less fat is often more sugar and salt. Simple swaps - like one scoop of ice cream - mint chocolate chip, made with skim milk, every day? You’ve actually able to eat what you want and lose 17 pounds.

David says that there’s a conspiracy - it starts with portion distortion. The way mom and grandma was eating 30-40 years ago is not the way we eat today. Salty snacks have 93 more calories per serving size… and we supersize. 17 percent more money to get 55 percent more calories make you invest in fat. High fructose corn syrup is added to everything where you don’t expect it to be, and causes us to put on unnecessary pounds. And when you go out to eat, we underestimate by almost 100% the calories we are taking in. Even the chicken today is 17% fattier then they used to be! David suggests organic or free-range chicken is leaner. Go for boneless chicken, flank steaks and lean cuts of beef, and pork tenderloins.

Even fruits and veges are not as healthy as they used to be - 6 out of 12 nutrients have seen major decline due to faster growing times and soil issues - calcium, vitamin C, iron… so go for the best of the best. Sweet potatoes, strawberries, spinach - Think of a traffic light. If ou see yellow, green and red - stop and get some!

So - some tips! Shop on Wednesday nights. 4% of people shop on Wednesdays, and you have the run of the store - get your stuff and get out. Go after dinner, so you’re not hungry.

Use the self check-out lines - nothing to distract you and makes less impulse buying.

Shop the perimeter - the good stuff is along the outside, produce, dairy, meats. THEN go inside and only spend 25% of your time there.

Pay attention to serving sizes! Know that a 3 or 4 ounce beef or fish serving is the size of a deck of cards. Measure your cereal too - it’s tricky! You could possibly be consuming half your calories for the day by pouring that big bowl of cereal!

In the Bread - look for 3 grams of fiber per 100 calories, and only 6 or 7 ingredients, not 50.

Produce - don’t be deceived by the waxy glistening look Pick it up, it should be sturdy and has all its moisture and hasn’t dried out. It should be fruit and have a strong clean scent. Rachael says to try to find road stands, and local produce - it’s straight from the ground to your table. (we have no such animals up here in Alaska, but whatever. Heh.)

For frozen foods - make sure there’s not a lot of frosted ice, look for vacuum sealed and watch for salt content - like a chicken pot pie, that’s the amount of sodium that’s in 30 strips of bacon.

Bottom line - read the labels!

Back to the Potluck Thursday decision - and the winner is… Neapolitan baked ziti!

Next up - it’s the Rock Star dad from Gossip Girl - Matthew Settle. He loves being on the show - even getting the scripts and reading them, he thinks they’re just brilliant. He’s always getting tidbits of great literature, and he’s learning from the show things he never knew before since he didn’t get a formal education. He thinks it’s a bridge between age groups, and it’s opened conversations between teens and parents. Matthew says the line gets pushed a little every generation, and change is scary and the show deals with the reality and consequences of actions.

He’s glad to be learning so much as he’s about to be a dad in real life! He says when he first found out, he was sweating bullets. THey have a name chosen - Angelica Aven, which means Angelic Mountian Flower - a Welsh, English, Irish thing and they knew it was perfect, as they agreed on it right away. He’s not worried at all about his wife Naama keeping things in order as the family grows. Says Matthew “She used to be a drill sergeant in the Israeli Army! She can march me around the house -she knows how to give orders.” He jokes his life goes so well because he just surrenders.

Matthew is a preacher’s kid - and when asked about what his family think about the show, he says he’s pretty sure mom and dad don’t watch it. His brothers and sisters do, but they lie about it to mom and dad.

What’s his new years resolution? Check it out!

The audience gets a chance to ask questions - What strange combo foods does Rachael eat? She loves it all, so she wouldn’t notice if it was weird. Her sister though - she eats mayo on french toast, and thinks it tastes like egg salad. Ew! What would she do if she wasn’t recognized at all for a day? Rachael says she goes in flats, sweats, and no makeup - and no one recognizes her. When she is though, folks just say “Hey Rach!” and move on. Except when she’s grocery shopping, she has to budget like 3 times as much time as it should take to shop to answer the questions.

Next it’s dinner time - and everyone’s munching on the Ziti.

Today, it’s time for another human lab segment - this time tackling Acne Treatments, which Rachael was surprised to discover how many adults it affects.

Nicole was crushed when her 10 year old asked her why she had zits all over her face. Nicole tries Acne Care Frutels. Chocolates! That are loaded and supposed to clear the skin.

Lachanda wants to scream when she has an outbreak - she feels that’s what people focus on, she’s tried everything, even rubbing grapefruit on her skin. Lachandra tries the Zeno-mini Acne Clearing Device that claims to zap away the zips with low-level heat.

Carrie doesn’t let anyone see her without makeup and has spent thousands of dollars on peels and micro-derm and diets. Carrie tries the Clear Wave Light Therapy Skin Care System which claims to attack the bacteria with light.

Dr. Cheryl Karcher is on hand to chat about it too, and says it’s hormonal. They change when we get older, as well as stress. Hormones simulate oil, which clogs pores, and bacteria eats the oil and tada, pimple. The two things to do are unclog the pores and kill bacteria. Many products contain things to do both - salicylic acid unclogs the pores, and benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria.

After four weeks, Nicole says things got worse before it got better. She took a break, then started taking the Frutels again, and things have cleared up and she’s hopeful and expecting the best. Lachanda had issues - she could only hold it to her skin for half the amount of time. She’s stopped using on her face, but used it on her neck instead. It just didn’t work well, and it seems to make the pimples larger. Carrie’s skin got notacbly worse, but it might not be the products fault as she stopped the treatments she had done before. Her husband makes fun of her the entire time - but she is learning spanish by listening to lessons on her ipod during the treatments. She’s not seen real results yet, but it said it takes 6 weeks.

So we’re back in the studio at the 8 week mark. Nicole says that as crazy as it sounds - her skin cleared up, and she loved eating chocolate every day of the week. She ate 3-4 a day. the Doc says it’s chocolate with vitamins, and you can’t argue with the fact that she got better but it is possible that her stress decreased too, it might have been even a placebo effect. The biggest thing to do for your skin is to be healthy - it’ll show in your skin.

Lachanda said that she might have been too sensitive for the product, it was painful. She quit using the product. Doc says that it’s the latest trend - taking doctors remedies from the office into the home. There are other technologies that are the same thing, but you only need it for 2 seconds rather then 2 minutes. The science behind it is good science, and it is useful to kill the bacteria.

Carrie says it looked like she was going to a tanning booth, and she says that honestly it didn’t work. After 8 weeks, she didn’t see an improvement, and maybe it would have worked if she kept up with the micro-derm and derma peels at the same time it would have been better, but she was worried about it being too much. Doc says that it likely didn’t work because she stopped her entire regimen, and didn’t unclog the pores. It wouldn’t harm the skin in any way, and so Rach says maybe go back to the normal regimen and try the light then - go back to Spanish classes.

The bottom line is, get the products that unclog the pores and kills the bacteria - that will help keep you clear, along with being generally healthy.

After a quick stop in the prep kitchen, where Rachael shows you two alternatives to using pasta in your favorite lasagna, it’s time to learn how to turn old gold into cash! ONe way is to go to a Gold Party. It’s an opportunity to sell your dusty gold jewelry. You put it int the package, and they appraise it and send you a check. And if your friends do it too, you get a bonus. It’s for silver, gold, platinum, premium watches, etc.

A viewer says she had a Gold party by Red Swan.com - she started with her own, and got $1000 back. Once that happened, she decided to sell her “old boyfriend” jewelry and got double what she did the first time. She told people, and she got thank you checks, and it’s a surprise every time as she doesn’t know who send it in, she just gets referrals. Rach had three audience members turn some stuff in to be appraised. Sandra is offered $250 bucks, and Sandy takes it, no problem. Kimberly brought in a ring with a safire, and she gets $300 bucks, and Kimberly takes it as well. Now… Laurie brought in an engagement ring from a past relationship - and Red Swan offers her $3000 for it. Lori says she’ take it (duh!) and all three ladies leave cash in hand.

And if you get the check, and you decide you want your jewelry back, send the check back within 10 days, and you get it back, no questions asked.

Next up, Rachael had challenged people to grow their own gardens and show them off, and Apollonia took that challenge and supersized it! She’s known as the Zucchini Lady for growing a 6-foot tall Succhini! She says she didn’t do anything special, just grew it right there in Brooklyn, New York. “I never thought my succhini would become world famous!” Poor Rach - she’s giggling so bad she can’t really talk for a bit. It didn’t even fit in the trunk of the car - but they made it! They can’t eat it anymore, because it’s getting hard (there goes Rachael again! As well as half the audience!) so they’re going to use the seeds for next year. Rachael made her a personalize Zucchini recipe book from the show.

Share your garden photos in the garden gallery.

Which all leads into dinner - Zucchini-sagna.

Rachael always said she’d never be a “Who’s your daddy” kind of show, but she’s doing it today with DOGS, and Dr. Ernie. Yes, there are now tests for dogs to determine who their parents and grandparents are. It’s apparently good for rescue dogs for health reasons, as well as to find out just what kind of breed your mutt is.

Here to help is Bernadette Peters, who’s adopted two dogs from NYC shelters, a pit bull named Stella, and 9 year old Kramer, of an unknown breed. She thinks he has the ears of a Briard, some body characteristics of a German Shepherd and a thick undercoat of a chow. He’s also had to have an eye removed due to cancer, and she wonders if he’s susceptible to tumors due to breed. She uses the Wisdom Panel Mixed Breed Analysis Kit and joins Rach and Dr. Ernie on stage to get the results.

The test is a blood test, requiring a tiny bit of blood and the results are 90% accurate. Who’s Kramer’s daddy? He’s about 50% Golden Retriever, 25% ChowChow, and 25% was mixed beyond what could be decided. Cancer is the number one cause of death among Golden Retrievers, and Bernadette still needs to be an alert.

Doggie DNA testing is important for people looking to adopt a dog as well, as it’s valuable information for your Vet. It makes it easier to find the best fit for you as well - how big will he be? Ho agressive? Docile? so on and so forth.

Next up, a staff member, Meridith finds out the makeup of Archie, her rescue dog - who has a “Muttagree”. The producer fell in love with Archie when they were producing the segment in the shelter. He’s jack russel terrier, and labador retriever…. wow. that’s a combo!

After a quick stop in the kitchen for Turkey Swiss French Toast, it’s time for another in the “I hate my…” series. This time, it’s “I hate my neck!”

Mally is back on hand to chat about our necks. It’s an area that’s often overlooked, as we take care of skin and face, but forget our necks and throats.

Gwen, 54, says her neck is getting saggier, and saggier, and she feels she’s becoming a turtleneck-aholic due to her waddle, and her nieces call her Aunt Turkey Neck. She has a different turtleneck for all occasions. She feels it ages her, and she feels older. Mally has several solutions - a neck cream to help tighten everything up, then she uses a shaping powder, from the back of the ear to contour the jaw line. It tends to get a little soft, which makes the neck look a little hangy. To draw attention away, wear dangling earings - and accentuate her positives - her nice chest! Don’t cover it up, give them something else to look at! She also shows a bit of elastic and tape that can be used on occasion, but not often as it’d make the problem worse. Then - when you get your picture taken, put your tongue against the roof of your mouth - it lifts everything up.

Next, Terri, 53, says she has a short and stubby neck - so much so that she has started to feel that her head should be two inches higher. She’s tried everything, v-necks, necklaces, sitting a certain way, makeup, and she’s at a loss. Mally uses a contour powder to create a stronger jawline, and shading to make her neck look longer. Other makeup tips were to point out some faux-pas - she made her eyeliner point down, which pulls the focus that way. So they lifted everything up - smoky eye, a little bit of lifted cat eye too. She also styled her hair that pulled the attention away from the neck, instead of drawing attention to it. She suggested that she grow out her hair, but wing it back for now so people focus on the hair, not the neck.

What’s for dinner? Braised Pork Chops.

We get right to it today, with Bob Greene joining Rachael on set at the sofa’s where they start talking about why people are overweight. Rachael says that sure there are some underlying reasons that people get fat, but some just carry extra pounds because they like pasta. Bob disagrees - and says the ones that chronically struggle, misuse food for an emotional reason, using food to take place of something missing. Rachael admits that she does eat when she stresses, and Bob says those things can be adjusted.

What does Bob do for his new years resolutions? Is it just “Done”? He says that he hates the resolutions, and says they are part of the problem. His is simple to wake up every day and treat himself well.

Next up, they put Bob in a Box - one of the “doctor’s are in” boxes in the middle of the Food Emporium. The expert is in! They talk about everything from eggwhites, to the right kind of peanut butter (Smart Balance is Bob’s pick!) to put on multigrain flatbread.

They chat a bit about The Best Life diet, and the revisions - his two year old daughter on the cover, and she’s expecting a brother in May! They need names - so send them in and they’ll get them to Bob - ha! Bob listened to all the comments at The Best Life Diet.com - new info for new foods, and more aggressive in the beginning of the program too.

Many people get gratification only from the scale number moving downwards, so you need to work on other parts of your life too - your friendships, work, etc. The key is living life to it’s fullest. The key is working through the barriers we put in front of ourselves - and the number one is thinking we don’t deserve it. We then sabotage ourselves, and it doesn’t work.

Bob suggests that people identify the things that are going well - then the things that aren’t so good, and that’s where the magic is, where your excess weight can actually be an oppotunity to identify some meaningful way to change your life.

Bob is also developing a Wii exercise game and also a project which that will educate people about osteoarthritus and teach people how to exercise, and a diet plan. Then, Bob shows Rach how to make a no-cheese vegetable lasagna from The Best Life Diet Cookbook. Rachael said it looked fantastic (…uh..) and tasted delicious. I’m sure it did - but gimme some CHEEEEEEEESE! Click here to get some more tips! (Maybe I’d better watch, huh? *L*)

After a quick stop in the prep kitchen for a lighter version of sausage balls, it’s time for Anya’s 2009 Fashion Resolutions. Right off the bat, I resolve to do my best not to stare at the train wreck that is her eye makeup, and pretend that she knows what she’s talking about. Ha!

Anya takes Lara’s look from ET, and showing how you do to it cheaply. Even Lara is wearing Lara Lookalikes now - she wore a walmart dress that cost $12 last week. Anya’s resolutions are:

Take inventory of what you have in your closet. Reinvent, recycle, reuse. If you’re a real fashion nerd, create a photo album of everything in the closet and outfits that go together. Rachael adds that you can do a mini-yard sale after cleaning out your closet for your friends, and give it to your favorite charity. Rach does that herself, and it benefits Yum-o!

Shop Smarter. It’s ok to be a bargain bragger. But when you’re shopping - walk away for a little bit, sleep on it, if you have to have it, you’ll know. Then ask yourself if you’d pay full price, or even double the price, would you still like it, or is it only because it’s on sale? You don’t save anything if it’s only going to sit in the closet.

Empty your purse before putting it in your closet. You could end up walking around with pounds of pennies! Empty the bags!

Pick a key accessory and make it your own. Take cue from cartoon characters - Marge Simpson same necklace, Wilma Flinstone, white pearls. Anya, her big ring. It doesn’t have to be costly, it’s just something you wear every day that makes it your own signature look. Accessories are the key - mix and match and extend the life of your wardrobe. You can wear the same dress a couple times a week, just change the look with accessories!

They chat about the inauguration, and what Michelle Obama might wear - the whole world will be watching and everyone wants to dress her. She predicts a one-shoulder gown, perhaps regal red or purple. (It turned out to be one-shoulder, off-white.) There’s a lot of attention on this one dress. There’s even a website where folks can register their dress before going to the balls, so no one wears the same thing. Ha!

Want some more tips from Anya? Check here!

So, what’s for dinner? Yakitori Noodle Bowls.

Rach is wearing a little tied on plaid skirt number that… I think I like. I’m not sure yet. Ha! Rachael comes out holding a prize - a GPS with a Camera, to give to an audience member who wins a game called “bride n seek”. The game involves giving the name of the actress and film from a still of the movie, and clues. The first is Runaway Bride - which my daughter and I get from the picture and first clue. Ha! The second is Sex and the City the movie, and the contestent gets it right off. And the last one, of course, is Kate Hudson in Bride Wars - and Kate is right behind her! Which of course, we knew already, if ya read the title. Ha!

Kate and Rachael take a seat at the kitchen table and talk about their low key Christmases. Then they move on to Kate’s upcoming 30th birthday. She says she’s excited about it, the 20s are weird, and transitional, and then 30 is just really fun, and she thinks 40 will be AWESOME. She feels then you’ll have experience and be sure, where now she’s still trying to figure it out. Rachael says “You know what’s cool about aging now?” and Kate snaps off with “Botox!!” And everyone cracks up.

Kate says she’s got a great role model in her mother - all energy, and fire and she glows - but if you get her mad, “you get a different Goldie!” And Kate loves that, strong women are just impressive. She could make them stop as kids with “The Look”. They chat a bit about Kate’s son Ryder, and she feels he’s already smarter then her.

Then, it’s time to talk Bride Wars! Kate calls it a testament to the power of female friendship. Kate’s been working on Bride Wars for 5 years, producing it and she’s extremely proud of the film. Her friendships with her girlfriends are important, and the movie is a comment on how and why we need our girlfriends in our lives to help us get through everything - they’re our rock. She and Anne Hathaway battle it out, sure, but it’s really about the friendship that endures. It’s a buddy movie that doesn’t involve men - it’s a buddy movie for women!

They did go a little too far in one scene though - Kate admits to hitting Anne in the face so hard she got a red mark and needed an ice pack. “It was so bad! I really clocked her! I was like take THAT tabloids.” She then shows us her recipe for an Effortless Triffle.

Next up, it’s a young man who’s every parents and teacher’s dream. Young Wyatt, from Kansas, decided to wear a tie because he saw his daddy wearing it and he wanted to look good just like him. Mom thought it was for dress up, but he started to wear it to school, and soon it spread to other boys around the school too. There was many different comments - from friends and teachers, and some boys decided that he looked cool so asked his mom for one. ANd the girls think he looks handsome too. Awww!

Mom calls him a dream - he doesn’t want her involvement, he picks his own clothes out, and even keeps his ties clean. Wyatt says that he wears them to parties too. He says maybe he’ll even try a bowtie next, then gives everyone a lesson on how to tie a tie.

As it’s hard to find regular ties for little kids instead of clipons, Rachael gives Wyatt a complete collection from Ralph Loren.

Then - Dinner time! Sausage and Spinach-stuffed Roasted Chicken with Roasted Garlic Fettuccine.

Rachael starts right off telling us about her voice and the throat - she says that her greatest gift was that she didn’t have to have surgery. She has a vocal therapist that thinks she can help without going under the knife, so she’s working with her and we’ll see what happens from there. She goes once or twice a week for over an hour, and she’s discovered that not only does she not talk right, she doesn’t stand right, so she’ll go in for a complete overhaul.

The audience has a couple questions - one asks what kind of exercises she does, and Rach demonstrates some of the stretches and chants and funny things she has to do. The trick is to sound all the time like she does while working with the therapist. Rach jokes that she even works up a sweat, which tells us how little activity she does. Ha!

Next up, Robin McGraw joins Rach at the sofa to promote her new book “What’s age got to do with it.”

They chat about Christmas for a while, and Robin shows off some of her decorations, as she’s a Christmas fanatic, and New Years. They always stay home and have a low key NYE. She didn’t drink, but her birthday is three days after Christmas so she drank a lot of champagne then! Her New Years resolution is to quit having a big meal right before bed. She eats a lot of little meals through the day, and she burns everything she eats, and I kinda hate her. Robin says her hormones are all in order, which keeps her metabolism up. She suggests that women get their hormones checked in their 20s, because you can go into peri-menopause in your thirties, so she thinks everyone should get those levels checked and keep getting them checked.

Rach reads a letter from a viewer, who wanted them to get her a scarf that Robin wore on the last show. Robin gives Rachael the scarf to send to Buela, as Beula wrote a check to have them get her one at Target - and so Rachael is sending the check back, along with the scarf so that she can have it.

Then it’s back to chatting about the book. When Robin went into Menopause, they had a family meeting. She told them she as in menopause, and that it didn’t mean they could get away with stuff, and she’d sleep naked because of the night sweats, so the boys couldn’t come into the room, etc. She told them to be nice, and her family says that it helped. Then it’s time for some affordable beauty tips.

Bag Balm - (I LOVE THIS STUFF. I used it for cracked sore nipples during nursing my own babies. It’s GOOD stuff!) It’s made for cows udders, but it’s amazing for dry skin, heels and elbows, etc.

Makeup Brushes - You can spend like 15-20 bucks for a single brush. Instead, go to the arts and crafts store, and get brushes there. They’re soft and perfect. Trim them if you have too, but they work beautifully for a lot cheaper.

Last but not least - the Egg Facial. Robin says it’s her favorite - you open the eg and apply the yolk to your face, let it stand for 10 minutes, rinse it off and then prepare a treatment with egg white by whipping it into soft peaks and apply it to your face. You leave that on as long as you want - the longer it’s there, the tighter your face gets - tight as a drum!

Click here to see what Robin’s most embarassing high school memory is!

After a stop in the prep kitchen for a Superfast Fancy Fakeout where Rachael shows ya how to make a super simple balsamic drizzle, it’s time to see if your pet is normal…

Dr. Earnie Ward is on hand to answer the questions from viewers. Xena loves to talk - she makes noise and whines and talks all the time. Xena is a beautiful Siberian Husky, but so very vocal, that it’s driving them nuts. Dr. Ernie suggests that they check with their vet for any visual and hearing problems. It’s normal behavior, but it’s better to check as some cases of vocalizing is a case of lost vision or hearing. On the whole, though - they are vocal creatures, and Xena is a breed that is generally loud, so teach the “Quiet” command. Check out how, here.

Next up, Guillotine suffers from “the sacred pee issue” - she goes on the newspapers and when they try to clean it up, the pug attacks her. She’s drawn blood, scratched, bruised, and they don’t know what to do. Dr. Earnie tells her it’s not normal, it’s aggression, and they need to get the Vet involved before it escalates and someone is seriously injured. It may be a redirected fear agression, and he wants to know why they don’t take her outside… they live in a high rise apartment, and Dr. Earnie wants them to revisit crate training. Then teach a “Drop” command, with a toy, and teach them to bring it and drop it, then work their way up to paper. And work with her indoors, sit, stay, play, hide and seek, etc. Keep her active.

Lastly, it’s Kathy and Riley - Kathy bites the scruff of Riley’s neck, ever since the dog was a puppy… is that normal? Dr. Ernie isn’t too sure how to answer. It’s normal dog-to-dog behavior, and she’s not a dog. He says it probably won’t esculate to Grizzly Man proportions, but be careful not to imitate dogs behavior too much. It can be confusing, if she was supposed to be the boss. Just be careful… etc. And don’t start nibbling on your animals coast to coast.

Dinner time! Fancy Fake-Out: Chicken version, Seafood Version and the balsamic drizzle.

Well that title is a little blunt, isn’t it? We all know Rachael (cute shirt today!) LOVES the crime shows, and she’s rambles on about it all the time. She even crashed the set and got to pretend to be a corpse - though she giggled while being put into the morgue drawer. Ha! This leads us to the first guest - Dr. Jan Garavaglia, a chief medical examiner, and start of Dr. G: Medical Examiner. She’s a normal mom at home, with two kids who once told people she “Cut people’s heads off” for a living!

She even shows us that some of the tools she uses in her lab are the same as the ones we all use in the kitchen! They don’t make special organ lifter spatula’s after all! She tries to tell us that it’s not an icky thing, what she does - crimes are only 10%. Her patients are just that, patients, and many families see her as the last physician for their loved one. Crime shows? Drive her NUTS - the science isn’t all that real at times.

Her job makes her realize how precious life is, and that we shouldn’t take it for granted. She’s got a new book called “How not to die.” It shows tips that could save you’re life - with very simple things. We can eat salmon and blueberries and things good for us - but if you don’t look both ways when you cross the street - what good is it gonna do you?!

Here’s some of her top tips:

Car Safety “The number one cause of death, and I’m talking all deaths between the ages of 1 and 44 are accidents,” Dr. G says. “What is the number one accident? Motor vehicle accidents.” The top precaution is to wear your seat belt correctly. “Always use the shoulder harness if you’re going to use the lap belt. Never use them separately.” Dr. G also suggests keeping the windows up. “When you go into a rollover your head can go out. Some of the worst though are when the window is half open, because some really devastating injuries can occur. So I play it safe. I roll it up.”

Lake Safety “We’ve had a couple cases in Florida with a lake where the temperature gets high enough and the amoebas start getting active,” she says. “This only happens really in the summer when the water gets to about 80 degrees. The amoebas actually — when they go in the water — can go up their nose and into the brain. A rare, rare thing to occur, but it’s lifesaving just to use the nose clips.”

Medicine Cabinet “They estimate 1.5 or 1.7 million cases of drug interactions of people who are either sickened or injured or die from either taking the wrong medicine or taking too much medicine,” says Dr. G. “Ten percent of that is probably just due to the fact that the names of some of these medications are so close.” While these mistakes are rare, Dr. G recommends opening up prescriptions at the pharmacy to confirm it is the correct drug.

She’s a very bubbly Doctor - and says that people expect her to be morbid, but instead she lives in a constant state of gratefulness.

It’s time for Double-Duty Kitchen Tips, from using a straw poked through the bottom of the strawberry to pop the leafy top off without losing any of the yummy fruit, to using a power drill to juice tomatoes, to making tacos less messy for your kids by using chip clips on the ends of the soft tacos. Ok, that last one? Tacos aren’t tacos if they’re not messy!!! Harumph.

Then, Nathan Sawaya brings by the Lego Rachael, and it’s time for dinner: Pasta e Fagioli with Sausage dumplings.

We start off right away with Gabby Reece returning to the set to talk more about her friends, sharing her Honey Line with us - the idea of all of us surviving by working hard, with support from our 4 or 5 best girlfriends. Her latest HoneyLine Call panic call was needing a sitter when she had to run to New York. She has friends who have clothes, and she thinks her network, her honeyline keeps they working well and together. Each person has their own role, too. You can’t be everything to everyone. Working together helps you simply ease the pressure.

Today, Gabby takes us to talk to another of her Honey Line friends, Cindy Crawford. They chat about what it was like to grow up in the midwest, and how she helps her kids use their unique skills to help the family. She’s determined to have her son and daughter grow up with good values, and even make their beds. She’s is the disciplinarian, and even won’t let her kids watch Hannah Montanna because her daughter learned to be Sassy from watching the show. Cindy says “I won’t let anyone in my real life talk to me like that. I won’t take it from my five year old!”

They’ve been friends for 15 years, but it hasn’t always been easy for Cindy, so she finds her women friendships extremely valuable to her. She knows what she does can be intimidating, and she has only recently learned to own the fact that this is who she is, a model, a mom. She’s going to own it.

Gabby tells us that girls learn to downplay our strengths and gifts in order to make others feel better, and it’s important not to squish your talents for other people. Own it. How does Cindy looks so good still? She chooses to eat healthy about 80% of the time, facials, exercise, but no diets. It’s important to own where you are, don’t try to look like a teenager when you’re not, etc. Become comfortable with yourself.

Gabby and Rachael talk about some exercising ideas too, and it’s important to find something that helps you blow off stress, be it boxing or throwing dishes, etc. Gabby wants to hear your solutions to releasing stress, so get your stories to them at the official website.

After a quick stop in the prep kitchen for a great use for broken spaghetti - Spaghetti & Meatball Meatballs, it’s time for another “I can’t stand my..” segment.

This time it’s “I can’t stand my legs” and Gretta is on hand to help out some viewers with some helpful hints for the “leg challenged”. Drea is confident about her body, but she has a birthmark on her leg - red clouds that slide all the way up her leg. She checked into laser treatments, but it was too expensive, and the spray makeup just didn’t work. She wants to wear a dress and feel comfortable with it. Drea comes out in a skirt to show off the results of G’s solution, and it’s a complete coverup! She used Dermablend, that’s opaque like a hose or tight, and you can even set it and make it water-resistant. It covers anything. It’s a little pricey, but compared to laser surgery, it’s definitely worth it.

Kelly hates her “tree trunks” and she feels she has a disproportionate body, and she hates shopping as she can’t find things that fit properly because her torso is long, and her legs are short. She would love to wear a great pair of boots, with a great outfit. As she’s a runner, it makes things difficult with her 14 inch calves. She comes out and feels great, wearing stretch leather boots from Naturalizer, boots that Rachael herself has been wearing and loves!

Hey - it’s dinner time! Nutty Broken Spaghetti-Sotto.

And don’t forget to check out the Celebrity Sound-Off - backstage chats with Rachael’s guests!

It’s a new year, and the first show of 2009! Rachael looks cute in black with her hair flipped up - an altogether good look to start off the year. She even looks like she has cleavage!

We start off with the Etiquette Expert from Chow.com, Helena Echlin. She joins Rachael at the kitchen table to chat about some audience questions. Ramona wants to know if it’s rude to use the BlackBerry during dinner in a restaurant. Helena says that she gets a lot of similar questions and her advise is if you’re having dinner with a friend, unless you’re expecting an urgent phone call, turn the phone off. Let your friends see that you turned it off, so they feel special in that you’re giving them your full attention.

A video question has a woman who said she loved her sister-in-law’s banana cream pie, but she doesn’t and now her SIL makes it for her all the time! Everyone gets into this fix, but Helena says the bad news is she’ll have to keep eating the pie. It makes her SIL feel good. Though you could redirect her attention to another dish and declare a new favorite!

The last audience question - she hates it when her friends clean and prepare for visits, so is it ok to drop by unannounced? Helena says that surprise visits are great, because they aren’t any hassle, and the focus is on quality time together! Rachael says she loves it when folks drop by and…

…the crowd goes wild as Diddy walks onto the set! They leave Helena, and head to the sofa, and Diddy is looking FINE! Diddy says he needs notice when folks drop in on him because he’s usually walking around in his underwear. Again - the crowd goes wild! He does say if it’s someone close to him, he doesn’t mind at all. Rachael says “Someone who knows how to cook?” And he says oh yeah…she can come by anytime. Rachael embarrasses herself a little bit, laughing.

His new fragrance has outsold all the big names, and he says as a man he understands what a woman should smell like. Rachael agrees, she loves it. His are more subtle, for up close, and he leans close to sniff on Rachael’s neck and she’s all giddy again. She jokes about hoping her hubby isn’t watching, but she don’t care! Then says she does, shh, just give her a couple minutes. Ha!

His newest fragrance is The King, a man’s fragrance. It’s about upoir father, husband, boyfriend nd what they mean, and even the “women in your life” and he quickly corrects it to “Woman!” and everyone laughs as he gets flustered. He meant all the women in his life including his one and only! But it’s the women in the life, the perfect women - the most beautiful creation, that make the men their kings - dysfunctional thought they may be. He lets rachael sniff, then an audience member, and agiain, the crowd goes wild!

The ad campaign was inspired by James Bond, and he jokes it’s the way he auditions to be the first black Bond. He laughs that he’s not trying to take Daniel Craig’s job. “I have a concept that he has to go and solve a problem in New York and I’m one of the agents he meets, he gets kidnapped, so I save him. He realizes he’s a little rusty and passes it to me, 008!”

He’s got a movie out, releasing Notorious on January 19 that tells the sotry based on the life of slain rapper Biggie Smalls from his mother’s perspective. He also has a new years resolution - beat the battle of the apple pie and cheeseburgers. He wants his 6-pack back..

After a quick trip to the prep kitchen for fondue gravy, we meet the Unhandiest couple in America! KC is on hand though, to tour the home of Amy and Brian, then spends a day with them to put them through a DIY boot camp. They hang towel bars, and a jewelery armoire, and Rachael surprises them with a $500 gift card to help them continue the good work.

Then, KC walks Rachael through how to fix a leaky toilet, a very common DIY project. Then it’s time for dinner - Spicy Buttermilk Chicken Tenders with Molasses Dipping Gravy with Sweet Potato Oven Fries.

All new shows this week!

“Diddy” Crashes Our Set It’s our huge 2009 premiere, and the year’s off to a scandalous start as Diddy flirts with our audience - and Rachael’s only making things hotter! He’s also sharing his new cologne, which you can enter for a chance to win. Then, can KC undo a lifetime of DIY damage in just one day? She’s taking a pair of unhandy Marines to home improvement boot camp. And for dinner, Rach has a hearty meal that will leave your belly full and your conscience clean!

Supermom Cindy Crawford It’s the rarely seen, not-so-perfect side of supermodel Cindy Crawford! Gabrielle Reece goes inside Cindy’s Malibu mansion for a private look at this star, including her rules on being a super mom, in the latest installment of the HoneyLine. Then, can’t stand your legs? Gretta helps two viewers wear skirts and shorts with confidence! And if you love risotto, you’ll love what’s for dinner.

How Not To Die A leading medical examiner is in our studio with information that can literally save your life! From your house to your car to your swimming pool, Dr. G cautions you about the hidden dangers you face every day. Plus it’s double-duty time with 3 viewers, 3 products and 6 new uses! Then, see what happens when a Lego artist is challenged to create a life-size Rachael!

Rach’s Throat Update & Robin McGraw Ever wonder how Dr. Phil’s gorgeous wife Robin McGraw stays so young? She’s revealing her strategy for growing older gracefully - at any age! Plus, you won’t believe what some pet owners have to say in the latest installment of “Is This Normal?” And, Rachael has the secret to another fancy fake-out supper!

Bob Greene: What You Didn’t Hear on Oprah Ring in the New Year with a new you! We’ve got you covered with an hour of tips to help you transform your life. First, get into shape with weight loss strategies from Oprah’s fitness guru Bob Greene. Then, update your look with some Hollywood glamour tips from stylist to the stars Anya Sarre!

Produce 8 garlic cloves 1 small onions 1 medium onion 2 medium red onions 1 carrot 4 stalks celery 10 leaves of sage 3 bay leaves 2 tablespoons tarragon 2 tablespoons basil 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley 2 small bulbs fennel 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms 4 large sweet potatoes Meat 2 pounds chicken tenders 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 8 slices prosciutto 4 thin slices pancetta 3/4 pound ground pork Dairy 1 egg 3 cups buttermilk 5 tablespoons butter 1 cup gorgonzola crumbles 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese Grocery 2 cups olive, canola or peanut oil 1 cup EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 cup molasses 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup walnuts 2 tablespoons smoked paprika 1 tablespoon dry mustard 2 tablespoons chili powder 4 tablespoons grill seasoning 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning or dried ground thyme 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1/4 cup (a handful) breadcrumbs 10 1/2 cups chicken stock 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans 1 pound spaghetti 1 cup ditalini-shaped pasta 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes 3 tablespoons tomato paste Bakery 1 loaf ciabatta 1 loaf crusty bread Liquor 1 cup white wine