Watching Rachael Ray

On Monday’s Rachael Ray it was all makeovers, all the time. An Audience member was chosen randomly and made over. There was a house for sale staging, and a closet full of bridesmaid dresses were updated for everyday (or Date Night) function.

Gretta’s got some tips before heading off to the tailor.
* Hit up someone who knows how to sew. “It can be a friend or relative that’s willing to help you out,” says Gretta. “But if you don’t know someone, many cities and towns have local seamstresses or tailors or even dry cleaners that can do what you’re looking for.” Before they pin and cut, make sure your get an estimate or quote to find out if it’s worth it for you to reconstruct the dress.
* Look at the fabric before tossing it out. “Even if you think the overall look of a dress can’t be saved through sewing or if the dress is damaged, see if you like the fabric, you may be able to make something else out of it,” Gretta advises.
* Leave some extra fabric. With most of these dresses you will take several inches of the length, but always remember to leave some in the hem so that you can add length back if you need it.
* Customize in the details. Use that extra fabric to create a matching purse, belt or scarf that can help dress the piece up or down.

And of course, there was a hearty Stuffed Pepper Stoup (a soup so think it’s almost a stew) for dinner. The Stoup brought back memories for me, as my mom made stuffed peppers for us many, many times! It’s a total comfort food that I have not had in some time, so this Stoup is definitely on the list of things to try. (The list! It GROWS!)

Coming up this week:

Tuesday: Aaron Eckhart, Nanny Nightmare, Too Attached Mom

Wednesday: The New York vs. Chicago Pizza Throwdown! and more Mom Troubles.

Thursday: This is the biggy. Today, President Clinton sits down for an hour long Kitchen Table Talk. Childhood Obesity issues, and a new partnership to change the way kids eat, Cooking on the campaign trail and President Clinton’s healthy drink he swears by. Don’t miss it!

Friday: Michael J. Fox comes by and surprises a woman who’s raised over $60k for his foundation by flipping pancakes. He’ll talk about family life, as well as his battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

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