Rachael Ray

Tonight’s a great night for Food Network addicts. They’ve finally moved on past the extra-healty, fat-free episodes that always come with a New Year. Tonight’s line-up includes Country Fried Steak with Biscuits and Gravy (Paula’s Home Cooking), Smoky Portobello Soup (Paula’s Home Cooking), Red Pepper Cheesecake (Everyday Italian), French Onion Soup (Barefoot Contessa), Jalapeno Potato Salad (Semi-Homemade), Coffee Sambuca Shakes (the 2nd 30 Minute Meals), Wonton Soup (Emeril Live), Peanut Butter Cream Pie (Emeril Live), Philly Cheese Steak (Emeril Live), and Double Crust Apple Pie (Emeril Live).

Earlier tooday, there were a few killer recipes, also. Click the links below to check them out:

Cherry Tomatoes with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing (Tyler Florence)

Roasted Corn with Chili Lime Butter (Tyler Florence)

Fried Chicken (Tyler Florence)

Now we’re cooking!!!

Love it! I was creating a page on Buttermilk Press for Rachael Ray Cookbooks and Products. In between knives, books, a HOTTTT Microwave Oven, and other Kitchen lovelies, I found these
Rachael Ray Refrigerator Magnetic Pads
. My kitchen’s already filled with FoodNetwork cookbooks and play pretties - this would will fit right in!

Check out the page when you get a chance (Rachael Ray Cookbooks and Products) - I guarantee you’ll see things you’d never seen before. Also, notice that many of her products come with her own recipes. It’s like she’ll be in the kitchen with you - making a good time a great time.

Joi

I love the theme of the Food Network’s line-up tonight: Sports! Food and sports go hand in glove and my family generally celebrates one with the other. We have special Monday Night Football snacks, race day snacks, special Sunday Night Baseball snacks - and when College Basketball kicks into high gear, we watch every UK and UofL game literally surrounded by food.

As St. Louis Cardinal’s fanatics we’ve been glued to the tv the past few weeks - only venturing to the kitchen to grab our next round of snacks. Tonight’s game is a biggie, so we might just eat the couch by the time the 9th inning rolls around. I’m not sure why, but food seems to soothe the nerves - and being a sports fan can tear your nerves up.

If you’ll notice in the scroller to the right, the shows on the Food Network are all geared toward this very thing - and from the sounds of it, my gang will be set for the whole NFL/College Basketball season!

Something we really love doing on game day (or night) is grabbing a few orders of Salsa and chips from a local authentic Mexican restaurant. They’re better than any the store can offer (BY FAR) and they’re actually very, very reasonably priced. We’re able to get enough for our family of 5 for just a little over $5. Most restaurants also offer the Heavenly white cheese dip that they do so well. If my beloved Cardinals make it to the World Series, that’ll be how we celebrate game 1 in the series. If I’m able to eat!

Joi

Below is part of a fun little interview with Rachael Ray that ran in the October 9, 2006 issue of OK Magazine. The article was titled Ray of Sunshine and the interview was conducted by Carol Glines.

Tell us about your next book. There’s one that comes out around Christmas. I finished writing it in April. It’s called 2, 4, 6, 8. It’s meals for two, four, six, or eight people.

What’s your number one splurge food? I eat all the time. I don’t consider it splurging or not. I mean, I eat pasta when I want pasta; risotto when I want risotto; pizza when I want pizza.

What about sweet things - do you eat cookies? I don’t like cookies. I don’t bake cookies. I don’t like to bake anything. I don’t eat sweets that much. I guess peanut butter cookies are good. I like any kind of spice cake, gingerbread, that kind of thing.

Are there one or two hints you can give for cooking a quick meal? Set the bar low. Don’t try to make the cover of Gourmet magazine the first time out. Cook with meats that are off the bone; they are always quick-cooking. Start with things that are readily available to everybody - anybody can make pastas, and the ingredients are very simple.

Do you have particular cravings? I cook and eat all the time, so it doesn’t really enter into my life. I don’t deny myself.

You own a dog but have said you don’t have time for children. Do you think that will always be the case? Yeah, I love working with children and they’re going to be a big part of the show, but I have no immediate plans to slow down my workload. It would be a hugely selfish thing and a bad idea to try to have a kid anytime soon. I feel like a bad mom to my dog!

How does your husband feel about being part of the show? He’s good. He’s an easy guy. We don’t watch [the show]. It’s easy to be on TV when you don’t watch. You know, it freaks the dog out to hear me on TV. She doesn’t like my voice coming from somewhere when she can’t find me.

What do you do that’s just for yourself? I like being around my husband, and my dog, and my mom and stuff. I watch TV in bed with my dog.

Adorable!

If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out her new talk show - you’ve got to catch it this week. When I first heard that she had an afternoon show coming to network television I doubted that it’d work. I was afraid they’d try to tone her down and force her to fit into their tight little nice - but she’s still her larger than life self with her own style and way of doing things.

She’s kind of a middle of the day pick-me-up, and comes on at just the time of day when we all need to be picked up!

Joi

I added a little ticker to the right that’ll keep you up to date on what you might want to watch out for on the Food Network. Each day I’ll change it to that day’s line up - I’ll only give the day’s very best….the shows, the chefs, and the food you just can’t miss!

Joi

There are two totally delicious-sounding $40 a Day’s tonight - one in Cleveland and one in Chicago. The Cleveland episode includes: The “Rachael” Omelet, Chicken Paprikash Pierogis, and Bay Scallops with Pesto ….

…and the Chicago Episode has: Green Eggs and Ham, Free Form Polenta Lasagna , and Macadamia Butter Crunch Popcorn.

The omelet sounds like sheer deliciousness waiting to happen, and I’ve got to try the Green Eggs and Ham just for the name alone!

Joi

Don’t forget, Rachael Ray’s new talk show premieres tomorrow - check you listings for the channel and time. I gotta tell you, I can’t wait!

“People know me for my love of food, but I have so much more I want to share, Our show’s going to be all about taking a bigger bite out of life. I want people to see themselves in this show, because life is full of messes and successes, and getting there is half the fun.” - Rachael Ray

Joi

It’s actually kind of a “If-you-miss-it….no-biggie” day on the Food Network. I actually only saw 3 episodes that I’d really care to see. At least these 3 sound great - which is a good thing, because they’re carrying the whole day!

On Tyler’s Ultimate, he’ll be making Fried Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes with Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing and Roasted Corn with Chili Lime Butter. I’m not sure which one intrigues me most - okay, I lied…of course it’s the Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing.

Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals are just okay-sounding today - but one of her $40 a Day shows tonight sounds pretty hot. She’ll be in The Keys - home of the bluest water on earth! I love it when she hits up places I’ve actually been; then I can see if I recognize any of the places. I’m doubting that this will be the case, because when we were down there we really didn’t experience very impressive food. EXCEPT for a Key Lime Pie that I’d set out walking for right now - all the way from Kentucky. It was that good. We got it from a place called the Blond Giraffe and I can almost taste it now.

My daughters and I sat around a little outside bistro table drinking coffee and devouring the pie. It was one of those moments I’ll cherish in my memory bank forever - sitting with three of the most important people in the world to you, in a glorious setting, drinking coffee and eating pie that’s too good to even describe. The only way it would have been any better would be if my husband hadn’t been in a meeting and could have joined us. Then again, if it hadn’t been for the meeting we wouldn’t have been there!

Check out the Blond Giraffe’s Online Store, where they have candles, t-shirts, mugs, an Island CD, Island Spices, Key Lime candy, Key Lime Pie on a Stick, etc… I’m snatching up some candles, a mug, candy for my girls, a t-shirt for the hubby and Pie on a stick. When you land on the site, be sure to use the navigation on the left - you have to venture around to find all they have.

Joi

I’ll be recording so many shows on the Food Network today that I’ll be up all night watching them! Below are the ones that struck my fancy…….don’t know that I’ve ever typed those words…….check the scroller on Buttermilk Press to see if there are others that’ll strike yours.

(Times given are eastern, so be sure to check your own listings, or you’ll be left with something you didn’t order!)

On Boy Meets Grill at 11:30 am, Bobby Flay will make something called Pomegranate-Cinnamon Grilled Quail. It sounds pretty amazing, doesn’t it? It’d be a perfect Christmas Eve dish - If I’m able to wait that long.

At 2:00, on the Essence of Emeril, the episode’s devoted to Cheese. I’m good with that!! He’ll make one of my favorite soups, Cheddar Cheese Soup. Later, at 4:00 on Paula’s Home Cooking, Paula Deen makes a French Onion Soup - another favorite. On the same episode, she’ll be making Chocolate-Banana Filled Crepes.

Rachael Ray’s “Box Office Dinner” episode at 2:30 is also a winner. She’s making Mega Meatball Pizza and Coffee Floats - both of which I can’t wait to see. And make. And taste. Especially taste.

At 4:30, Giada De Laurntiis will be making “sandwiches” on her Everyday Italian show. I’m really anxious to see two in particular, Nutella Sandwiches and Italian Egg Sandwiches.

The best show of the day may just be later tonight, though. On $40 a Day, Rachael Ray will be in one of my favorite places in the world - Chattanooga, Tennessee, and she’ll be spending time with some of my favorite foods ever. Check out the line-up: Waffle of Insane Greatness, Grilled Gulf Shrimp, Fried Green Tomatoes, White Cheddar Cheese Grits, Pecan Crusted Double-Cut Pork Chops, Cappuccino Cups. Pecan Crusted Double-Cut Pork Chops…..I have a feeling a “YUM-O!” will be nearby.

Joi

2 cups Self Rising Flour
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 4oz Jars Strained Carrot Baby Food
4 Eggs
2 Cups Sugar
1-1/2 Cups Vegetable Oil

FROSTING:
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened
1 8oz Pkg. Cream Cheese, Softened
1 16oz Box Confectioner’s Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Pre-Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour three 8′ or 9″ pans. Mix the cake ingredients and blend well with an electric mixer. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake 25 - 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then invert onto waxed paper and allow to cool completely.

For the frosting: Mix all ingredients with a mixer. Blend until smooth and creamy. Frost the cake when it’s completely cool.

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A recent visitor to the blog requested this recipe from one of Paula Deen’s earlier cookbooks. Luckily I’m just the source to turn to for all things Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, Alton Brown, and Emeril!

The great thing about each of these chefs is the fact that their recipes are doable. You can buy their cookbooks and know you’ll actually be able to use all of the recipes. I use and re-use all of the recipes in my cookbook collection, and Paula’s are honestly as good as it gets. Some of my favorite recipes lie within her cookbooks. She’s one of us!

Joi