Get Cooking!

Recipes, Kitchen Gadgets, Cookbook Reviews, Gluten Free Recipes...

You are here: Home / Archives for Reviews / Table Talk / Food Network

Food Network

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl… Wouldn’t Take Anything for Mine

By

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

My family knows me. They know the good, the bad, and the… well, never you mind about the rest.  Knowing me like they do, they know that, whether it’s birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day, or Christmas, buying me anything with Rachael Ray’s name on it is a very safe bet.

I’ve collected Rachael Ray cookbooks, dishes, and kitchen tools for as long as I can remember. The bright, happy, vivid colors combined with unsurpassed durability and functionality rock my culinary world.

I even buy Rachael Ray products for my daughters – in their favorite colors. Not only do I know they’ll use (and love) them daily… I know they’ll think about me each time they do.

Win, WIN!

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

Fun and Functional

This beautiful purple Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl was actually given to me as a gift a few years ago.  I recently came across the pictures in my iPhone and realized I’d never written a review on this kitchen favorite.

When the garbage bowls first came out, in spite of being a Rachael Ray Kitchen Tool junkie, I never bought one for myself because (to be honest) I wasn’t sure I’d even use it. I thought, “Yes, it’s beautiful and yes, it’s Rachael Ray… but I just toss my trash in a Kroger bag as I cook.”

Fast Forward to today… I have used this bowl every single day since receiving it two years ago. Every. Single. Day. It’s just unspeakably convenient to throw peels, cans, rubber bands, foil, etc into as I’m cooking.  Grabbing the bowl before I start baking or cooking is as automatic as putting on a seat belt when I get in a car.

Not only is the bowl, somehow, just fun to use, it also looks a heckuva lot better sitting on the counter than a grocery bag. What’s more, there’s  no “seeping” through or “spilling out” like you get with a grocery bag.

Sloppy.

The great looking Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl is available on Amazon in the following colors: purple, red, orange, dark green, green, and blue.

Click through for more information about what will become your next favorite kitchen tool. When you click through, you can even see a short little video of Rachael Ray explaining where the idea of the Garbage Bowl came from.

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

Rachael Ray Bench Scrape or Food Mover….

By

Bench Scrape or Food Mover

Rachael Ray Food Mover (or Bench Scrape)

I’m completely drawn to colorful things in life – the more color, the better. That’s probably half of the reason I collect all things Rachael Ray in the kitchen – everything is available in the brightest, most beautiful and downright “happy” colors.

Some collectors choose the same color for each of their Rachael Ray kitchen tools, gadgets, dishes, bakeware, pans, or cookware. I basically go with whatever color I’m “feeling” at the time. If it’s during baseball season, I’m drawn to red (because the only thing I’m thinking during these months is St. Louis Cardinals baseball). If it’s college basketball season, I lean toward blue (UK Wildcats, of course).

The rest of the time, I’m liable to choose orange, agave blue, purple, or green, entirely based on my mood at the time.  My oldest daughter’s kitchen scheme is ideal for the Agave Blue collection, so I’ve been grabbing her this and that in this beautiful color.

Naturally the beauty is only half of the reason I love Rachael Ray’s line of kitchen gadgets and dishes. The other reason is they’re completely fun to use, dependable, and save time and effort.

One of my favorite Rachael Ray kitchen tools is shown here, the Bench Scrape Shovel (Amazon link) – not that I ever actually call it that. I’ve always just called it my “mover” – on 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray always refers to it as her “food mover.”

Appropriate enough.

While mine is, obviously, red (must have bought it in the summer) – the bench scrape is also available in orange, blue, purple, and agave blue…. which reminds me, I need to order one for Emily.

 Details:

  • Bench scrape shovel for collecting and transporting ingredients from the cutting board to a pot on the stovetop
  • Shovel face crafted in durable, nonporous stainless steel; soft taper at shovel’s edge for scooping ease
  • Secure and comfy ribbed rubber covers shovel handle; safe for use in the dishwasher
  • Measures 6-1/2 by 6-1/4 inches with a 1-1/5-inch high handle; weighs 8 ounces

This is one of those things that, each time I use it, I wonder, “How did I ever get along without you???”  Then I remember – with hands that smelled more like onions and garlic and multiple trips back and forth to the stove.

It’s a really cool, fun, and useful kitchen tool and I love it.  What’s more, it’s less than $7 on Amazon. With Mother’s Day around the corner, you might want to grab a couple.

See Bench Scrape Shovel (Amazon link) for more information.

Rachael Ray Fancy Boy Grinders: 24/7 Seasoning and Pink Himalayan Salt

By

 Rachael Ray Fancy Boys Grinders

Rachael Ray Grinders (Love them!)

So there I was shopping in my local Kroger recently, minding my own business.  I was in the spice aisle, grabbing a box of baking soda (something I’m almost always low on) when a couple of colorful orange topped grinders on the top shelf caught my eye.

Right away, without even seeing the picture or name on the front, I knew they were Rachael Ray. As you may know, if you read the food blog regularly, I’m a HUGE fan of all things Rachael Ray – so it only makes sense that my radar would go off.

Naturally they both went immediately into the cart.

One of my new found treasures is the Rachael Ray’s 24/7 Seasoning Grinder, (Amazon link) on the left in the picture above. The other is the especially lovely Rachael Ray Pink Himalayan Salt Grinder (Amazon link).  I have used them religiously since first bringing them home and absolutely swear by them.  They add so much flavor and personality to everything and, at the risk of sounding insanely girly, they look sooooooo pretty sitting on the counter.

I’ve seen these two particular grinders in several stores around town, and I just assumed that’s all there were.

Boy was I wrong.

A quick search on Amazon turned up SCADS of these beautiful Rachael Ray Fancy Boy Grinders (Amazon link) and yes, as a matter of fact, I must have each and every one. Check them out in the slideshow below – click through any that catch your eye.

If the slideshow doesn’t show up for you, simply click the following link: Rachael Ray Fancy Boy Grinders. (Amazon link)

You are absolutely going to love these guys!

The Best Potato Salad Recipe in the World… Period!

By

Barefoot Contessa Recipe for Potato Salad

This Barefoot Contessa Potato Salad recipe calls for a Buttermilk and Dill Dressing (above) that’s so amazing I could eat it with bread… or without bread…

I watch the Food Network and The Cooking Channel so often my cats think Rachael Ray, Alton Brown, Ina Garten, and Ree Drummond are movie stars. As far as we’re concerned, they’re even better. They consistently lead us to deliciousness, after all.

Not only do I enjoy watching them, I collect every cookbook and kitchen product most of them come out with. I also search out their recipes because I trust them to be extraordinary every time.

Ina Garten has a couple of recipes that are staples in my kitchen. The woman knows her recipes!

Ina Garten’s Potato Salad recipe (below) is easily the most beautiful and delicious potato salad I’ve ever made or tasted.  It’s simply out of this world fantastic and will make you forget every other potato salad you ever knew.

In my version, I used Yukon Gold potatoes – not because I was being cute or trying to one-up an expert (far from it). My little grocery store simply didn’t have any small white potatoes.  The Yukon Golds worked beautifully though.  Everything else I did just as the Contessa suggested.

The recipe came from an episode titled Pooch Party (anyone who loves dogs is cool in my book).  I highly recommend clicking through and making the birthday sheet cake. The cake and icing looked uncommonly Heavenly. They’re on my “to make” list.  I plan on making the cake for New Year’s Eve.

As for the Potato Salad recipe (below the picture of my potato salad) – you MUST make this soon.  It would be amazing for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (or any other day of the year). It’d be excellent served with leftover ham sandwiches.  Trust me, this recipe will blow your mind and your family will talk about it for weeks.

Best Potato Salad Ever

Barefoot Contessa’s Potato Salad Recipe


3 pounds small white potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Barefoot Contessa, aka Ina Garten,  I love you muchly for this recipe.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

By

Not only do I passionately collect cookbooks, the first section I head for at the library is the cookbook aisle.  I’m obsessed with recipes, cooking, and everything remotely connected to food.

Could you tell?

The wonderful thing about checking cookbooks out at the library is you get to take them for a “test drive” and see if they warrant a trip to Amazon.   With some cookbooks, I only find a couple of recipes that interest me, so I simply jot them down on a recipe card. However, other cookbooks, such as  Ellie Krieger’s cookbooks (each and every one!), send me to Amazon.com faster than payday sends me to the store. With speed that breaks the sound barrier.

The most recent cookbook to pass the “test drive” was Ellie Krieger’s Comfort Food Fix: Feel-Good Favorites Made Healthy. (Amazon link)  I realized there wasn’t enough ink in the house to record all of the recipes I’d want to make in this particular cookbook, so I put my pen away and told Ellie’s lovely face I’d see her on Amazon.

Soon.

The first recipe I made from this cookbook was the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.  Like all results from an Ellie Krieger recipe, the hummus was phenomenal.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 larger roasted red pepper, drained and rinsed if jarred
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
One 15 oz can chickpeas, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons water

Finely chop 1 tablespoon of the roasted red pepper and reserve for a garnish. Coarsely chop the remaining roasted red pepper. I use jarred red peppers for every recipe, including this one. They’re delicious and save you the time of roasting the red peppers yourself.

Using the broad side of a knife blade, mash together the garlic and the 1/2 teaspoon salt to form a paste.  Place the garlic paste, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the cumin, the water, and the roasted red pepper into a food processor and process until smooth.  Season with additional salt to taste.

Place the hummus into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved red pepper.  Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon oil over the top.  Hummus will keep for about 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Yield: 8 servings


Review: Rachael Ray Moppines

By

Rachael Ray MoppinesA while back my husband ordered me a set of red Rachael Ray Moppines. Since I’m unapologetically addicted to all things Food Network and all things Rachael Ray, I had seen the moppines online and on television before but had never gotten around to ordering them for myself.

The upside to never getting around to something is that sometimes a hero (or heroine) on a white horse will order it for you.

Rachael Ray products are always exceptional, whether they’re her cookbooks, magazines, casserole dishes, kitchen tools, or moppines. If her name and smiling face are on it, you need it in your life.

What are Moppines? They are all-in-one oven mitt and kitchen towel. Clever, so very clever. The large kitchen towel has pot holders built in two of the corners, allowing you to use them to handle hot pots without burning yourself.

The waffle weave fabric is incredibly absorbent, so I’m able to sponge up water on the counter with it or dry washed dishes then simply hang my moppine up to dry. I find myself tooling around the kitchen with my moppine slung over my shoulder, so it’s there when I need it.

As someone who is forever burning herself, what I love most of all about the moppine is built in oven mitts. The oven mitt pockets are padded and lined with terry fabric to insulate hands from the heat. Instead of searching around for two pot holders, you simply put one hand into each of the moppines pot holders and remove the casserole dish, cake pan, cookie sheet, or pizza pan.

A few night ago, I found another way that the moppine is a must-have. I was removing a past dish from the oven with my moppine and a little sauce spilled over the side of the dish. Instead of landing on my arm or clothes, the piping hot sauce landed on my moppine.

I’ve never claimed to be very graceful in the kitchen.

See Rachael Ray Moppines to see the different colors of moppines available and to grab a set for yourself. I promise you, you’ll love these.

So much so that you’ll wonder how you ever functioned without them.

EDIT: Since this review was first published (in 2010!), I have had every conceivable color of these moppines and have used them religiously. The ones in my rotation now are my favorite color – purple. I’ve found that it’s a great idea to keep a moppine hanging near your microwave oven. It is so lovely to actually remove a plate from the microwave without it feeling like you just groped the surface of the sun!

Cooking for Isaiah Has Recipes That’ll Astonish PLUS a Tailgating Recipe for Proof

By

I was recently sent a new cookbook to review that I’m very excited about. Excited to tell you about and excited to cook each and every recipe in the 223 page book! You know how, sometimes, as you’re thumbing through a cookbook you’ll go, “I might make that… I’ll try that one… nah… nah… There’s one I might try…. nah…” With this cookbook, I thumbed through the entire book and each recipe was met with a, “I can’t wait to make that one!”

Not a single nah.

Cooking for Isaiah was written by Silvana Nardone, founding editor in Chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine. Rachael Ray, herself, wrote the foreword. Silvana is also a columnist for Every Day with Rachael Ray with the “No-Recipe Zone” and “Sweet Spot” columns.

However, in this particular interest, I’m certain she carries a much simpler name – one worn closer to the heart. When you get down to it, this cookbook was written by “Isaiah’s Mom.”

Cooking for Isaiah is a labor of love. Silvana Nardone was challenged to create delicious meals for her beautiful young son, Isaiah, after he was diagnosed with food intolerances to gluten and dairy.

Description: “The cornbread was flavorful, moist and light with a deliciously tender crumb. My only hope with this recipe was that Isaiah would love it… And then Isaiah took a bite. The look on his face was pure heaven.”
Cooking for Isaiah is a love story of Silvana Nardone’s journey to develop great-tasting meals for her son, Isaiah, after he was diagnosed with food intolerances to gluten and dairy. The results of her efforts are found in the pages of this book, through 135 recipes that are not only easy to make, but taste and look delicious.
From “S’mores Pancakes with Marshmallow Sauce” to “Double-Decker Toasted Cornbread and Spicy Greens Stack,” and “Chicken and Waffles with Maple Bacon Gravy” to “Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting,” all of the recipes in Cooking for Isaiah are entirely free of gluten and dairy. Crafted with a variety of cooks in mind, an ingredient substitution chart shows you what to swap if, for example, you need to cook without gluten, but dairy is okay. You’ll also find Silvana’s tried-and-tested all-purpose flour and pancake mix recipes, sure to make gluten-free cooking and baking accessible to all. Written by Silvana Nardone, Editor in Chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, this charming, personal cookbook belongs on every cook’s shelf.

The cookbook is a labor of love.  Silvana Nardone was challenged to develop delicious (so delicious even a child would love them, without feeling like he was being robbed of a normal childhood filled with the kinds of foods kids love) meals for her son, Isaiah, after he was diagnosed with food-intolerances to gluten and dairy.

Remarkably, symptoms that had been plaguing young Isaiah cleared up almost immediately after his mom removed gluten and dairy from his diet.

While this cookbook would seem like a gift straight from Heaven for people of all ages who avoid gluten and/or dairy, I want to make one thing perfectly clear: Cooking for Isaiah is an outstanding cookbook for anyone – even those of us who are bedfellows with gluten and dairy.

There are two groups of people who will want to RUSH over to Amazon and buy this cookbook the very minute they finish reading this cookbook review:

  1. Anyone who is gluten and/or dairy-intolerant – or loves someone who is.  These highly-original and creative recipes and meal ideas will knock your socks off.  The recipes will open up a whole new culinary world in which you’ll delight in exploring.  It’ll make eating fun and exciting again.
  2. Everyone else!  Even those of you who aren’t the least bit intolerant of gluten or dairy will fall instantly in love with this cookbook.  There is a wonderful chart on the inside back cover (as well as on page 17) that gives you substitutions to use if you want to… well… gluten-ize and dairy-ize the recipes.   Basically, it’s as simple as using your everyday flour, cow’s milk, pancake mix, and cornbread where the author has used her own gluten-free recipe for flour and pancake mix, or where she has substituted with Rice Milk (although I’m such a fanatic for Rice Milk, I wouldn’t dream of substituting for it… LOVE the stuff!).

The creativity the mom-author shows in these recipes boggles the mind while it leaves you drooling over the pictures (the ones in the book as well as the ones in your own mind).

About the Author, Silvana Nardone
Silvana Nardone is the founding Editor in Chief of Every Day with Rachael Ray, where she has been honored with the magazine industry’s top awards since its launch in 2005. She is the magazine’s “No-Recipe Zone” and “Sweet Spot” columnist. A writer, editor, cooking instructor, and food consultant, she is the coauthor of Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian, has been featured in many publications including the New York Times, and has appeared on NBC Weekend Today, WCBS News This Morning, WABC Eyewitness News This Morning, E! Entertainment True Hollywood Story, Fox News Fox & Friends, and the Food Network’s Roker on the Road. She was profiled by Big Apple Parent and About.com for her focus on gluten-free and dairy- free cooking. Silvana owned an Italian bakery, Fanciulla, when Rachael Ray hired her to launch her magazine. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband Stephen and two children, Isaiah and Chiara. Visit her blog at DishTowelDiaries.com.

The first recipe I made from this outstanding cookbook was the Toasted Ham-and-Tomato Cornbread Sandwiches with Jalapeno Mayonnaise.  I simply used my favorite Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe instead of the “Double Corn Cornbread” called for.  The Double Corn Cornbread recipe is found in the book on page 75 and sounds awesome.  In fact, I plan to give it a try – but I simply had the ingredients on hand for Buttermilk Cornbread, so I went with it.

Besides, I adore buttermilk cornbread and I knew there’d be enough left over for breakfast the next morning.  I love to split cornbread in half, butter it, and toast it lightly on the griddle, right beside eggs as they fry.  Then I top off the cornbread with a layer of Pepper Jelly and place the fried egg right up on top.  SO GOOD.  Then again, the cornbread with pepper jelly is a special experience, with or without the egg.

Toasted Ham-and-Tomato Cornbread Sandwiches with Jalapeno Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves (I used cilantro)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt
4 (4-inch) squares Double Corn Cornbread (page 75) or store-bought cornbread – split and toasted
shredded lettuce (about 2 cups) for topping
1 pound deli-sliced smoked ham
4 tomato slices, for topping

1. In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice, honey, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth. (This jalapeno mayonnaise is so good you’ll want to eat it straight from the food processor bowl – trust me on this one. Your’s truly spread some on a Ritz cracker and had a fine time.)
2. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the jalapeno mayonnaise on each cornbread bottom; top each with shredded lettuce, ham, and a tomato slice. Spread the remaining jalapeno mayonnaise on each cornbread top and set in place. To serve, cut diagonally.

I actually cooked my cornbread in a large round pan, so my sandwiches were triangular. They were all kinds of cute and even more delicious than I can tell you – however, next time (and there will be many, many next times) I’ll go the square route because it’d be easier to maneuver the tomatoes and lettuce on a wider playing field.

The jalapeno mayonnaise would be incredible on…

  • BLTs
  • Homemade Vegetarian Subway Sandwiches
  • Turkey Paninis
  • Chicken Paninis,
  • Egg sandwiches
  • Ritz Crackers…

The Toasted Ham-and-Tomato Cornbread Sandwiches with Jalapeno Mayonnaise would be an excellent recipe for tailgating.  You’d surely rack up points for creativity AND taste.

Recipes such as this one keep your family on their toes.  The reason I love creative, original recipes is this:  They show your family that you love them enough to make their meals extra-special.  Who wants to come home to the same meal every night?  Keep things interesting and unexpected!

Other Recipes in Cooking for Isaiah:

  • Penne with Walnut Cream Sauce
  • Tomato Live Black Bean Soup with Avocado Cream
  • Chicken Potpie Soup
  • Hash Brown Belgian Waffles with Apple Sausage and Fried Eggs (You should see the picture!)
  • Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Doughnuts
  • Bacon-Apple Cornbread Stuffing
  • Creamed Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
  • Grilled BBQ Onion-Smothered Double Bacon Burgers (I don’t think a teenager would even breath between bites.)
  • Raspberry-Lemon Meringue Layer Cake
  • Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Chocolate Frosting
  • Super Fudge Brownies
  • Rocky Road Rice Crispy Treats
  • Grilled Vegetable Pesto Pizza
  • Chocolate Chip-Banana Split Belgian Waffles with Wet Walnuts and Hot Fudge Sauce
  • Grilled Corn Cakes with Strawberry Syrup
  • Isaiah’s Pumpkin Muffins with Crumble Topping
  • Asparagus Risotto Casserole
  • Creamy Corn Chowder
  • Isaiah’s Whipped Hot Cocoaccino (I’m enjoying one right this minute!!!  This is so delicious – it calls for rice milk, which I always have on hand.  Amazing – you’d know how amazing if you could see me licking my lips like crazy.)

Do yourself a huge favor and order a copy of Cooking for Isaiah: Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy Delicious Meals right now. You will not find recipes like these anywhere else.

As for me, my oldest daughter will be home on her lunch break in a few minutes, and I plan on meeting her in the kitchen with a mug of Isaiah’s Whipped Hot Cocoaccino. She’s kind of under the weather and I KNOW this will set her world right again.