Rachael Ray Roundup

I may not have posted much this week (we were on vacation in Arizona, the Biosphere was cool!) but I did put together a jumbo-sized Roundup this week. So many Rachael Ray posts out there! You guys are doing some serious home cooking. Maybe it's the economy that's making people cook at home again? Whatever the reason, the restaurants' loss is the Roundup's gain.

Also, since today is the first Friday of Lent, I thought I would share that Rachael Ray's website has a great list of Lent recipes!

Here are some Rachael Ray posts from around the blogosphere this week. If you see a post that you think would be good for the Roundup, or you write one yourself, e-mail me (everythingrachaelray at gmail dot com) so I can be sure to include it.

• Access Hollywood informs us that Rachael Ray will be one of Jimmy Fallon's first guests when he takes over Late Night on NBC.
• The Food Snob was inspired by Rachael Ray to create Pretzel Coated Chicken Salad.
• In other Pretzel Crusted Chicken news, Cheap Cookin' Mama has her own spin on the recipe.
• Donna at Tasty Treasures made Rachael Ray's recipe for succotash.
• Silvana Nardone, Editor of Rachael Ray's magazine, Everyday With Rachael Ray, talked about cooking for the food allergies in her family.
• Josh Ozersky of The Feedbag reports from the South Beach Wine and Food Festival that he is in love with Rachael Ray.
• Laurelop of Edible Ventures made Italian Chicken and Dumplings adapted from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book.
• Rachael Ray offered some support to Jessica Simpson via People magazine.
• Cathy of Noble Pig features a recipe for Corn and Salsa Tortilla Soup that was adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe.
• Stephanie of Stephanie Cooks made Neapolitan Baked Ziti.
• Kate of Cooking During Stolen Moments made a variation of Chicken, Veal, or Pork Schnitzel with Red Caraway Cabbage from 365: No Repeats.
• The Recipe Fairy made Double Chicken Dumpling Stoup.
• Barb of Quick Like a Bunny! tweaked Rachael's recipe for Jambasta.
• Yumsugar has a few pictures of Rachael at the Amstel Burger Bash.
• Jennie of Adam's Brag Book made Spring Pea-sto with Whole-Wheat Penne.
• Cheap Healthy Good features a funny post about Rachael's recipe for Pasta Puttanesca.
• Katie of Notes from the Kitchen Sink made Black Pepper and Coriander-Crusted Tuna with Orange and Fennel-Roasted Potato Salad, which just sounds impressive.
• Krista of Krista's Kitchen made Stuffed Cabbage Stoup.
• Beth of Domestic Pursuits adapted Rachael's recipe for Turkey, Tomatillo, and Bean Burritos from 365: No Repeats.
• Cat of Bradenton Bites was lucky enough to have someone else make her Gorgonzola Filled Meatballs, Bay and Onion Creamy Tomato Gravy.
• Sweet Tea In Texas posted another recipe that I added to my list: Creole Meatloaves with Trinity Gravy.
• Josh Ozersky of The Feedbag really loves Rachael Ray.

Enter the Hey, Can You Cook?! Contest

Rachael Ray's talk show is at it again with “Hey, Can You Cook?! 4.” This fourth installment of the cooking contest will once again crown the greatest cook in America. This contest is one of my favorite features on the show, since the cooks really could be you or me. Plus, it's fun to see all the crazy stuff they throw at them (like the race through Disneyworld last season).

Here is the 411 on the contest and how to enter, according to the show:

The show is accepting video resumes of budding cooks demonstrating why they think they should be one of the six cooks chosen to come to New York for a series of culinary competitions. Video submissions should show off their cooking skills, creativity and personality. Non-professional cooks only!

The show will air the various challenges, with the top cooks moving on to the next round and one cook eliminated each week. At the end of the competition, only one cook will be left standing and crowned the “Hey, Can You Cook?! 4” champ.

For more information on how to apply please go to www.rachaelrayshow.com. All audition tapes must be received by March 23rd, 2009.

Rachael Ray Roundup

You guys have been very busy cooking Rachael Ray recipes this week! I'm glad someone is because this week I was just wiped out. Darcy has two teeth coming in at once, so there's not a great deal of sleeping going on in my house. We made it to the Amgen Tour of California last weekend and saw Lance Armstrong ride his bike past us at an alarming speed! Darcy woke up just in time to see him go by. That night, Lance's bike was stolen and Sacramento was so ashamed! Luckily, he got it back a couple days ago. Phew.

Here are some Rachael Ray posts from around the blogosphere this week. If you see a post that you think would be good for the Roundup, or you write one yourself, e-mail me so I can be sure to include it.

• My favorite post of the week is at Sweet, Southern, Spirited, where Andie not only offers reviews of three Rachael Ray recipes (Florentine Proscuitto Wrapped Chicken, Spinach Fettucine With Gorgonzola Cream Sauce, and Mu Shu Noodles), but she shares her great experience meeting Rachael Ray at a restaurant!
• Yumsugar recommended a Rachael Ray recipe for Valentine's Day - Red Wine Risotto with Grilled Chicken.
• Mylinda of Sweet Tea in Texas made two Rachael Ray recipes this week: Not-sagna Pasta Toss and Beef & Feta Pasta Bake.
• Starla of Curious Mess made S'mores Lava Cakes.
• Janine at Cheap Cookin' Mama made Winter White Lasagna from BOB.
• Abby at Me and My Boys! teaked Rachael Ray's Linguine di Frutti di Mare.
• Erica's Kitchen Adventures features Rachael's recipe for Quick Ginger Peach Cobbler.
• Jewschool offers a review of BOB.
• Cas at Sweet & Saucy thinks Rachael's recipe for Philly Mac-n-Cheesesteak is a great use of leftovers.
• Samantha at The Spice Rack made Brandy and Orange Chicken Topped with Stuffed Shrimp.

Bid on Rachael Ray's Red Dress

Rachael Ray is participating in a great charity event being hosted by Clothes off Our Back. The dress was worn in The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection 2007 Fashion Show to help raise awareness of women’s heart disease and was designed by Donna Karan. It also includes the original sketch by Donna Karan.

The auction will "benefit the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) and will be used to further efforts related to women’s heart health awareness and research." Check out Clothes Off Our Back for more details.

It's a Keeper: Five-Spice Coconut Chicken

I usually like recipes with lots of wow factor, but every once in a while, I just want a really simple, but flavorful meal. When I saw the recipe for Five-Spice Coconut Chicken, by Leah Holzel in Every Day with Rachael Ray's August 2007 issue, I thought I should give it a try on a weeknight when simple was key. I'm so glad I tried it because it was crazy good!

You won't believe how much flavor is in the chicken breasts with so few ingredients and such a small marinating time. The rice and peas round out the meal nicely, but allow the chicken to really be the star. This could easily be made within 30 minutes, but I made brown rice that took longer than that to cook.

This "back to the basics" recipe reminds me of why I started making Rachael's recipes in the first place. She makes it easy for people like me to create a simple and healthy meal. Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

FOUR SERVINGS
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 10 min

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut milk [this was cheaper than I thought it would be.]
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total), pounded flat [I don't do chicken thighs, so I used breasts instead. I should have pounded them thinner.]
1/2 pound sugar snap peas
Cooked white rice, for serving [As noted above, I used brown rice since it's healthier.]

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon coconut milk, 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon lime juice. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/3 cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon lime juice with the soy sauce, garlic, five-spice powder and salt. Add the chicken thighs, coating well. Marinate for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas and cook for 1 minute; drain. Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with the reserved coconut-honey dressing.

4. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium. Grill the chicken thighs for about 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Serve with the sugar snap peas and rice.

Rachael Ray Roundup

Can I just say how excited I am that the Amgen Tour of California is starting tomorrow here in Sacramento! It's going to rain so we aren't exactly sure how Darcy will do, but I think we will get it all figured out. Lance Armstrong is racing and we will be there! Woot! Okay, back to Rachael Ray....

Here are some Rachael Ray posts from around the blogosphere this week. If you see a post that you think would be good for the Roundup, or you write one yourself, e-mail me so I can be sure to include it.

• The Write Ingredients features a review of Rachael's Chicken Parm Meatball Subs.
• Nikki The Foodie of Lobster Gram Gourmet made Moroccan Stuffed Pork Chops.
• Christina of Culinspiration tweaked Rach's recipe for Cherry Breakfast Cake.
• Joanne of Eats Well With Others knew she'd like Rachael's recipe for Spinach-Artichoke Ravioli-Lasagna.
• Dara of Chickin in the Kitchen made Chicken with Mushrooms and Peas from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
• Donna of Tasty Treasures gave Rachael's recipe for Stuffed Cabbage Stoup Soup a try. She also made Rach's Rachael Ray's Ratatouille Veggie Toss as a side dish to a recipe by Tyler Florence.
• Southern Comfort of Life in the A-Frame tweaked Rachael's recipe for Buffalo Chicken Chili (twice the hot sauce!).
• Mom on the Run made a few adjustments to Rach's recipe for Sloppy Dudes. I loved them.
• Jessie of Cinnamon, Spice & Everything Nice was inspired by Rachael's recipe for Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese.

It's a Keeper: Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

As you can tell from the background of this picture, I made Smoky-Spicy Sweet Potato Soup when pumpkins were still an appropriate decorative piece. I made this recipe just after Thanksgiving, since I bought way too many sweet potatoes.

Is it wrong that I picked this recipe because in the picture in the magazine it was topped with bacon and sour cream? Well, it was also in the 30 minute meals section, so that really pushed it over the top. This recipe was a major hit in our family. The leftovers were snapped up by the next day (as was all the bacon I made for a topping). This was so easy to make in one hour, so you have to give it a try, especially if sweet potatoes are one sale!

Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

4 sweet potatoes (2½ pounds), peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
Salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 slices smoky bacon, chopped [They had hickory smoked at my store.]
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
One 32-ounce container chicken broth
1 teaspoon grated peel and juice of 1 orange
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Honey or maple syrup, for drizzling [Someone will have to let me know how much a drizzle is.]
Pepper
1 cup sour cream, for passing around the table

1. In a large saucepan, add the sweet potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.

2. While the potatoes are working, in a medium pot, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan. Add the bacon and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Add the onion, carrot, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and cook until the onions are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, orange peel, orange juice and cinnamon; drizzle with honey and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

3. Add the broth mixture to the sweet potatoes in the pot and puree with an immersion blender (alternatively, puree in batches in a blender or food processor). Serve the soup with the sour cream and bacon on top.

Every Day with Rachael Ray Launches Supermarket 101

Brandweek informs us that Rachael Ray's magazine, Everyday With Rachael Ray, is launching a grocery store and money saving guide in April. The new section "spans everything from 'going into shopping carts to seeing what turns shoppers on, what products they love, to analyzing their receipts,' said executive editor Theresa O'Rourke."

The guide will be introduced with a five-page "State of the Supermarket" feature in April. Then you can find the feature as a one-page column in the "Ready, Set" section of the magazine.

Here's how the new section came about:

While the magazine already includes plenty of budget-friendly tips ("family dinners for $10 [or less!]," the February cover reads), O'Rourke said the food lifestyle magazine is the first to dedicate a monthly column to the subject. The idea came about from consumer response to the recession. "Consumers are eating at home more, and if you're single, you're still trying to figure out ways to maintain a home that's fun, easy and enjoyable," said publisher Anne Balaban.

The grocery store theme will carry over from the April issue into May:

Playing off the section's theme, Every Day with Rachael Ray is introducing the April content using a design that resembles a supermarket circular. The May edition will focus on "Big Deals" and upcoming topics include hidden grocery shopping costs, the best online grocery services and top-selling sodas. The magazine has also retained a network of national stringers to follow consumers as they shop in stores.

Rachael Ray Roundup

Wow it's cold and rainy today here in Northern California. After a couple days of weather in the 70's, I'm kinda feeling a little out of sorts. I think I might have to make soup again, even though I was pretty sure my chance to enjoy it with rain pattering on the roof was gone! Gotta find a silver lining, right? Anyone want to share a favorite Rachael Ray soup recipe I should try?

Here are some Rachael Ray posts from around the blogosphere this week. If you see a post that you think would be good for the Roundup, or you write one yourself, e-mail me so I can be sure to include it.

• Julie of Sporadic Cook made Rachael's recipe for Stuffed Shells.
• Melissa at Cucina Pazza made one of my favorites - French Dip Panini.
• Food Network Humor tells us what would happen if Rachael Ray were President.
• Laura of Laura's Home Cooking made Uptown Pork Chops and Apple Sauce: Roast Pork Tenderloins with Escalloped Apples. I was surprised to see that there was a pork chop and applesauce recipe I haven't tried yet!
• Chelsea of Mmm...Cafe adapted Rachael's recipe for Mini Deep Dish pizzas for her Super Bowl party.
• Barb of Quick Like a Bunny! counts the ways that she loves Rachael's recipe for Turkey Tacos. Guess I'll have to try them now.
• Lori of Fake Food Free adapted the recipe for Pita Bread Salad.
• The Sporadic Cook was disappointed by Rach's recipe for Fondue.
• Sharon of Flavors of Kentucky offers her own spin on the skillet pizza recipes from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
• $5 Dinner Mom of $5 Dinners made Rachael's recipe for Chicken Pot Pie Bowls.
• Mom24 of 4EverMom made Rach's New England Turkey Burgers with the Works and call them "seriously awesome."
• Melslatt of Chi-town Cooking Creations made Parmesan Crusted Chicken Piccata.
• Bliss of Kitchen Bliss made Rachael's recipe for Prosciutto Wrapped Florentine Stuffed Chicken and added a sauce from Alton Brown.

It's a Keeper: Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Sausage Balls, Tomato-Basil Sauce, Cacio e Pepe Potatoes and Roast Broccolini

Winter wreaks havoc on my ability to take good food pictures. So do the new CFLs in my kitchen. But, I guess I just have to soldier on, right? Even though the picture doesn't accurately reflect it, I can telly ou that the recipe for Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Sausage Balls, Tomato-Basil Sauce, Cacio e Pepe Potatoes and Roast Broccolini is seriously outstanding.

This recipe hearkens back to the glory days of 30 Minute Meals 2, when all of Rach's recipes were nice, square meals. No thinking necessary. Just pull out the recipe, get all the ingredients, and you'll have a main dish with sides on the table in about 30 minutes. That's what happened with this recipe, although I think it took me more like 40 to get it done.

As an added bonus in these tough economic times, there are only nine ingredients in this recipe that you will have to get at the store, assuming you have some basics on on hand already. The list of instructions seems long, but the potatoes and broccolini do their own thing on the stove and the oven for awhile, so they aren't really high maintenance. Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

9-item grocery list:
2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
1 tub bocconcini, bite size fresh mozzarella in water [the only ones I could find were super tiny sized mozzarella ball, so I just put three of them into the meatball.]
2 pounds Italian hot or sweet fresh chicken, turkey or pork sausage, bulk if available
1 1/2 pounds broccolini [If you've never tried it before, now's your chance!]
1 head garlic
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes [They sell these in the imported food section of my store.]
1/2 cup chicken stock or milk
1 tub grated Pecorino Romano
1 tub good quality fresh pesto from the refrigerated cases of the market
On hand:
Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling, 4 to 5 tablespoons total
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Quarter baby potatoes and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then salt water and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.

While potatoes come up to a boil, place a nonstick baking sheet alongside a mixing bowl. Remove 12 pieces of bite sized mozzarella from the water and set on work surface. Remove sausages from casings, if bulk not available, and place in a bowl. Combine the meat into a single mound then score it into 4 sections. Each section will yield 3 large sausage meatballs. To form each ball, take a handful of meat and wrap it around a piece of mozzarella. Roll 12 balls. Wash up. Coat balls with a drizzle of olive oil. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until cooked through and evenly browned.

While the balls are cooking, trim ends of clean broccolini and scatter evenly over a baking sheet. Grate or chop 2 to 3 cloves of garlic and drizzle the broccolini and garlic with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and roast 12 to 15 minutes to crisp the broccolini tops.

While the broccolini is roasting, add tomatoes to a small pot or skillet, mash with a potato masher and season with salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat then simmer to reduce about 8 to 10 minutes.

When the potatoes are tender, drain and return to the hot pot to dry them out a little. Mash the potatoes with 1/2 cup stock or milk, 1/2 to 2/3 cup grated Romano cheese, a few generous handfuls, lots of black pepper and a little salt.

Turn the heat off the tomatoes and stir in 1/2 cup prepared pesto.

Serve three cheese-stuffed sausage balls with tomato-basil sauce on top or underneath, cacio e pepe smashed potatoes and broccolini alongside.