Rachael Ray Thanksgiving Leftovers Extravaganza

Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow! Okay, maybe the title is overstating it a little bit, but I adore Thanksgiving leftovers. In fact, other than pizza and a few select Chinese takeout entrees, they are the only leftovers I'll eat. I think the reason is that Rachael's Thanksgiving leftovers recipes really transform the traditional items into an entirely new dish.

Use leftover turkey for these dishes:

• Quick Turkey Croquettes
• Turkey Pasta
• Turkey Tetrazzini
• Spanish Style Turkey Quesadillas
• Chicken or Turkey Quesadilla Suiza
• Turkey Cordon Bleu Crisp

Use leftover sides for these dishes:

• Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie and Cran-applesauce Sundaes
• Thanksgiving Stromboli
• Mashed Potato Soup
• Sausage, Kale and Cranberry Pasta
• Cranberry Sauce Over Pound Cake a la Mode
• Turkey Corn Crisp: Leftover Thanksgiving Corn Cobbler
• Maple Cream Sweet Potato Soup

Check out my previous leftovers posts here and here.

It's a Keeper: Onion Chowder with Cheesy Onion Popovers

Onion Chowder? That was my first reaction when I saw the recipe for Onion Chowder with Cheesy Onion Popovers in Everyday With Rachael Ray by Teri Tsang Barrett. This recipe was in the November 2008 issue of the magazine, but that's no reason not to try it now! I am continuously in awe of all the recipes out there that I need to try - as you can tell from my list in the left hand sidebar, I am doing my best to keep track of which ones are next!

This chowder was just comfort food at its best. If you like chowder and you like french onion soup, then you'll like this recipe. I've never made popovers before, so they were just a little treat.

This recipe isn't intended to be a 30 minute meal, just to warn you. The mag estimates that it takes 20 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking, which I found to be accurate. Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:


1 pound sliced bacon, chopped [I think 1/2 pound would be enough - there was waaaay to much bacon for just garnish and way too much fat for cooking the onions in.]
4 white onions, chopped
Salt
1 1/4 cups flour
One 32-ounce container chicken broth
2 cups milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into twelve 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup finely chopped chives [you could skip this ingredient if you are over garnishes.]

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. [I poured about half the bacon fat out before adding the onions.] Add the onions to the pot, season with salt and cook for 8 minutes. Set aside 1/4 cup of the cooked onions. Sprinkle the remaining onions with 1/4 cup flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a blender, mix the reserved onions, 1 cup milk, the remaining 1 cup flour, the eggs, butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter and place a cube of cheese in the center of each. Bake for 25 minutes, then lower the heat to 350°; bake for 15 minutes more.

3. Stir the remaining 1 cup milk into the soup and heat through. Garnish with the bacon and chives. Serve with the popovers.

Martha Apologizes to Rachael Ray

How about that? Looks like Martha had a change of heart. Gawker has the video and The New York Daily News has the details.

After making a whole bunch of catty comments on Nightline about Rachael's cooking skills and how Rachael's cookbooks and recipes just weren't good enough for Martha, Martha had this to say on her talk show on Monday:

I just want to take this opportunity just to address some comments that are circulating on the Internet regarding me and Rachael Ray. And just for the record there are no bad feeling between us nor have there ever been. I truly believe that Rachael has done a terrific job bringing people, many people who would of never of even stepped into the kitchen or made a dish to cook. I applaud Rachel for her enthusiastic approach to cooking and I really had a great time being a guest on her show and it was a lot of fun to have her on this show making pie with me to. Come on back Rachael, anytime you want and I hope you have a Yum-o Thanksgiving."

Menu Plan Monday

Now, if I were cooking Thanksgiving dinner, my menu this week would be much less exciting and much simpler. However, we're heading to visit family this Thursday, so no cooking for me (other than an appetizer). Anyone have any great appetizer recipes that travel well?

On to this week's menu as part of Menu Plan Monday:

Monday: Teriyaki Pork-and-Mango Stir-Fry with brown rice

Tuesday: Spicy Penne with Broccoli Rabe, Sausage, and Chick Peas (or kale, if your store, like mine, doesn't sell broccoli rabe) with bread and simple green salad

Wednesday: Meatball Meatloaves with Mac-n-Cheese-n-Spin-occolini Bake

Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday: Takeout after a long drive home.

Rachael Ray Roundup

I tried a couple recipes this week and, bad blogger that I am, forgot to take pictures. The first was Tomato Alphabet Soup with Parmesan Crisps from Every Day with Rachael Ray. I wish I would have done the crisps in two batches because the ones on the bottom of the rolling pin ended up sorta soggy. It was the perfect soup for cold weather and even Darcy loved it (especially with some little toast dippers). The second recipe I made without taking a picture (can you tell I'm beating myself up about this?) was Austin Mac 'n' Cheese Suiza. Holy cow was it ever good. A lot of work and pans were used in the creation of this recipe, but it was worth it.

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.

• My Central Jersey has a report from Rachael's book signing in New Jersey last week.
• Elliek features a review of Rachael's Turkey Noodle Casserole.
• Jessica at Johnstone's Vin Blanc made Roasted Butternut Squash Penne with Autumn Pesto.
• TV Squad's Bob Sassone weighs in on whether the Rachael Ray v. Martha Stewart feud is real.
• Partysugar offers a timely review of a recipe for Bourbon-Glazed Spiced Rubbed Turkey from Every Day with Rachael Ray.

Rachael Ray Thanksgiving Menus

Rachael Ray is really in the Thanksgiving spirit this year. Her talk show has adopted a "you can do it" attitude and have compiled a great list of recipes to make that happen. Here are a few of what I consider to be the standouts from this year's crop of recipes. Check out my Thanksgiving posts from years past here. This post has a long list of full menus and individual recipes to choose from. You can see full lists of recipes from Rachael's talk show and magazine.

A new full menu from Rach was presented on 30 Minute meals this year, although it's for a scaled down version of Thanksgiving dinner: Thankful in 30. The menu includes Easiest Ever Baked Stuffed Apples and Turkey Cutlets with Sausage and Zucchini and Tipsy Gravy.

Turkey:

• Maple-Glazed Roast Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy (my favorite turkey recipe, from Rach's magazine)
• Two Small Roasted Turkeys (Rach has been trumpeting this idea for a while as a major time saver)
• Butter-Basted Turkey
• Roast Turkey Breast with Herb Butter
• Gravy-Soaked Turkey with Sweet Sausage Stuffing
• Roast Turkey Breast with Citrus Pesto

Sides:

• Apple and Onion Stuffin' Muffins (a recipe made every year in my house!)
• Caramelized Onion Green Beans
• Orange Pecan Cranberry Sauce
• Roasted Butternut Squash
• Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Balsamic Vinegar
• Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese & Chives
• Easy Peas'y
• Oven-Roasted Spicy Potatoes & Glazed Carrots
• Corn Muffin Stuffing
• Cider Sweet Potatoes

Desserts:

• Molasses Pumpkin Pie
• German Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Caramel-Walnut Pie
• Spiced Apple Cobbler with Pumpkin Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

[Updated 11/25/2009]

Martha Can't Drop It

Ya know, I really thought all the Rachael Ray and Martha Stewart drama was going to be over now that they went on each other's shows. It appears that is not the case, according to this Us Magazine story. Martha went on Nightline and talked some smack. I am proud of Rachael for taking the high road on this one.

As for the criticism of the Book of Ten, I sort of looked at it as a greatest hits album or a new way to look at her recipes. Plus, there were new recipes included, too. (Admittedly, I might not think it's a big deal because I am such a fan of Rach's recipes so am excited to see any permutation of them.)

When we watched Martha and Rachael together, my husband asked if Martha Stewart is always so rude. I don't watch her enough to know - what do you guys think? I think I'm with Rach on this one - she is just brutally honest. Now, I don't think that's an excuse for being rude, but it is at least an explanation.

It's a Keeper: Basil, Chili and Garlic Chicken

Here's one way to warm up in cold weather - a spicy dish of Basil, Chili and Garlic Chicken from Rachael Ray's magazine. This dish was done in 30 minutes and was just a touch too spicy for me. My husband thought it was perfect. After making this recipe, I started cutting the portion of whatever makes it spicy in half, since Darcy is pretty much eating whatever we are for dinner these days.

I like to douse my noodles with extra sauce, so I made the full recipe for the sauce and half the recipe for the onion, garlic, and chicken and thought it turned out well. Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

2 tablespoons fish sauce [Found in the Asian foods aisle.]
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 pound thin Asian rice noodles or vermicelli pasta [I went with whole wheat pasta.]
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion, plus 1 cup finely chopped onion
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces [Rach's magazine recommends: "Skip the chicken and try cooked shrimp instead."]
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup water with the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and crushed red pepper. Stir to dissolve the sugar; set aside.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rice noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

While the noodles are cooking, heat a wok or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons oil, then the sliced and chopped onion, and garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant and softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat for about 1 minute. Working in 2 batches if necessary, spread the chicken in a single layer in the pan without crowding and cook, undisturbed, until the edges change color, about 1 minute. [I know you'll want to stir it around, but resist the temptation. Otherwise, you will end up with chicken that is all torn up instead of in nice, bite-sized pieces.] Turn and continue cooking, tossing now and then, until lightly browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved sauce and onion mixture and cook, tossing occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and evenly coated, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil, tossing until slightly wilted. Serve the chicken over the noodles.

Rachael Ray Bakes with Martha Stewart

Check out Rachael Ray's appearance on Martha Stewart's talk show on Friday, November 13. Martha took on the task of teaching Rachael (who we know is not really a fan of measuring) to bake a pie. I can't really tell if Martha is being funny or rude, but that's sort of Martha's signature, isn't it?



If you haven't seen the footage of Martha on Rach's show, you can see a clip of them chatting at the kitchen table and helping grocery shoppers.

Rachael Ray Roundup

We finally made our trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train and let me tell you, it was a treat! While the station looked like it was stuck in a 1995 flashback, the train itself was lovely and the food. Oh, the food! So crazy good. I had sole with a tangerine sauce with carrots and beets. You gotta give the train a try if you are in the Napa area and have a little extra time (your priority should be wine tasting, so do that first!).

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.

• Rachael Ray's talk show spread some cheer in a town hard hit by the economic downturn.
• Cathy of Where's My Damn Answer? made Turkey Chili and Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie.
• Lori of All that Splatters made Italian Wedding Soup.
• The Food Network's Sunny Anderson wrote a great post with behind the scenes info and pictures from Rachael Ray's talk show.
• Christy at Christy's Kitchen Creations shares her menu planning skills and a review of Lasagna Stoup from Every Day with Rachael Ray.

Book of 10 Book Signing Tour

The information about Rachael Ray's book signing tour for her new cookbook, Rachael Ray's Book of 10: More Than 300 Recipes to Cook Every Day, seems to be almost nonexistent.

Here's what I could piece together and I will update this post as I learn more. Seems like there has to be more than two, right? For all of her events, make sure you call ahead because there is often a lottery system for tickets.

New Jersey - Borders at Bridgewater Commons on November 14, 1 to 3 p.m.

New York - Barnes & Noble at Union Square, New York, NY on December 8, 6:00 p.m.

Rachael Ray on Jay Leno Show Doing Ten at Ten

Rachael Ray participated in Jay Leno's Ten @ Ten segment and it was pretty darn fun. It does get a little bit racy though, just to warn you! Check out the video:

Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray to Appear on Their Shows Together

Holy cow. Martha Stewart will be appearing on Rachael Ray's talk show tomorrow, on November 12th. Check out the promo here. (Thanks, Everyday House Blend.)

And then Rachael will appear on Martha's show the next day to make a Thanksgiving dessert. What is the world coming to? I think I will consider this "must see tv."

It's a Keeper: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I hardly ever bake anything, so I was very proud of myself for trying Silvana Nardone and Christina Stanley-Salerno's recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies from Every Day with Rachael Ray. I brought these to a party and they were definitely a hit. I got asked for the recipe numerous times.

So how did these little guys taste? I have no previous experience with Whoopie Pies (I actually had never heard of them before). They certainly aren't a standard thing where I'm from (California). It was basically like two cake/cookie things with cream cheese filling in the middle. Pretty easy to make even for a baking rookie like me.

Rach's magazine says these can be frozen for up to three days. Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten [That whole room temperature eggs thing is really hard for me. I just don't plan that far ahead. So, I made my husband hold them for a few minutes.]
1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree [Use the rest of the can to make Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage, which my husband contends is Rachael's best pasta recipe.]
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt
1-2/3 cups flour
4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.

3.Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. [I found smaller was better when eating these. They are pretty rich.]

4.Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

5.Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

Rachael Ray's New Cookbook Released

Rachael Ray's newest cookbook, Rachael Ray's Book of 10: More Than 300 Recipes to Cook Every Day, was published last week. This book is set up in ten chapters, with three lists of ten in each chapter. For example, the "Stretch-a-Buck Meals" chapter has lists of "Family Faves," "Most Requested," and "Great Rollovers." In addition to "Stretch-a-Buck Meals," you'll finds lists for entertaining, burgers, vegetarian, 30 days of pasta, seafood, one-pot meals, chicken, meat, and date nights.

I picked up my copy over the weekend (ah, how life has changed since I had a child) and tried one of the recipes over the weekend. I made the Cumin and Lime Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Creamed Corn (originally from 365: No Repeats) and it was seriously great. So good my husband even took the leftovers to work today, which hardly ever happens.

Overall, I'm impressed by this book. It does have recipes that I've seen before, but they are organized in a new way (which is great for obsessive RR recipe makers like me). I pretty much only make Rachael Ray's recipes (I know, I know), so it's nice to be able to flip to a list of what she considers to be her best budget recipes or one pot meals. Plus, there are a ton of new recipes to try out.

As I noted before, I'm not in love with the cover, but this cookbook has joined my other RR books on my kitchen counter for easy reference!

Rachael Ray Roundup

If you haven't already, go out and pick up Rachael Ray's new cookbook: Rachael Ray's Book of 10: More Than 300 Recipes to Cook Every Day. I picked up my copy yesterday and will report back on Monday with my thoughts! You can read a bit about the book from my first post about it here.

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.

• Emmielyles of Mix This Get That made Rachael's Roasted Pumpkin Penne with Autumn Pesto from 30 Minute Meals.
• Michelle of Flying Giggle and Lollipops made a Pomegranate Martini using Rachael Ray's recipe.
• Domesmita highlights a staple side dish in our house - Rachael's Chili-Garlic Roasted Broccoli.
• Jessica at Johnstone's Vin Blanc made Sausage, Kale and Cranberry Pasta. She also made Zin-Zen Chicken. Is it wrong to make a recipe just because I like the name?
• Annie of Anniebakes made Creamy Corn. How have I never run across that recipe before?
• Green Shakes & Giggles features an adaptation of Rachael's recipe for Minestrone Soup.
• Jamiel of I Don't Know Why made Buried Alive Muffins from the October issue of Everyday With Rachael Ray.
• Colleen of Slice, Dish & Dish made Mushroom Sausage Pockets. She also tried Cheesy Rice Fritters.
• Kim of Stirring the Pot lightened up Rachael's recipe for Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers.

Burger Bash Contest

A cool contest appeared in my Weekly Bites newsletter from Every Day with Rachael Ray this week. You can enter your burger recipe here for a chance to "make your winning creation alongside Rachael at the 2010 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival," and you'll get your recipe featured in Every Day with Rachael Ray.

Let me know if you enter so that we can cheer you on!

Rachael Ray Down Two Sizes

Rachael Ray recently talked to People Magazine about how she went down two sizes. You can see scans of the two page article here and here. Click on the image to make it larger if the type is too small when you first view it.

Apparently, when she couldn't talk for two weeks after her vocal chord surgery, Rach decided to take up jogging. The hobby has stuck and now Rachael has made exercise a part of her daily routine.

I'm glad to hear that she didn't have to give up any of her favorite foods!

It's a Keeper: Sunny-Side Sausage Fried Rice

I had to try the recipe for Sunny-Side Sausage Fried Rice by Ashley Moore from the December-January 2009 issue of Everyday With Rachael Ray mostly because it just sounded odd. A fried egg on top of a bowl of fried rice? Every piece of egg I've ever seen in fried rice was scrambled, so I had to try it.

The results were generally good. The egg gave the rice a nice, creamy sort of coating that was very different from the usual. Plus, it was so darn fast and easy to make (with my husband being in charge of the eggs, of course). I can't be trusted with eggs. This recipe would also be good if you're watching your budget because the ingredients are pretty cheap and the meal is filling.

Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

SERVES 4

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 30 min

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup white rice [As usual, I used brown rice and though the taste is definitely different, I still like it!]
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes [You can even get a coupon for the tomatoes here.]
5 ounces cooked chorizo, chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 large eggs
Chopped parsley, for sprinkling

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the rice for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. [Since I used brown rice, this step took about an extra 10 minutes.] Stir in the chorizo and peas, cover and cook for 5 minutes more.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fry the eggs to desired doneness. Divide the rice among 4 bowls, top each with a fried egg and sprinkle with parsley.

Nominate Rachael Ray's Talk Show for a People's Choice Award

Go here to help Rachael Ray's talk show become an official nominee for People's Choice Awards 2010. You can vote for up to five nominees.

There are a whole bunch of other categories you can vote on, too!