Rachael Ray Shares her Exit Strategy

I don't like to think of a world without Rachael Ray (what would I cook?), but Patricia Sheridan of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette asked Rachael Ray what her exit strategy is.  Oddly enough, I don't think I've ever heard anyone ask her that before.  Check out the full article here to read about Rachael's holiday plans and some details on her outlook on life.

Here's the section regarding her exit strategy:

Do you have an exit strategy?

I have given some real thought to it, and I have to say everything happened so far very organically. I think at the end of the day, the viewers, the readers, the public that we serve, they will decide big or small what becomes of each of those worlds over the next several years. So there's not a lot of point in worrying about it. You can spend so much time planning ahead or having a two-year plan or a five-year plan, but life has a funny way of changing that whether you want it to or not. I think that's a great thing because you have to change to grow. So I don't know what's going to happen. Certainly, maybe five or six years from now I'd like to have a little bit more personal time, but I don't know that I'm gonna be the boss of that, so we'll see [laughing].

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10326/1104813-129.stm?cmpid=entertainment.xml#ixzz163BJmhPm

Rachael Ray on CNN

Rachael Ray made an appearance on CNN's Reliable Sources.  Rachael talks about Bill O'Reilly's visit, some behind the scenes info on her talk show, and her history:

Menu Plan Monday

This week's menu is all about cleaning out the fridge! Check out more menus at Org Junkie.

Sunday: Turkey Posole and Smashed Potato-Cheddar Cakes with Warm Cran-Apple Sauce

Monday: Snappy Schnitzel and Dill and Shallot Potato Salad

Tuesday: Honey Mustard Chicken and Garlic Bread

Wednesday: Pork Chops with Plums and Red Onions and Sesame Rice

Thursday: Turkey Meatloaf with Creamy Asiago Gravy and Smashed Cauliflower with Cheese

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Take out!

Another Rachael Ray Fan

Grub Street is now converted to the Rachael Ray cause. They did an extensive interview with Rachael that you can read here. A few of the highlights from my perspective:

For people who are new to cooking, do you see yourself as an entry point to the food world?

My food is designed to be accessible to everybody. I'm always trying to improve my own self in the kitchen and improve upon my recipes. There are recipes in this book [Look + Cook] that you wouldn't have seen in my work ten or fifteen years ago, but I always try to keep the food accessible because whether you love to cook, or it's your first time in the kitchen, food should be, to me, about sharing. It should not be intimidating. People should be inspired to make dinner as many nights of the week as possible because I believe it's very important for your soul. It really adds to your quality of life to be able to provide good food for yourself and your loved ones .... When I make dinner at home, I'm very quiet and it's time for me to organize my brain and relax and rewind on the day, have a glass of wine or listen to music and chat with my husband.

I find a sense of comfort in cooking, too. I love spending a Saturday walking around and picking up stuff at the cheese shop, the bakery, the Greenmarket and coming home and cooking meals for the week.

I actually picked my apartment in proximity to the nearest and biggest Greenmarket. [Union Square.]

A Few Rachael Ray Contests

Rachael Ray must be in a giving mood with the holidays approaching because I have run across several great giveaways lately!

1. Holiday Gift Away 2010 - this is a huge giveaway running through the holidays, hosted by Rachael Ray's magazine.  The grand prize is a trip to "Rachael Ray's World" that includes behind the scenes trips to her magazine and show.

2. Jimmy Dean Crumble Rumble - This one ends on 11/26 so go enter now! The winner of the contest will be treated to a trip to NYC to attend the taping of the Rachael Ray Show.

Rachael Ray Shares Thanksgiving Favorites with Rachel Roy

I just wanted to share this fun feature on Rachel Roy's website.  Rachael Ray shared her Thanksgiving favorites as a Guest Editor. Rach has often said that is is mistaken for Rachel Roy (a fashion designer), so I thought this was fun!

Rachael Ray also points to my favorite Thanksgiving recipe as her favorite - Apple Onion Stuffin' Muffins.

Thanksgiving Menu Plan

This week's Menu Plan Monday is a special Rachael Ray Thanksgiving recipes edition.  The turkey and stuffing are annual traditions for us, but the green beans and sweet potato casserole are new recipes for this year.  I am thinking the traditional wing of the family isn't going to like them, but that's what they get for coming to my house for dinner.  Here's what I'm serving on the big day:

Maple-Glazed Roast Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy

Thanksgiving Green Beans

Apple and Onion Stuffin' Muffins

Smoky Chipotle Sweet Potato Casserole with a Cheddar Cheese Breadcrumb Crust

Mashed Potatoes (Grandma is bringing these)

Rolls

Cranberry Sauce (Grandma, again)

Orchard Fruit Pie (I'm going to go out on a limb and try to make a pie from scratch for the very first time).

Molasses Pumpkin Pie (....And this is my back up in case the first pie fails!).

We're still working on what cocktail we are going to serve....

Rachael Ray Roundup

Rachael Ray is all over the place again this week, promoting Look + Cook.  If you go to a book signing, make sure you tell me about how it went!  Rach hardly ever comes to California on her book tours and if she does, it's usually a long haul for me to get there.  Plus, my seven-week old baby isn't much of a traveler yet.  ;)

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 at everythingrachaelray at gmail dot com.

• Rachael Ray's new cookbook, Look + Cook, debuted at number one in the Paperback Advice category of the New York Times bestsellers list.
• Rachel of Rachel's Bite made Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Stoup.
• Lindsay of Cookin Lean with Paula Deen and Friends made Cauliflower and Ham au Gratin.
• Deborah of Taste and Tell features a review of Asian Pepper Steak for her Saturdays with Rachael Ray event.
• I'm Not Obsessed has a bunch of pictures from one of Rachael Ray's book signings.
• Hun, What's for Dinner? has a review of Smashed Cauliflower with Cheese.
• Rachelle of Livin' Life on Bixby Avenue made one of my all time favorite Rachael Ray recipes - Carbonara.
• Sushikay Designs features an adaptation of Rachael Ray's recipe for Chicken and Mushroom Goulash with Gnocchi.
• Rachael Ray hurt her knee and skipped a party because of it, according to the New York Post.
• If you're interested in an article about Rachael Ray's history, check out this one.

Menu Plan Monday

Here's my menu this week and you can check out more over at Org Junkie.

Monday: Grilled Ratatouille Soup with Breaded Ravioli (I didn't make it on Sunday!)

Tuesday: Smoked Turkey Panini (but I'll use some leftover fontina instead of the gouda) and salad

Wednesday: Potato Pancakes with Avocado Mash and Eggs

Thursday: Spicy Chicken with Dates and Butternut Squash and Citrus Cous Cous

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Takeout

Sunday: Pan-Roasted Chicken Carbonara with Sautéed Escarole

Rachael Ray Roundup

Rachael Ray has certainly been busy lately.  She is all over the place promoting her newest cookbook, Look + Cook.  My copy is sitting forlornly on my coffee table, waiting for me to get a chance to pick it up between nursing, cleaning up spit up, changing diapers, and potty training my toddler (did she really have to decide that now would be a good time to ditch her diapers??).  One of these days, I'm just going to let the laundry pile up and read 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 at everythingrachaelray at gmail dot com.

• Liv Life made Rachael Ray's Spicy Sweet Potato Soup.
• Kate of Some Dreams Come True got to meet Rachael Ray!
• April of The Fragrant Hand made Pumpkin Pasta.
• Val of From Val's Kitchen writes about a recent conference call with Rachael Ray about her new show, Week in a Day, on The Cooking Channel.
• Vanity Fair has a seriously hilarious post about Rachael Ray's recipe for Late Night Bacon.
• Here is one of the many interviews Rachael gave about her new cookbook, Look + Cook.
• Comfy Tummy features a review of Rachael Ray's recipe for Mexican Zucchini Oven Fries.
• The Fairfield Patch reports from one of Rachael's recent book signings.  And so did the Daily New Canaan.
• Rachael talked to the Washington Examiner about her upcoming signing in DC.

Rachael Ray Appearing at Virtua’s Women’s Health Symposium

Rachael Ray is the Keynote Speaker for the Virtua’s Women’s Health Symposium being held on November 13, 2010, in Philadelphia. Tickets are $50 and here's a little bit more detail about the event:

It’s the women’s health event of the year! TV talk show host and bestselling cookbook author Rachael Ray will be the keynote speaker for Virtua's Sixth Annual Womens Health Symposium. The event is scheduled for Saturday, November 13, 8 am, at the Pennsylvania Convention in Center City Philadelphia.

It’s a day to celebrate the health and wellness of women.

Registration is only $50 and includes a continental breakfast, lunch, gift bag and other great giveaways throughout the day. Breakout sessions, health screenings, demonstrations, retail products from vir tύ and more will also be offered. Don’t miss the highlight of the day as Rachael Ray speaks about her life, career and healthy living.

Tickets are selling fast; seating is limited. Register online today!

For more information about the symposium, including schedule, directions, parking, public transportation and registration, visit www.virtua.org/women.

Menu Plan Monday

Here's my menu this week and you can check out more over at Org Junkie.

Monday: Pasta e Fagioli with Sausage

Tuesday: Chipotle-Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Wednesday: BLT-Style Carbonara Pasta

Thursday: Pizza Pockets and Zucchini

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday:Takeout

Sunday: Grilled Ratatouille Soup with Breaded Ravioli

Rachael Ray Roundup

So many of my friends are having babies that I am getting a chance to perfect my "you just had a baby" meal that I love to deliver.  Getting to hold a teeny tiny baby is just a bonus.  I am thinking of doing Endless Summer Minestrone for the most recent round of new babies.  Do you have a recipe you like to delivery to friends who need some help?

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 at everythingrachaelray at gmail dot com.

• Rachael Ray stopped by a dog shelter during her book tour.
• According to Broadcasting & Cable, had a new season high in the week ending Oct. 24.
• Cookin' Lean like Paula Deen adapted a Rachael Ray recipe for Pumpkin Ravioli with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
• The Staten Island Advance informs us that Rachael Ray will be the guest speaker at the 49th annual Advance Women of Achievement awards luncheon Nov. 18 in Bloomfield.
• EZ Recipes features a review of Pretzel Crusted Chicken.
• Workout Then Cook features an adaptation of Rachael's recipe for Pumpkin Pasta.
• Taste and Tell's Saturdays with Rachael Ray features a review of Sloppy Lasagna.

Rachael Ray on Good Morning America

Rachael Ray visited Good Morning America to discuss her new book, Look + Cook, which was released yesterday.  She shared recipes for Shepherd's Pie Stuffed Potatoes, Chicken Fans with Tarragon-Cream Sauce and Rice Pilaf With Asparagus, and Easiest-Ever Baked Stuffed Apples.  Check it out:

Rachael Rays New Cookbook Released Today

Time to hit the bookstore, people! Rachael Ray's newest cookbook, Look + Cook, was released today.  Rachael Ray recently spoke about this new book and said as with other previous cookbooks, she "wanted to keep it in the same price range of a movie or a CD because I consider it 'pop food.'"

The difference between this book and any other previous Rachael Ray cookbook is the format.  The first 100 recipes all have pictures that detail each step of the recipe, "[s]o you can tell how many pots and pans you want to dirty," Ray said, "how much chopping you want to do, and you can tell if you're in the mood to make the meal."  Notably, not all of the meals are 30 minute meals.

Even the 30 minute meals section in this book has a gimmick - you can go online and watch video of Rachael cooking each one in real time - no commercial breaks with swap outs, no accusations of little helpers running around making it possible for Rach to finish in 30 minutes!  We'll get to see her cooking the recipes from the book and we'll see her make them in 30 minutes.  So there, critics.  Apparently one of the recipes was a nail biter when Rach was trying to beat the clock: "The Meatball Meatloaves with Spinach-Parm Mashers caused me to sweat a bit." She made it in 28 minutes.  Phew.

I am looking forward to venturing out of the house, even with a 2 year old and a newborn, just to get my hands on this one.  I don't ever order her books online because I love the experience of heading out and taking the new book home!  Next week's menu will be full of recipes from Look + Cook, I can promise you that.  Let me know if you try out any of the recipes and help me pick what to make!

Check out the full article here.

Menu Plan Monday

I am back to cooking!  Here is this week's menu of Rachael Ray recipes.  Check out more menus at Org Junkie.

Monday: Chicken with Apple Gravy, Rice Pilaf and Green Beans

Tuesday: Knocks and Beans Supreme Recipe (the first recipe I am trying from Rachael's new show on the Coooking Channel).

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Lazy Florentine Lasagna and Salad

Friday; Takeout

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Crunchy Chicken with Sesame Rice and Green Beans