Clarification re: Rachael Ray 60 Minute Thanksgiving

Just a quick clarification...I am still VERY pro- Rachael Ray when it comes to a huge variety of her recipes and how they can fit in with my Thanksgiving.

I was just noting that I don't feel like my Thanksgiving is the time I want I to cook quickly. Thanksgiving dinners and Thanksgiving recipes are allowed to take some time... Still, Rachael Ray has gobs of Thanksgiving recipes that will really be a good fit!

By the way, in case I am not back soon... Happy Thanksgiving to all of the readers of On Rachael Ray Every Day!

60 Minute Thanksgiving

Everyone watched Rachael Ray's 60 minute Thanskgiving show, right?

Thought so.

Anyway, I love that Rachael Ray can be so dynamic and get the job done in a mere hour. But, after watching Rachael's how and ruminating on the matter, I have decided I am (gasp) against a 60 minute Thanksgiving!

I have decided that part of the holiday fun is spending time with family in the kitchen, cooking and goofing.

I love Rachael and admire her speed, but I just have to say "no" to a 60 minute Thanksgiving. I am sticking with the slow-mo method.

Hey, just noticed slow-mo rhymes with Yum-O.

By the way, is it "yum-o" or "yummo"--seen it both ways.

NOT a Rachael Ray Lookalike!!!

This is an oddity. I found this page where an aspiring actress named Stephanie Pressman presents a series of photos of various celebrities along side pictures of herself. She notes that she has been told that she looks like each of these celebrities by someone.

A lot of them make for interesting comparisions. I can see how she resembles some of the stars in some of the pictures. But, the Rachael Ray comparison escapes me entirely. About the only thing I see similar in her picture and the Rachael Ray picture is how the head is positioned!

Don't get me wrong, Stephanie is very fetching--lovely, in fact--but she is not a Rachael Ray lookalike in any way, shape or form.

You can see the comparision Rachael Ray picture here.

Just for fun, check out the other ones, too.

p.s. I am not alone in my feelings. Nearly 600 people have voted in her online poll, and not one feels she looks like our favorite cook, Rachael Ray.

p.s.s. She spells Rachael Ray as "Rachel Ray." This has to be the most common spelling error in the world!

Another Rachael Ray Bikini Picture

You've probably seen some other pictures of Rachael Ray in a bikini. I know you have if you've visited On Rachael Ray Every Day regularly, because I have supplied links to more than a few of them!

Well, found another! This is a Rachael Ray bikini picture that was taken in Miami. She was doing a cooking exhibition, and for some reason thought the whole Miami beach scene justified whipping up a meal while wearing a black bikini!

You can question her judgment, but it's hard to argue with the results! She is a cutie, that Rachael Ray.

Here's the picture. It is a little small, ufortunately, but it is the first time I have seen this particular photo of Rachael Ray, so I thought I would pass it along.

Delish!

Am I the Only One Who Can Match Rachael Ray's Time?

I read yet another b.s. gripe about Rachael Ray (interestingly, the so-called editorialist who wrote the crud wasn't even able to spell Rachael's name write, opting instead for "Rachel Ray.").

The gal apparently took a Rachael Ray cookbook, tried a recipe or two, decided she didn't like them and then decided it was surely impossible to do any of her 30 minute meals in under 30 minutes.

So, she took a handy friend who just happened to be a chef and put the 30 minute target to the test. Apparently, this culinary giant was unable to complete a pork stir-fry recipe within the allotted time, proving that Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals are mere mythology.

I don't believe it. Here's why:
(1) I personally can complete numerous recipes from ther very same book in under 30 minutes.
(2) If I were really writing, researching, and testing this 30 minute Rachael Ray hypothesis, I would probably spell her name correctly.
(3) The presence of dear friend who happens to be a successful chef AND who is willing to dink around with some 30 minute recipe experiment seems unlikely.

Am I the only one who can accomplish simple meals in 30 minutes or less? I mean, are Rachael, not Rachel, Ray and I the only two? Give me a break.

I cannot prove that the little piece at westchesterweekly.com is nonsense, but I have a sneaking suspicion it is.

Care to read a hit piece directed toward the always yummo Rachael Ray? Here.

What do Rachael Ray and Tony Hawk Have in Common?

Well, they can both really rip it up on a skateboard in an empty swimming pool, bro.

Or....

Well, they can both make an excellent homemade macaroni and cheese dish in under thirty minutes.

Or...

They are now both represented by Creative Artists Agency. Hawk has moved over to CAA from William Morris, joining a collection of talent that includes the lovely, irrepressible, fascinating, evoo-saying, fast-cooking, cheap-eating, recently wed, Ms. Rachael Ray!

Take your pick.

I'd think seeing Rachael Ray doing some tough skateboard tricks would be cool. And it would be nice to see Tony Hawk's domestic side, too.

(Alas, the third choice is the truth. Rachael Ray and Hawk have the same agency now. I found out about it here.)

Something Cute

This has absolutely nothing to do with Rachael Ray.

Ever heard of a puggle? It's a cross between a beagle and a pug. Incredibly cute. I started a site about them. You can get all sorts of puggle information and links to pictures of puggles, etc. Go check out my puggle site!

Rachael Critics are Sad

I regularly check for good new information for this site. I am not going to claim I am the hardest working site-runner in the world, or anything, but I do keep an eye out for things I think might be interesting.

As I search for Rachael Ray news, I often stumble upon some of the hateful things those who don't like Rachael Ray write.

Look, everyone is entitled to their opinions, and I am not saying anyone should have their right to expression curtailed. So, don't accuse me of being a censor just because I criticize.

A lot of these anti-Rachael Ray posts really make me sad. And not just for Rachael--but for the kind of angry minds that could write some of what they write.

Calling Rachael Ray "Raytard," for instance...It isn't just mean to Rachael Ray. It also makes use of a slang term for those with mental retardation and uses it as an ugly insult. That isn't fun. It's hateful. And it reinforces negative stereotypes and ugliness in our world.

I recently came across a post on the most famous Rachael Ray hating site about a person whose roommate was a big fan of Rachael and made all of her recipes. Apparently, this young lady also suffers from the eating disorder bulimia. The anti-Rachael Ray author thought it was amusing to posit a causal link between an eating disorder and Rachael Ray's 30 minute recipes. Obviously untrue, but still offensive. Not so much because it belittles Ms. Ray's cooking (her overall popularity shows how little concern she needs to have for those who write such things), but offensive because it makes light of eating disorders. In fact, the author seemed to find her roommate's bulimia a source of comic material.

Hey, love Rachael Ray. Hate Rachael Ray. Whatever. But is it really necessary to be so cruel and mean-spirited?

I don't like to give the anti-Rachael Ray people too much press, but they are a force and deserve to be mentioned occasionally. And, I think it might be a handy thing to remind the world not to confuse the utter meanness from some of them as real critique of Rachael Ray. It is surely more a reflection of their own sad psyches.

News on Rachael's Husband and his Band, The Cringe

According to an article I found at top-40-charts.com, Rachael Ray's husband, John Cusimano, is experiencing some success with his rock band The Cringe.

It states, in part, that:

"The Cringe's radio single "Been Alone" has been moving up the CHR AC radio chart while the band took a short hiatus from touring while front man John Cusimano married The Food Network's Rachael Ray in the Tuscany region of Italy followed by an African Safari honeymoon. Now the New York City based band is back with a new single and National television appearances."

I don't know what CHR AC charts are, and the article looks as much like a press release as it does a news item, but it's good to know that Rachael Ray's husband seems to be having at least some success with The Cringe. Because, as I reported in an earlier entry here, the reviews for the band were less than stellar when they performed at the Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine launch.

You can check out this article about The Cringe right here!

You Can Watch Rachael Ray's Wedding!!!!! Finally, more than Two Pics!

We have all been suffering with only the two pictures for which I provided links (one of which was pretty grainy) of Rachael Ray's wedding for too long. All of us were wondering when we were going to get a chance to see more of Rachael Ray's wedding--pictures or video.

The wait is over.

Entertainment Tonight's web site has actual video from the wedding! Real life Rachael Ray wedding video! If you are tired of looking at the same Rachael Ray wedding pictures, this is the alternative!

Personally, I am still hoping some professional wedding pictures from the Rachael Ray / John Cusiamo nuptials hit the net at some point. But, I have to be honest--the video is a blast.

ET writes it up like this:

"TV star/cooking queen RACHAEL RAY got out of the kitchen and into a gorgeous Italian castle for her lavish fall wedding to her longtime boyfriend JOHN CUSIMANO. The happy couple reveals all the details of their stunning nuptials by sharing their own, personal home movies of the multiple-day event!

The bride, who donned a feminine and flowing ALICIA MUGHETTI gown while carrying a bouquet of fresh white flowers, said "I do" to the man of her dreams while surrounded by their friends and family in a rustic Tuscan castle with 360-degree views of the Italian countryside.

"The wedding came out great," she said the day after the September ceremony. "Everybody was super happy -- our families, our friends. We were up until all hours of the night two nights in a row. It was full of love, how it should be."

Everything from the couple's first kiss, to their first dance, to the romantic vows to the best man's toast, to the groom shaving before the wedding was caught on camera!"

Well, if you haven't seen it already, you will soon. And you'll see it here.

Rachael Ray Honeymoon News

Well, you might have already known that Rachael Ray and her new hubby John hung out in Austin shortly after their wedding and that they even found time to take in a Foo Fighters concert after exchanging vows.

But, come on, this is Rachael Ray--the girl who is everywhere! You had to believe there was more to the honeymoon than hangin' out in Texas (not that there's anything Wrong With That, of course!).

Well, how about doing $40 a day in Africa? Seriously, that was the honeymoon destination for the recently married Rachael Ray and her husband John Cusiamo.

I found a little article about what Rachael Ray did after her wedding. Here's an excerpt:

"The newlyweds toured the city of Cape Town and took a helicopter ride over the continent's most popular tourist attraction, Victoria Falls, which was christened after the former British monarch. Considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the veil of water tumbles 420 feet into the Zambezi gorge, which divides the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Open-air jeep safari rides included a look at the region's spectacular wildlife, including majestic giraffes."

You can find the rest, along with other celebrity wedding news, etc. at lovetripper.com. Here's the Rachael Ray article.

Amazing Deal for any Rachael Ray Fan (or Cooking Buff)

Every once in awhile, you run across something online that is really is amazing! Today, I found a little gem that I thought all of you might love.

It's called The Cookbook Club, and it kicks butt! All you do is pay a measly $9.95 and you get some cookbooks. Plus, they give you a few more every once in awhile, too.

What is so amazing about that? Well, you get over a hundred cookbooks! And, they toss two more at you every single month--for as long as you want them.

And, unlike a lot of those deals you see, this one doesn't have some sort of sneaky catch where all of the sudden you end up getting charged. Straight up, 100+ cookbooks and new cookbooks all the time for under ten bucks.

Now, I am not gonna tell you that they have Rachael Ray's cookbooks on tap or anything, but a lot of the stuff I got looked pretty Yum-O. And I definitely could churn much of it out in less than 30 minutes. Hey, I know this is a Rachael Ray site, not a generic cooking joint, but I would have felt like a goof if I didn't tell you about this cookbook club deal.

For ten bucks? Give me a break. It's a no-brainer. How good is that?

You gotta try it out. Just go here to join up with this awesome cookbook club, Rachael Ray fans.

It Ain't Pro-Rachael, but it is Worth Readin'

This site is pretty much a pro-Rachael outpost on an internet populated by an army of Rachael Ray hating jerks. Usually, if I mention the anti-Ray crowd at all, I do so critically and dismissively.

This time, however, I am going to supply you with the link to an article that is certainly not pro Rachael-Ray, but yet is a really good read.

Here's the scoop. It's about how the author began to try to dissect and understand the Rachael Ray phenomenom by using TiVO.

Overall, it's tone is anti-Rachael Ray, in some sense, but it is well-written, comedic and honest. Even if you disagree with skirblog, you can at least respect the opinion.

Here is an excerpt: "Then there is the issue of her accompanying hand gestures. While declaring that a taste of food was “fantastic” Rachel is prone to either giving us either a big, Fonzie from Happy Days thumbs-up, or a weird, bent-at-the-wrist “this is the max” rotation that seems exactly what a frat boy would signal when he’s just had a piece of some really good Mississippi Mud Pie at Baker’s Square. You could watch Rachel do this over and over again, and instead of snapping the set off and getting on with your life, you watch again and again to keep seeing it. But why? Finally I gave up. Unable to keep watching Rachael, unable to understand what exactly is wrong with her, I felt torn, twisted. And that’s where TiVo came in."

Well, enjoy. Or, hate. It's just nice to know that everyone who falls short of being a fan of Rachael Ray is not simply a jealous disaffected punk who lacks self-esteem.

:-)

You can read the piece here.

What are YOU Looking for?

I have recently looked over all of the referral reports for this little Rachael Ray outpost and have learned a few things about what people are searching for when they stumble in to On Rachael Ray Every Day.

People are looking for Rachael Ray pictures. You cannot imagine the percentage of searches for pictures of Rachael Ray that end right here. Now, as you have probably noticed, On Rachael Ray Every Day does provide links to all sort of Rachael Ray photos, so I hope all of those visitors find the site helpful.

Of course, some are conducting Rachael Ray searches that involve words like "nude, naked, etc." And occasionally, I will find someone who has keyed in a particular body part as a portion of their Rachael Ray search. Hint: think rump roast.

I once commented that those looking for Rachael Ray nudes were probably the most common visitors I got here. Not so, anymore. The desire for nude Rachael Ray pictures and the Rachael Ray FHM pictures has been supplanted by a desire to gaze upon the vizage of Rachael Ray wedding pictures.

In fact, those looking for more info on Rachael Ray's wedding make up a huge % of visitors right now. Even though it's been well over a month since Rachael and John exchanged vows.

On Rachael Ray Every Day tries to provide fun, entertaining and up-to-date Rachael Ray info. Sometimes, looking at the search info provides some clues as to what kind of goodies might be most appreciated. So, I may make a real effort to supply more Rachael Ray wedding stuff. Oh, and fear not, I am still on the look out for more wedding picture links!

One last thing, I find a ton of people are searching for Rachel Ray. That's Rachel, not "Rachael." As you may have noticed, that little misspelling is even in this site's URL. It's intentional. I wanted to folks to be able to find awesome Rachael Ray info even if they misspelled her name. That strategy seems to be working. People are coming here in droves looking for Rachel Ray recipes, Rachel Ray pictures and yes, of course, "naked Rachel Ray butt." Hopefully, once they visit, they also pick up on the fact that it is spelled R-a-c-h-a-e-l.

So, what are YOU looking for?

Some Fun Rachael Ray Pictures

Someone named Maurie went to a Rachael Ray book signing and took a few pictures of Rachael Ray. She was kind enough to shoot them out into cyberspace for everyone's persusal. Thanks, Maurie.

This picture of Rachael Ray is just your standard candid shot. Not the most glamorous, and certainly not as scintillating as the ever-so-popular FHM Rachael Ray photo set, but still fun!

This is a picture of Maurie's book, autographed by Rachael Ray. I don't know how much a Rachael Ray autograph is worth, but I am sure it's priceless to Maurie!

Rachael Ray Knife is Amazing! I am SO Impressed!

The package came this morning in that familiar Amazon box. It was my own Rachael Ray knife, purchased at a bargain price. After getting it, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to make a Rachael Ray recipe tonight and use the new Furi Coppertail she endorses.

We had rented a movie, so I thought we could enjoy the flick while having one of my favorite Rachael Ray treats--Stovetop Spinach and Artichoke Dip. I was planning on making it Thursday night, but after seeing that knife there was no way I could put it off!

Luckily, the recipe calls for a lot of chopping...garlic, onion, red pepper, artichoke hearts (my spinach was frozen and pre-chopped). It was AWESOME.

That knife made me feel like a real chef. Seriously, the way it felt in my hand, the speed with which I could use it (and I am not a speedy chopper by nature), and the ease in which it cut through the veggies made me feel like a cross between Rachael Ray herself and an Iron Chef (maybe Kenichi!).

The handle is awesomely comfortable. The santoku style knife combines the ability to use straight edge techniques and that sort of "rocking" style of cutting, too. I don't know a ton about knives, but it felt like it was DESIGNED for MY hand. I can see why Rachael Ray uses them on all of her shows. They are seriously cool.

All of those people who say you cannot make a 30 minute meal in 30 minutes might change their tune if they used one of these Rachael Ray knives. Seriously. It made all that chopping quick, easy and fun.

If you are a Rachael Ray fan, or just a fan of cooking, you gotta try the Furi knife. I am still in awe hours later.

Those who stop by here a lot know I don't hype products (aside from Rachael's books, etc.). You can look through the roughly 100 pieces of Rachael Ray info I have put on this site and never see me going nuts over a product! But I have to join the chorus of those who consider this a mandatory purchase.

You gotta get a Furi like Rachael Ray's.

This time, believe the hype. The Rachael Ray Coppertail knife is amazing! It's the next best thing to cooking with Rachael and it produces truly Yum-O results. How good is that? Trust me on this one, you won't be disappointed. It is a must-have!

Rochester Paper Gives Rachael Ray News

An article in today's Rochester Democrat and Chronicle mentioned Rachael Ray. It's a short mention, but a mention nonetheless:

Excerpt: Rachael Ray is "is chock-full of the perkiness and cooking slang--yes, EVOO is everywhere--that's endeared her to so many Food Network viewers and enraged so many others who like their extra-virgin olive oil spelled out."

It also talks about the upcoming issue of Rachael Ray's magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray.

Here it is...

Becky Gives Props to Rachael Ray

The House of Dozen Mammals provided an entry recently that was decidedly pro-Rachael Ray.

Seeing as how I try to tell y'all about all of the Pro-Rachael Ray material I can find, I thought I would pass along Becky's pro-Rachael comments.

Among other things, she notes: Rachael Ray "appeals to both men and women. Her recipes are simple and for the most part inexpensive to make. Even when she seems a bit manic, she seems like a down-to-earth, funny and a little dorky chick. And guys like her for the most obvious reason - she's a cute brunette who knows how to cook."

A decidely Yum-O observation, Becky!

You can read her whole entry right here.

New Rachael Ray Site...Her Recipes Put to the Test

I noticed a site on reviewing Rachael Ray that has some promise. The author loves to cook and has decided to create (with his/her own flourishes, of course) a variety of Rachael Ray recipes.

Each will be reviewed and checked to see whether or not they were completable within 30 minutes.

Here is the site. Right now, there is but one post. It will be neat to see if there is more to come. Hope so. That would be delish.

Rachael Ray to Appear on Celebrity Weddings Unveiled

Found out about his at CBS.

Apparently, they are going to trot out a show about celebrity weddings.

All of the stuff you would expect from such programming. Not all that groundbreaking. However, this snippet made the whole thing sort of interesting to me.

"Food Network star Rachael Ray shows photos of her wedding dress that she took on her cell phone and shares tips for the perfect wedding registry."

Considering the paucity of Rachael Ray wedding pictures online right now, I will end up watching this thing when it airs in July. That's right, I am now sufficiently curious due to Rachael Ray's great leak control that I will suffer through Celebrity Wedding Unveiled just for a peek at some grainy cell phone pictures of Rachael Ray's wedding dress.

Here is the whole tale re: the show.

Rachael Ray Magazine Event Reviewed

Bizbash.com provided a wrap up of a recent event held in support of Rachael Ray's new magazine, Every Day With Rachael Ray. On October 25, Rachael had a magazine launch party at Cafe St. Bart's.

According to the report, it was "a festive, autumnal event at Café St. Bart's that combined pages of the magazine with cutesy elements inspired by the Food Network star's bubbly personality."

Sounds like a good time!

Food, not surprisingly, was at the centerpiece of Rachael Ray's launch party. Rachael Ray "wanted it to be less about just baskets of produce, and more interactive," Guilfoyle said. So instead of just stocking food stations, caterwaiters dipped strawberries in chocolate, frosted cupcakes, and assembled and baked pizzas in front of guests. Sushi was served from hot dog carts, and another caterwaiter assembled an apple and bacon hors d'oeuvres from a station studded with apples on the walls."

Yum-O.

Apparently, Rachael Ray's husband, John, and his rock band The Cringe performed after the main event. According to the report, they were less than well-received.

Not Yum-O.

You can read the report and see an employee of Cafe St. Bart's clad in a homemade Yum-O t-shirt, right here!