On Rachael Ray Every Day: September 2007

Another Athletic Rachael Ray Watcher

I recently mentioned Lori Chalupny, the US national soccer team midfielder, and her appreciation of the Rachael Ray fan. It turns out that at least one other athlete watches some Yum-o TV.

Rod Johnson is an intimidating force at for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He can line up as a middle linebacker and has been working out at defensive end this year, too. If you watch OSU play, you'd guess that Johnson's hobbies involved little more than weight training and planning attack routes to opposing running backs and QB's.

That's not the case, though. A recent O'Collegian interview uncovered some interesting facts about Johnson. If football doesn't work out for him, he'd like to give culinary training a try. He loves to cook. And he enjoys watching Rachael Ray and other Food Network programs.

The article notes, "Oh yeah! Rachael Ray, Emeril and all those. I pretty much watch anything that comes on that channel. I can sit up all night and watch every show that comes on."

Rachael Ray Making an Entrance

DaytimeTalk.com has some great candid Rachael Ray pictures. They were taken as Ray arrived for a recent appearance on the David Letterman show.

Rachael proves that brown can be a great color on the right person! She looks fantastic in that dress.

The picture here is one of many that the site has available. If you're jonesing and need your Rachael Ray picture fix, head on over there and take a look at these groovy snapshots!

Just try to ignore the dude sitting down behind her in the Yankees cap. It appears as if he might be using his phone to take some pictures of his own, which is fine, but there's something about his expression that creeps me out a little bit, don't you think?

Watching Rachael Ray Protects vs. Acts of God

The title is a bit of tongue-in cheek hyperbole. To my knowledge, being a fan of Rachael Ray provides no actual protection against weather events or other acts of God. However, watching "The Rachael Ray Show" did turn out to be a blessing for one Charlotte, Michigan, woman.

Char Williams was having a run-of-the mill morning, watching some Rachael Ray on the tube when it all went down:

"Williams was in her home on Otto Road just south of Vermontville Highway on Aug. 24 when the show was interrupted for a weather alert.

That alert gave Williams about 15 minutes of warning before a tornado struck less than 100 feet from the chair where she had been sitting.

"They came on and said if you live north of Charlotte, get in your basement, and so she did," said her husband, Willy."

Basically, you might want to think twice before you join the "kill your television" crowd or decide to skip a Rachael Ray viewing! You can read more about the near-miss at the Battle Creek Enquirer site.

Quality Meets Convenience at Home Furniture Site

So, let's say you need Living Room Furniture. The old stuff is getting a little too ratty and it's time for an upgrade. How are you going to handle that? Are you going to spend all day running to and from area furniture stores, inspecting individual pieces, hoping to find decent deals, ducking aggressive salespeople and being disappointed when you find out that the coffee table in the ad is already sold out?

That's the usual method. It's a drag and a pain in the you-know-what. Fortunately, there is an alternative when it comes to finding the right furniture to meet your needs. You can visit FurnitureFromHome.com instead.

FurnitureFromHome bills itself as the site where "quality meets convenience" and the tagline is a perfect fit. The site is intuitively organized, allowing shoppers to find Bedroom Furniture, Living Room Furnishings, Home Office Furniture and anything else they might need with just a few clicks of the mouse.

When you do find the things you need, FurnitureFromHome supplies informative product write-ups and great photographs to help in the decisionmaking process. The site runs fast, smooth and easy, even though it's stuffed with features (including some great free home furniture tips).

None of that would really matter, though, if you weren't (a) able to find exactly what you need and (b) able to afford the price tags on those items. On both fronts, FurnitureFromHome satisfies.

They have a truly impressive collection of furnishings. I can't imagine the size that would be required to create a traditional furniture showroom featuring all of the great products. Plus, the price tags are eye-opening. I found one dark brown, wide leather recliner, for instance, with a sticker price at least $250 under what other furniture stores are offering.

I also found a gorgeous seven piece ash veneer set that would be perfect for my kitchen breakfast area. The dining room table and chairs are bar height but the price is set near rock bottom--under $800 for the whole kit and kaboodle!

When you combine solid selection with bargain prices and add a healthy dose of usability to the mix, you really are where quality meets convenience.

Don't fight through the traditional mess of furniture buying this time around. Just take your place in front of the keyboard with a cup of coffee and start improving the look and function of your home without even leaving it!

The Intoxicating Ms. Rachael Ray

There used to be this drinking game that could be played while watching the original Bob Newhart show. I know there were several different "rules", but the one that stands out is that you had to take a swig of whatever adult beverage was in play every time someone said "Bob".

With Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette less readily available on TV these days, new drinking games have been developed. One of them centers on Rachael Ray.

Oh, I know... The "rules" for the game are a clever way of jabbing at Rachael's tendencies and there probably aren't three people in the world who've ever actually played. I get the joke.

But I'm not such a Rachael fan that I can't appreciate a decent gag and the Rachael Ray Drinking Game falls into that category.

Just in case you don't investigate the whole list of rules, here are a few examples:

"1 sips "You can seriously entertain with this!"
2 sips ... if she's talking about hamburgers.
2 sips "Some of that action"
2 sips "Back in the day"
2 sips "Daddy"
1 sips "Give it feet"

Ray Parody Cooks Up Contraband

Rena Ray, the previously-unknown sister of Rachael Ray, has a show of her own. She won't tell you how to cook up puttanesca salad, though. Rena's interests lean toward the illicit and her mentors were probably cell-mates. The homegrown video below features Rena Ray providing instruction on the fine art of cooking up methamphetamine out in the country.

Is it a clever idea? Sure. Is it funny? So-so. To be honest, Rena sounds a little more like Paula Deen than Rachael Ray. The basic flaw is one often-encountered in comedy: humorous premise, but no interesting follow-through. The actress doing Rena, however, is about 10x better than your usual YouTuber. Overall, it's a solid effort.

I prefer Rachael Ray's turkey chili to Rena Ray's crystal meth. Yum-o trumps "smells like cat piss" every time!

Soccer Star Digs Ray

Lori Chalupny, a soccer standout since elementary school days and currently a key member of the U.S. National team, is interested in more than putting the ball in the net. In an interview detailed in STL Today, Chalupny, 23, also mentioned her interest and appreciation for a female star in a decidedly different discipline. The profile piece on the midfielder notes:

"In her spare time, she has taken up tennis and cooking. "I got into Rachael Ray," she said. "I like to eat good food, and that means cooking for yourself." Other than that, though, she's still likely to spend her down time watching a movie with family or friends."

That's the only mention of Rachael Ray in the bio piece, but it still makes good reading. It's been awhile since Brandy Chastain ripped off her jersey in victory as part of the first big wave in US women's soccer popularity and it's about time we re-acquaint ourselves with the women who'll be representing the USA in the upcoming World Cup. This in-depth look at Chalupny, her soccer career, and what it means to be a woman athlete these days is definitely worth some attention.

Meet Karl Moore

Do you know Karl Moore? Well, you should. Karl has a blog. That might not seem like a big deal. Everyone has a blog these days. I'm a case in point. Karl's blog, however, is different.

Karl is an author and motivator with great inspirational messages and a gift for clearly communicating important ideas. Moore says the point of his blog is "to randomly inspire". I don't know about the "random" part, but the inspiration is definitely there.

From his weekly random acts of kindness posts to his Friday factoids, Karl produces engaging and thought-provoking posts that can't help but to improve the personal development and quality of life for his readers.

How are you feeling right now? Could you use a little inspiration? Would you like to see something positive, life-affirming and, above all else, meaningful to you? Check out Karl's blog!

Mashing it up with Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray's website is doing some cool things in the way of mash ups and there isn't a single potato involved. Here's what's happening... Ray is using Google Maps to create mash ups that serve as travel guides to various areas and cities. They call it Mapped Out and it's definitely worth a look.

Bonus points...

for being cool and doing something slightly more innovative than the standard TV celeb site.

for not focusing purely on the "usual suspects" in travel. Ray is profiling some out-of-the-ordinary terrain relative to most similar endeavors.

for giving info to create a total experience. Ray isn't just telling you where to find restaurants. She's pointing out other attractions and diversions.

for getting off the beaten path. Take the Atlantic City mash up, for instance. It would be easy to isolate the casinos, a few boardwalk icons, and a handful of restaurants and consider yourself done. Ray's site also notes antique dealers and the Absecon lighthouse.

All in all, a pretty cool deal.

Puttanesca Salad from Rachael Ray

Puttanesca usually refers to pasta sauces. Rachael Ray has found a way to utilize its distinct flavor as a salad. I found this recipe for Rachael Ray's puttanesca Salad at Recipezaar and thought I'd share it with all of you. It looks like a great, healthy combination of ingredients and flavors. Of course, it's hard to go wrong with vine-ripened tomatoes and kalamata olives.

The recipe does call for anchovy fillets. Personally, I like 'em, but I know that a significant percentage of the population isn't ga-ga over anchovies. You could probably make a much tamer, yet still-tasty, version of the salad without the fish. It'd probably be alright, even though it would lose a lot of its puttanesca-ness.

If you're looking for a great side salad with some real bite, be sure to check out the puttanesca salad. You can find the recipe here.

Oh, here's an interesting fact about the word "puttanesca", courtesy of The Food Network:
"The name puttanesca is a derivation of puttana, which in Italian means "whore." According to one story, the name purportedly comes from the fact that the intense fragrance of this sauce was like a siren's call to the men who visited such "ladies of pleasure." "

President Clinton on Rachael Ray

If you missed President Clinton's visit to Rachael Ray's talk show, here's a clip.

The President discusses the importance of eating correctly and his own personal story with respect to healthy eating. Clinton makes a good point about the cumulative effect of bad eating habits and how decisions we make and patterns we adopt during our younger years will eventually come back to "bite" us.

I don't want to get partisan or political here or anything, but the one thing that really struck me about Clinton's appearance, aside from its message and the potential of efforts like Rachael Ray's Yum-O non-profit organization to make a difference, was his eloquence. Here he is, speaking naturally about health and diet issues. He makes perfect sense, explains his position well, and comes across as both authoritative and relaxed.

Contrast that to current leadership and it makes you want to turn back the clock a little bit. In an era where our leadership mumbles, stumbles and fumbles even during well-rehearsed speeches read from teleprompters, the ability to communicate effectively really stands out.

Please note: I'm discussing the ability to communicate a message--not the message itself. I'm willing to bet even those who agree completely with existing policy measures wish that their advocates had better persuasive and communication skills.

Goth Dating and Making Connections via the Internet

This is coming right on the heels of my post about a woman seeking someone like Rachael Ray via a personal ad on Craigslist. I guess online dating might be a mini-theme for today, because I wanted to mention an interesting online dating site, GothScene.

One of the coolest things about the Internet is the way it brings people with similar interests and lifestyles together. Many great friendships and romantic relationships have been facilitate by the Internet between people who otherwise might have never met.

The gothic dating site, GothScene, is a perfect example of this power in practice. Here's a group of people who share a great deal in common but who may not find one another via traditional meeting strategies. They're able to use this full-featured dating site to find the right person.

Of course it has everything you'd expect from a more traditional dating site. Users can create full profiles, there's an active discussion in the forums and interested folks can actually join up without spending a dime.

If you happen to be a gothic Rachael Ray fan who stumbled upon this post, I think it may be something you'd like to check out. If you're a non-goth, you can marvel at just how cool the Internet is with respect to creating opportunities to make connections.

From the Department of People Who REALLY Like Rachael Ray...

From the Department of People Who REALLY Like Rachael Ray comes a personal ad originally offered at Craigslist:

"I am a very Femme, Bi-BBW involved w/ a man and have two Siamese kittie sisters. I am mature, educated, & sexy. I know how to give you what you want, I am not super shy nor aggressive, more like assertive in a comfortable way. I would resemble myself to KIRSTIE ALLEY (before Jenny Craig), MONICA LEWINSKY (50 lbs heavier), DELTA BURKE (15 years younger) type look. I am sexy and can exchange pics if you have some. I am half-Persian and Irish so you know I have an exotic look!

I love Rachael RAY!!! I would love to have her for my girlfriend to play w/ on the side!! She is my all-time favorite woman to fantasize about. I am involved w/ someone so basically I would like to have someone to hang out with and get intimate with when we wished and desired to. I do enjoy going to the movies (or Blockbuster night's w/ the latest DVD), fine dining (Or home cooking together), fine wines & some other drinks, shopping, swimming, boating, roller coaster's BBQ's, fesival's, and concerts as well as day or weekend trips."

So, a woman in the Bay area was on the lookout for a Rachael Ray lookalike with a desire to fool around a little on the side. Gotta wonder how that worked out for her!

Look, I'm a gal who really likes Rachael Ray, too. I'm straight, so I don't really spend a lot of time fantasizing about her in that way, but I can see where you're coming from... Nonetheless, finding a gay/lesbian Ray-Ray clone who digs roller coasters and is willing to hook up with someone who's otherwise involved seems like a longshot. And then some.

If you're the advertiser and happen, through some weird stroke of luck, to stumble across this post, PLEASE provide an update.

Rachael Ray Launch Guru Finds New Digs

Christine Guilfoyle served as the publishing brains behind the launch of Rachael Ray's uber-successful magazine.

To say she did a good job would be an understatement of the first order. As the New York Post noted:
"Everyday With Rachael Ray is one of the most successful magazine launches on the American publishing scene since the launch of O, the Oprah Magazine, a decade earlier from Hearst."

Now that "Every Day with Rachael Ray" is on every newsstand in the country and coming via subscription to who-knows-how-many homes, Guilfoyle is moving on to the Conde Naste publishing group to take over "Women's Wear Daily" publishing duties.

Although I've seen a few bloggers maintain that Guilfoyle was bailing on Ray's mag because of some shortfall on Rachael's part, that speculation is completely lacking in evidence and is usually made by those with axes to grind. By all indications, this is nothing more than a smart professional move on the part of a very smart publishing person.

Congrats to Guilfoyle on helping to rocket Rachael's magazine to the top and on her new job!

New Jersey Blowout Grabs Rachael Ray's Attention

Hammonton, New Jersey, is one of the blueberry capitals of the world. Located between Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this nifty little town hosts a great blueberry-themed festival every year. You'd be surprised how many cool things people can do with berries!

Hammonton is also home to the Andersons...and they like to party. We're not talking about little gatherings on weekends with friends, either. We're talking about massive blowouts.

One of the Anderson's parties, in fact, was considered so "over the top" that it warranted a visit from the crew of Rachael Ray's television talk show. The Andersons were celebrating their daughters first birthday and they decided to organize a massive function with everything from parrots on motorcycles to pony rides.

Not only did the Andersons get taped for Rachael Ray's show, they also scored a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the program and to share some on-air time with Rachael.

The Hammonton News has the whole story. No mention of blueberries, however.

I'm a Postie!

I'm getting paid to write this.

Seriously, I'm earning money with this blog post. That's because I'm a "postie" with PayPerPost.com.

PayPerPost is a site that brings advertisers and bloggers together to create some mutually beneficial situations. The advertiser gets links to his or her website (the search engines love that) and some buzz about the advertister's business. The blogger gets paid for sharing the information. It's a great symbiotic relationship.

PayPerPost sits in the middle of the affair, sharing advertiser desires to bloggers and finding "posties" for advertisers. They make blog advertising easy for both parties.

Here are a few reasons why I like PayPerPost and the concept it embodies...

It provides an opportunity for new and growing businesses to garner affordable exposure.
It requires non-commercial posts between each offer, encouraging me to write more Rachael Ray material.
It doesn't require me to take any specific opportunity. I can actually choose from scores of paid blogging offers at any time.
The money. Hey, who doesn't like money, right?
It gives me a chance to learn about things I might not otherwise investigate.

That's not necessarily an exhaustive list, either. Those are just the first few things to come to mind.

The bottom line is that I really do enjoy being a paid poster and I think that PayPerPost (one of the big names in the field) does a great job of managing the process.

It's always easy for me to find a few great opportunities and to raise a few extra bucks.

Hannah Montana / Rachael Ray

"The Hollywood Gossip's 36th volume of "Celebrity Look-Alikes" featured Rachael Ray.

The brief entry features two photographs and discusses the subjects' similarities in appearance.

So, on the right, we have Rachael Ray.

On the left, we have Miley Cyrus, better known to millions of girls and boys as Disney franchise Hannah Montana.

So, do Miley and Rachael look alike?

Not particularly. Sure, they have a few similarities, but the differences (age side) outweigh them by a considerable margin.

I'm not willing to say that Hannah Montana and Rachael Ray are lookalikes. I do, however, think the particular photos they used wrongly imply that the two could be sisters or something. I know better. Well, at least I think I do.

I vote "no" on the separated at birth question.

Points to Ponder

Okay, I want you to pretend. You're a person who just so happens to detest overexposure and attention-seeking behavior. You dislike those things so much, in fact, that you develop a hobby out of isolating one individual you feel is both overexposed in the media and who you believe engages in inappropriate attention-seeking.

You form an organization of sorts that keeps tabs on that person and attacks him/her for the "errant" behavior.

Now, let's pretend like you're hobby of keeping the target "in his/her place" attracts some attention. You discuss it with others. You make it part of your daily routine. More and more people join the organization. It garners some media attention. Soon, you're doing interviews and commenting on the "attention seeker" to major news outlets.

Then, at some point during one of the many interviews you mention that you're "enjoying your fifteen minutes of fame".

Does that make you a hypocrite? I mean, here you are, consistently engaging in attention-seeking activity and you're even enjoying it.

Should the revelation that attention and interest is enjoyable convince you to alter your outlook and to consider a new hobby? After all, you're enjoying a moment int he spotlight. You must be able to understand why that no-good attention seeker might feel the same way and make decisions designed to prolong his/her celebrity status.

Just a few points to ponder.

Questioning the Anti-Rachael Ray Crowd

Some people may think "Rachael Ray Sucks", but at least one person seems to feel the same (and then some) about the "Suxters".

Jason from SharkByte Scatterbrain Memories has an interesting post detailing his opinions regarding Rachael Ray and the source of her celebrity. He also provides a personal analysis of the "Rachael Ray Sucks" community and why anti-RR people feel sufficiently motivated to attack Ray.

Although the full post gets a little more zealous in its attacks of the anti-Ray crowd, here's an excerpt to whet your appetite:

"Later in the show, I see this insert about a Rachael Ray Sucks site run by this semi-goth looking woman and it's obvious that she's jealous in more than one way. My first thought, mimicked by my wife, was "just don't watch her". Of course, I guess that's easy for me to say since I actually like Rachael and don't feel the need to create a community against her. Rachael herself addressed the site saying "they're perfectly entitled to think so"."

Reversible Gastric Bypass

Even if you don't have a weight issue, you've undoubtedly seen people who've achieved amazing results in their weight and appearance after undergoing gastric bypass surgery. If you do have a serious problem with your weight, you've probably considered whether a surgical procedure would be right for you.

JourneyLite explains a new and different weight loss surgery. It involves laparoscopic work that obtains the same results offered by traditional gastric bypasses with the added advantages of adjustability and reversibility. JourneyLite doesn't just advocate this fascinating procedure (known as LAP-BAND), it also offers start-to-finish support and resources for those in need of serious weight loss.

LAP-BAND appears to be an amazing alternative to more invasive surgical procedures and anyone with a serious weight issue may want to investigate its potential to help them make a successful adjustment to a healthier life.

Rachael Ray Undressing / Stuffed Bread Recipe

How can you have a blog about Rachael Ray and not include a link to an animated graphic of her removing her shirt? Found it at the OMGBlog. For whatever reason, it won't animate here on my site. Bummer.

I had to decide between going with this stripping Rachael Ray thing or a great RR recipe. After a coin toss, I decided to hand out a little eye candy for the guys (and gals) who have, shall we say, an interest in Rachael Ray's physical attributes.

On second thought, why not combine the graphic with some good eats...Hamburger and onion stuffed bread is yum-o stuff!

Here you go, found at The Cookbook Junkie:

Hamburger and Onion Stuffed Bread
Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats Copyright 2005

1 baguette (day-old is fine)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound ground beef
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dijon or spicy brown mustard, to dress the bread
4 slices deli Swiss cheese, folded to cover the bread or 6 ounces Gouda or smoked Gouda, sliced to fit the bread I used Swiss
Chopped fresh chives or flat-leaf parsely, for garnish I omitted this

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Crisp the bread in the low oven, split lengthwise, then cut in half again to make 4 bread boats and hollow out the bread. I used 1 1/2 baguettes and made 6 boats. Switch the broiler on.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO. Add the meat, season liberally with salt and pepper, and brown and crumble it, 3 minutes. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently. Add the Worcestershire and remove from the heat.

Spread a little Dijon or spicy brown mustard across the bottoms of the breads. Fill with the meat and onions and top the filled breads with the cheese. Melt the cheese under the broiler and garnish with the chives or parsley.

Benny Beagle Bewilders (Aunt Bee-wilders?)

I was doing my regular search for news and notes re: Rachael Ray when I encountered an article by Benny Beagle, a semi-retired reporter who now contributes to a Roanoke newspaper.

The article in question was a discussion of Rachael Ray and Martha Stewart. More specifically, Benny focused on how the physical appearances of the two celebs were holding up these days.

It's not hard news. It's not even news. It's not really analysis. It isn't necessarily funny in the traditional "humor column" sort of way. It is, I suppose, commentary and it is a good read. Benny's an odd one, but he does have a way with words.

Here's an excerpt as Benny riffs on Rachael Ray and Aunt Bee of Mayberry:

"This is not to say that she is past the hip-hugging phase, but you have to think she may have been into her own pasta more than she should have.

But, hey pal, this girl has a smile that doesn't quit.

I don't think she's going to end up looking like Aunt Bee -- who was always a bit cumbersome, but knew a thing or two about frying plain old chicken.

You just had to look at the woman to know what kind of potato salad she could make."

Check out the whole column here!

Ray Fans Comment

WellFed.net recently posted about an article from the Columbus Dispatch on the success of the Food Network and why so many people tune in to watch folks chopping, mincing, measuring, boiling and baking every day.

The piece itself is very interesting. You can read it here if you'd like. Of particular note for readers of "On Rachael Ray Every Day" are these comments:

"One person interviewed, Bryan Paumier, said: “We just TiVo all the stuff and play it back again until we get it. If any other questions come up, we can go back to the episode and review it.” He watches Rachael Ray ”religiously” and says, ”All her stuff is not too expensive and always healthy, and she’s not lying when she says it takes 30 minutes.” I think there are some who would beg to differ, but if you pick the right recipes, the sentiment is certainly true.

Another Rachael Ray fan is Rachel Henry, who tells a story that’s very similar to my own: “I’ve definitely cooked a lot healthier than I used to, with a lot more diverse ingredients than I used to,” she said. “Learning the names and things made it a little less intimidating at the grocery store.”

Amazing how so many people claim Rachael serves up nothing but butter wrapped in fat, that her meals take hours to prepare and that she's doing nothing to bring people a greater understanding of food and cooking when actual fans and viewers say the exact opposite!

Go Rachael!

Bedroom Furniture

GalleryFurniture.com is the site for the folks who must be the kings of Houston furniture. They have a great selection of pieces for every part of the home and their prices are surprising low for items of such quality.

Check out the daybed pictured in this post, for instance. This largo piece really gets me. Part of it is because of its function--you could use it for guest sleeping purposes as bedroom furniture or it could pull duty as a sofa.

I also dig the style. It has a certain "clean" feel while not being a minimalist piece. The metalwork on the back is attractive without being distracting and the wood framing gives it a warm, homelike sensibility. Although it obviously looks great with the matching pieces shown in the photo, it has a sufficiently universal look to fit in well with a variety of other furnishings and decorating schemes.

The daybed also gets high marks for the price tag. I don't know how GalleryFurniture.com does it, but they have this gorgeous daybed selling for just under three hundred bucks. I won't claim to be the most informed furniture shopper of all time, but I do get out and about enough to know that finding a great (and relatively large) piece of furniture like that at a price so low is more than surprising.

Ray on Dorm Food...Backing George Foreman...

Back to school time. That means back to really lousy cafeteria meals or equally disgusting fast food options for millions of college students. Rachael Ray has an idea, though. The only catch is that you'll either have to live in a dorm with a loose policy re: electrical appliances or you''ll need to be sneaky enough to keep a Foreman grill under wraps.

Ray recommends one of those handy George Foreman cookers for dorm room cooking (if you can get away with it). According to an article in Corpus Christi's Caller-Times, Ray is convinced the Foreman is a knockout for students.

Excerpt:

"If a George Foreman Grill doesn't get you kicked out of the dorm, that just might be the way to go, says celebrity cook Rachael Ray, whose syndicated daytime show is often playing in the background in dorm rooms across America. For late-night study breaks, the George Foreman Grill doubles as a handy panini press, she says. Load up both halves of a nice Italian loaf with sun-dried tomatoes, provolone or mozzarella, some basil pesto and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Close the halves and drizzle the outside with a little extra-virgin olive oil, she says, press, and "press-to," you'll have a panini party in your dorm room."

You can read the whole dorm cooking article here.

Video on Rachael Ray Prom

After Enterprise, Alabama, got rocked by a tornado, there were a lot of people providing a great deal of assistance to the community. One of the folks who offered some assistance to the bruised community was Rachael Ray.

Here is some video that explains the contribution Ray made. Basically, she decided to offer a little help by making sure the local high school kids were able to have a great prom. No, it isn't like she was out there rebuilding homes by hand, but she did make a difference using her skills and that, in my estimation, is what counts.

Some people claim that Ray was being exploitative. They say she was just setting up a great television show. Obviously, this video has a slant, a bias. But I don't think anyone who isn't just being nasty can say that Rachael didn't have her heart in the right place.

According to someone who identifies as being a student at the school in question, "This is the nicest thing that has happened to our school". That's definitely worth something, right?

Rachael Ray Can Boil Eggs

Critics will mock Rachael Ray, claiming our favorite Food Network personality and near-Queen of all Media isn't capable of boiling water, nonetheless boiling an egg.

Aha! They would be el wrongo. Not only can Rachael boil, she can boil an egg like a champ!

Am I being facetious here? Of course. However, there is a grain of truth to all of this. You see, boiling and egg isn't necessarily as easy for all people as you might think. In fact, people search for instructions on how to boil an egg everyday. They are smart enough to know that involves boiling water and an egg, but the details get hazy for some folks.

Take Tracey E... Tracey notes:

"You would think that you can just put some eggs in water and boil them and that's it...but...I am 42 years old and FINALLY found out how to do this the perfect way."

And how did Tracey find the perfect solution? Via Rachael Ray.

You can read Rachael's instructions on how to make a perfect hardboiled egg over at Tracey's.

Would You Like to Play a Game?

You couldn't tell by reading it, but in my mind the title of this post sounded just like Joshua, the computer from "WarGames" talking to Dr. Falken. The movie taught me that when playing video games I should probably avoid anything involving "global thermonuclear war" but it didn't complete quench my gaming thirst altogether.

Occasionally, I still do a little gaming. I like rpg games and some of the first-person shooters give me a chance to delve into the more violent (and otherwise well-hidden) parts of my personality. I'm also a sucker for nice, compact little strategy games.

When I need a new gaming fix, I know I can visit Phelios.com. These innovative and independent game designers offer a massive assortment of immediately downloadable mac games and window games. They seem to have just about everything readily available and the site is organized in a way that makes it pretty easy to find a fun diversion in a matter of moments.

Whether you're looking for top-notch mac games or something to play on your Windows machine, give Phelios a look. I give it a thumbs up and I bet both Joshua and WOPR would probably advocate its use, too.

Parker Takes Turn as Ray

I'm not a big Mad TV watcher. It's not the worst show on TV (not by a long margin), but I generally find the humor a little on the obvious side and a little less nuanced and well-performed than other options. However, the folks at that show can turn out a winning segment once in awhile. Take this video of Nicole Parker doing her best Rachael Ray impersonation, for example.

Okay, the material itself is so-so. True, the jabs at Rachael's expense (drinking, meager tipping, etc.) aren't particularly original. However, even as a Rachael Ray fan I have to admit that Nicole Parker does a great job imitating RR. The gestures, the facial expressions, etc. Many of them are totally spot-on.

Whether you're a Rachael Ray fan with a sense of humor or a "suxter" who'd like to see Rachael get taken down a few notches, the video is a winner.

Rachael Ray: Burger Queen

Love her or hater, you gotta admit that Rachael Ray has about a million and one ways of making a burger. Based on a post at The Grinder, Rachael plans on putting her seemingly infinite collection of burger recipes to good use.

Burger King? Try Burger Queen. Apparently, Rachael has aspirations to run her own chain of burger restaurants. The project is slated to start in New York, but I'd imagine that success would quickly lead to nationwide duplication.

The Grinder mentions a Mediabistro piece in which Ray said:
"‘We’ll rotate them,’ she said. ‘Tuna burgers, swordfish burgers, turkey burgers,’ Ray said, ‘I like anything you can pick up with your hands— portable food.’ Ray said she also plans to open fast-food versions of the flagship."

Hope to see this chain take of BIG-TIME. In my estimation, it is an obvious winner.

Rachael Ray: Pretty but Stressed?

I haven't been to any Rachael Ray television tapings, but I've found a great firsthand account of the process behind bringing her shows to the screen at "I'm Not Obsessed". The author had the opportunity to attend a Rachael taping and she did a great job of documenting the whole affair from the pre-show muffins to the occasional re-takes.

The entire piece deserves attention, but here are a few quick highlights...

Rachael Ray will let loose with a little profanity!

The audience can't always smell the stuff for which their clapping. They're just assuming it smells as tasty as RR says!

Rachael Ray is beautiful--even prettier than you'd expect.

They seem to give away a lot of freebies at tapings.

Rachael has a sassy side and isn't always chipper.

The author thinks the stress is getting to Ray. I don't know about that, but I do give her post great marks for giving us an inside look at a taping!

Smart Online Shopping Decisions

Here's the deal: You can buy just about everything online. It's not like the net is your local store--the inventory is seemingly infinite. That kind of flexibility, opportunity and selection is awesome. It can, unfortunately, be a little overwhelming at times, too.

That's especially true when you're shopping for a certain type of product and are faced with an array of options--none of which you're personally familiar with. How do you decide? How do you break the tie?

TrustSource.com has a way out. This unique website actually compares products to one another in an easy-to-use manner. Instead of wondering which product in a niche will suit you best, TrustSource will lay all of the critical information right out in front of you.

Perhaps the best way to illustrate is via example. Let's say a guy is experiencing hair loss issues. He wants to know if he should buy provillus or some other product. A quick trip to TrustSource will break it all down for him. Prices, product reviews, descriptions and everything else he needs to make a smart call is right there!

Need a hand in picking a cellulite cream? TrustSource provides a comprehensive evaluation of competing products. You don't have to make a semi-random choice and risk frustration or waste. You can get the right product for you the first time.

Looking to remedy hot flashes associated with menopause? How in the world could you possibly make a good buying decision on your own? Unless you're ready to spend hours upon hours making your own product comparisons, you're going to be going with a hunch. The alternative to that technique is TrustSource.

If you want to know which products really work and truly suit your needs, the best way to find them is by visiting a top-notch consumer information source like TrustSource.

Rachael Ray Bloopers and Jazz Hands

It looks like Rachael Ray had some fun when she put together affiliate station promos for her talks show. A video featuring "bloopers" (and a few wisecracks) from promo tapings is available online and it will definitely provoke a reaction from every viewer.

Those with an anti-Ray disposition will find the bloopers a reinforcement of what they don't like in Rachael. Fans will undoubtedly find her jokes, gesticulation and facial expressions fun and endearing.

I personally enjoyed the "Fosse hands"/"jazz hands" remarks. The "wascally wabbit" thing is cute, too. Anyway, courtesy of YouTube, here is your chance to watch over a minute of Rachael Ray bloopers:

Inspired Side Dish

Getting tired of rotating through the same handful of easy side dishes for your entrees? Rachael Ray to the rescue! I found a recipe for a cheesy orzo that looks out of this world. It's great Rachael fare--sounds tasty and is incredibly easy to make.

Don't just take my word for it before taking a look at it. Here's a comment from one cook who tried it and loved it:

"Easy to put together and very creamy. Comfort food at its best! I added a bit of dried basil for color. I would have used fresh, but it was pouring rain outside!"

Now I know that some people will be critical of the dish because it is not the kind of low-fat, low-carb cuisine that helps you maintain your figure... Nonetheless, it is tasty. And I see no reason not to enjoy this kind of thing in moderation.

Ray vs. Stewart

Rachael Ray vs. Martha Stewart, a 3-round bout...

Round One:

During a television taping, RC Smith remarks, "I stole these tickets from the Martha Stewart set". Rachael Ray replies, "Is that why they are so hard?"

Round Two:

Martha Stewart is out of lock-up and visiting the Howard Stern show. When Stern asks if she's worried about Ray "honing in on your territory", Stewart responds with "...she cannot cook like I cook, she cannot bake like I bake and she cannot craft like I craft."

Round Three:

Rachael comments on her ex-con competition: "[Martha] thinks she is tough because she went to prison but I can still take her..."

I call it a split-decision in favor of Ray, two rounds to one.

I personally think the feud is overstated. I doubt Martha and Rachael lose any sleep over one another's career. Rachael tends to respond to comments with feisty little jokes and Martha tends to offer more serious answers. Both of them are doing well and have loyal audiences.

Oh, I found the quotations here.

Celebrity Cheesecake and Eye Candy!

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Walken Cookin' Chicken

You know Rachael Ray is my favorite television cook. However, I might end up dealing with a two-way tie for the lead spot on my list if Christopher Walken had his own cooking show.

There's something about his unique voice and cadence that makes it difficult NOT to listen to Walken and to have a good time doing so. Here's a video from YouTube of Christopher making chicken with pears. It's one of those unusual things that make you scratch your head a little, isn't it? All I know is that I dig Chris Walken and if he decided to start a cooking show, I'd have the TiVo ready to record each and every single episode.

So, hopefully "Man cooking chicken with pears" turns out to be his pilot episode.

Here it is. Enjoy. He's not a cute as Rachael Ray. Honestly, the pear/chicken combo isn't my favorite, either. But he is Christopher Walken, so it's worth a watch.

Rachael "the Chimney" Ray

Yes, it's true. Rachael Ray smokes. I know a lot of people hate smoking. In my city, they've passed those smoking bans and everything. Some people (you know who you are) even go through this ridiculous, overacting pantomime of choking to death if someone happens to walk by them (outside) enjoying a cigarette.

I'm anti-smoking, too, of course. Well, at least with respect to encouraging others (especially children) to avoid taking up the unhealthy habit. I used to smoke a half-pack or so a day (quit about 10 years ago), but I have avoided becoming one of those militant anti-smoking types who pretend like they're a half-step from chemotherapy because someone thirty feet away is doing a Marlboro Man impersonation.

Anyway, I've read people criticizing Rachael Ray for smoking. I never really knew whether or not the claim was true. Then I stumbled across this picture of Rachael Ray smoking (well, at least with a lit ciggy in her hand).

Instead of using that as an excuse to crucify Ray, I'd like to just mention that it's my hope she comes to her senses and beats the habit soon for her own well-being. I also think a move like that might help a little in the "role model department". At the same time, I'm not going to act as though she's the devil because she likes to take an occasional drag. Just hoping the smart woman makes a smart decision!

Scouting Rachael

Once upon a time, Rachael Ray joined the Girl Scouts. According to a few of her televised comments, the whole experience didn't really work out for her the first time around!

So, what do you do when you get the boot from the Scouts and later turn out to become a role model for young women? You give it another chance, that's what!

Rachael took some time to teach one troop of Girl Scouts how to whip up some tasty turkey tacos. Her return to Scouting's good graces is available at the Scouts' blog.

No word on whether Emeril Lagasse ever earned his knife-handling badge from the BSA. Something tells me, however, that Alton Brown could've been an Eagle Scout--there's something "Eagle Scout-is" about that guy... And sure, Rachael Ray doesn't really bake so she couldn't help the Scouts make cookies. I bet she would've been good at selling them, though!