Rachael Ray

On Mother’s Day I think most moms would agree that time spent with their children is their ultimate gift, but let’s be honest here, a little pampering never hurts either. There’s nothing more special than honoring the women in our lives. After all, they not only raised us, they continue to hold us up every day. Spa treatments, flowers and fancy dinners are all lovely ways to show you care, but I much prefer celebrating at home with a delicious brunch. Since there are many moms in mine and my husbands family, it’s a great way to celebrate with all of them without having to split ourselves in two. Entertaining casually in my home is a great way for everyone [...]...

I’m a mama of two boys ages three and one and I’m just starting to see glimpses of just how much boys eat. It’s only just the beginning, I know, but I can definitely see where this is heading and I am definitely a little afraid. Feeding a growing family can be costly, especially if you want to add more organics to your diet. Not many of us can afford to buy everything organic but I try and pick and choose what’s most important and buy what I can. One of the things I always try to buy organic is ground beef. We don’t eat much red meat in our house so when we do, we splurge in this area and [...]...

When people hear that develop recipes for a living, the first question I’m asked is,  ”How do you come up with your recipes?”. Actually, the real first question is usually “Wait! You mean you actually make up recipes? and How do I get that job?” (this is also most often accompanied by a puzzled look), then they follow-up with, “How do you come up with your recipes?”. I guess it sounds a bit strange at first but someone has to come up with those ideas right? I can’t speak for anyone else in the business but for me, ideas for recipes come from many places but most often than not, eating is my biggest inspiration. Hard work, right? IT IS!!! : ) [...]...

The weather is warming up nicely here in NYC and as soon as the temps start going up, I get this insane craving for salad. My cravings aren’t limited to salads made with greens either. Grain salads , bean salads and pasta salads like this Chickpea Pasta Salad with Agave Vinaigrette all do the trick when I’m craving something cool and refreshing. And mixing up your salad ingredients is a great way to keep things exciting and flavorful. When making a salad try and combine different textures and colors and have fun with different dressing combos. No need for store bought dressing when you can just as easily combine your favorite acid (red wine vinegar, balsamic, lemon juice etc…) with olive [...]...

How many of us end up with WAY too many hard boiled eggs after Easter and Passover? It’s kind of insane to waste them when there are so many delicious ways to use them up. But before you do, make sure you follow some food safety rules so you can enjoy your leftovers safely. Egg Safety: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture hard-boiled eggs spoil faster than uncooked eggs because their protective outer coating is washed away during preparation. As a good rule of thumb, remember that hiding and hunting eggs should not exceed two hours. Any longer than that and the egg should be discarded. 1. After hard-boiling eggs, dye them and refrigerate within two hours. 2.NEVER eat an egg with a cracked [...]...

There’s something about Spring and especially Easter time that makes me want to incorporate lemon into everything I’m cooking. As the weather warms up, I find myself craving the light and refreshing taste of citrus. To me there’s nothing more crisp and clean smelling than a freshly cut lemon. I could literally put it in and on anything and everything—and usually do! The other day I was craving cookies but wanted to try something new and unexpected, so I decided to bake some using, you guessed it— LEMON! I knew I wanted a light cookie but one that was also sturdy enough to have a nice chew to it but I had never made a lemon cookie before so I went [...]...

I have been obsessed with making my own baby food since my first son was born over three years ago. Confession: I think my obsession with it actually started when I was a little girl and I saw the movie Baby Boom. Whatever. I won’t go into all of the reasons why I feel that making your own baby food rocks because, if it ain’t for you, it ain’t for you. I know plenty of folks who have no interest in making food for their babes when they can just as easily buy it in the store. And that’s OK. Right on! Do you. Parenting is all about doing what works for you and your lifestyle. These days there are some really great organic [...]...

How many of us love breakfast for dinner? Not sure what it is, but there’s something so comforting and fun about having breakfast for dinner. And the kids just LOVE it which means I know I won’t have to struggle with picky eater issues and turned up noses because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a good pancake? The other night I was just burned out and I just couldn’t even think about dinner. This is usually when breakfast for dinner comes in most handy because most breakfast foods are easy and quick. I knew I wanted to make chocolate chip pancakes because they are a big hit with the kids but I wanted to get a veggie in them as well [...]...

I’m only like 1/16th Irish (the rest is Italian with some Cherokee thrown in there for good measure) but I love making corned beef for Saint Patrick’s Day. It seems like a festive thing to do and my family really enjoys it. For years and years I boiled my corned beef along with potatoes, carrots and cabbage— you know, the traditional way. I’ve added different blends of spices, mustard and even beer to the cooking water to give it a little something extra, but always stuck with the boiling method. It was a fail proof cooking method, but I’m never satisfied with leaving well enough alone, especially when it comes to cooking. I’m always on a quest to improve and [...]...