Rachael Ray

You ever feel like you’re staring into a blank abyss when the week reaches Thursday night and the tug-of-war between work fatigue and the weekend overwhelms your motor functions…and it’s time to make dinner? It’s often in these moments of great desperation that the “Fridge Raider” in all of us does his/her best work - such was the case for me last night. Having opened the refrigerator this week in a desperate attempt to scrape together dinner at 7:30 on Thursday night, my early-week pork roast found itself into a quick (and very satisfying, I might add) weeknight “Fridge Raider” supper. Taking a cue from the delicious Dark German Wheat Bread we picked up last weekend, a few thin [...]...

We’ve all been there before.  That sinking feeling that strikes when you’re knee-deep in putting together a cake and open the cupboard to find that you’re out of brown sugar.  Or when company is 20 minutes away and, because you’re all out of it, your buttermilk mashed potatoes will be reduced to simply “mashed potatoes”. I think we’re all in agreement that using the real thing 100% of the time is the best way to go.  But sometimes, life just doesn’t work out that way.  That’s why keeping a cache of “swap-outs” in your back pocket can turn potential culinary ruin into a quick fix that keeps everyone none-the-wiser.  Check these out: BUTTERMILK Buttermilk’s origins are just as its name says - it [...]...

Like Any Town, USA, being from a small city in Northern New York means that a handful of “native to home” dishes saw regular rotation in our lunch sacks and at our dinner table.  Jefferson County, NY favorites like Chicken & Biscuits, Half Hots, and Rye Boat each deserve praise in their own individual posts - posts that we’ll save for another time.  For it was on a recent trip back home that I was reunited with an old friend whose impact on my life I’d nearly forgotten - the Half Moon Cookie. Those who trek the streets of New York City know the Black & White Cookie with great ubiquity.  Corner delis, [...]...

My father-in-law is an incredible chef. He’s one of those culinary masters that has perfected the sleight of hand that, no matter how closely I watch him cook, sneaks something into every meal that makes me go “hhhmmm….what is that?”. A recent peek in his refrigerator revealed one such secret ingredient: the elusive green peppercorn. Green peppercorns live in the supermarket aisle of “all things pickled”, usually nestled as only one or two inconspicuous jars living between the capers. These less-acclaimed, younger and softer cousins of the well-known black peppercorn come packed in a vinegar brine to keep them preserved, otherwise they’ll go south very quickly after being picked. Unlike their dried black counterparts, these peppercorns can [...]...

It wasn’t until recently that I was introduced to malt soda.  Now that we’ve grown quite well acquainted, it’s hard to imagine a time in my life when such a treasure wasn’t there.  Tucked away with ready access in the Mexican or Latin foods aisle of the supermarket, malt soda (or “malta” as it’s referred to in Latin American countries) is basically beer that hasn’t been allowed to ferment.  Brewed from the same wheat, hops, barley, and water that go into the beer production process, this mixture is then sweetened, carbonated, and enjoyed most commonly over ice. The beautiful part about malta (well, one of the many beautiful parts) is that it’s a delicious, alcohol-free alternative for adding the depth of [...]...

This week’s “Supermarket Score” has gotten a bad wrap over the years.  It’s been bullied with names like “inferior”, “old school”, and “yucky”.  It’s been pushed to the shadows of pantries nationwide and quarantined for last-ditch camping rations and afternoon bridge tournaments in grandma’s parlor.  Well, today is a new day - our old friend instant coffee is back! World Wars and space travel have been the biggest aggregators for refining the production of instant coffee.  Basically a freeze-dried version of the well-regarded morning staple, instant coffee earned its acclaim as a result of its long shelf life, lightweight portability, and ease of preparation.  The greatest part of all that advancement is [...]...

“Supermarket Score!” is all about taking a look at the great deals and delicious meals that are hidden in lesser-known yet commonly found supermarket items. Coconut water is getting a lot of attention lately, especially from celebrities who are endorsing it as the “it” drink of the moment - and rightfully so!  Coconut water is the actual liquid that is harvested from inside the center of a coconut (whereas “coconut milk” is a much richer prepared combination of that liquid and some of the meat of the coconut and “cream of coconut” is a sugar’ed-up version of coconut milk commonly reserved for making drinks like Pina Coladas).  Coconut water is an incredible source of hydrating nutrients and has been a staple [...]...

In my house during the winter months, butternut squash soup always wins honors at the table. It’s hearty, creamy, and a super-simple way to eat local and seasonal when it grows chilly outside. Having received a distress call from my mom the other day who was upset that her soup “didn’t look like the one on the TV”, it seemed a fitting occasion to share a few tricks of the trade to achieve a sinfully silky butternut soup. Prepared like a run-of-the-mill cream soup (see the recipe below), the pot of tender vegetables - while delicious - is hardly a sight for starving eyes when it’s finished cooking. It’s a trip to the blender (NOTE: not the food [...]...

With resolutions and diet season upon us, it’s a timely bit of irony that I come home at night craving fried chicken.  In the interim, I fill the void of deprivation with one of my favorite weeknight low-guilt meals: baked chicken.  It’s comforting, delicious, easy, and with this clever styling trick, crispy without the grease of traditional fried chicken. The secret to beautiful, crispy baked chicken lies in the breading.  Just like Rach says and does: to get a crispy coating on anything, dredge it first in flour, then egg, and then breadcrumbs.  The secret to keeping your breading on the chicken (instead of sliding off onto your dinner [...]...