Rachael Ray

Dear Cooks: How long can chicken be (kept) in the fridge uncooked? If I have breaded chicken cutlet I’m never sure how long (it can last in the refrigerator) and I tend to cook it all at once. (Also) I feel like I’m limited to what I can do with the chicken once its cooked. Thanks for your help, SS Dear SS: According to Foodsafety.gov, uncooked poultry is safe in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, and safe in the freezer for 9 months (for pieces) and up to 12 months for whole chickens or turkey. Cooked poultry is safe refrigerated for 3-4 days. You can also freeze your cooked breaded chicken cutlets (tightly wrapped in foil or saran wrap and place in freezer bags) for 1-3 [...]...

Dear Cooks: What’s the difference between baking soda and baking powder? Are they interchangeable? I have always wondered why some recipes - even for the same thing like brownies or muffins - call for one and not the other. Thank you, Brunette Baker Dear BB: Baking soda and baking powder are both leavening agents - they help baked goods rise. Baking soda is actually an ingredient in baking powder. They cannot be substituted for each other because chemically they are different, yet they both release carbon dioxide to help batter rise. Baking soda is a leavener that requires an acidic ingredient in a batter to help a baked good rise. It is also know as sodium bicarbonate. In recipes using baking soda, you will commonly find an [...]...

I made roasted kale last night for dinner and I could not believe how absolutely delicious it was. I had set my expectations low as I had tried a pre-packaged bag of roasted kale from my local food co-op “Just like potato chips!” the package boasted. Not so much. However, as a vegetable on your dinner plate? They may not be pretty, but they are crispy and tasty. Another bonus is kale is so good for you - it is chock-full of vitamins and minerals - especially vitamins K and A, and of course it’s low in calories. Try this - I bet your kids will like them too - (kale) chips for dinner! Roasted Kale “Chips” Ingredients 1 bunch kale, destemmed, roughly chopped [...]...

Dear Cooks: I have a 5 year old who has very bad food allergies. Here is a list of things that my son can not have or things that is made with it: wheat, eggs, dairy, sea food, peanuts, tree-nuts. With me packing his lunch every day for school I’m fresh out of ideas. I was wondering if you had any new cool ideas/recipes so I can stop boring my 5 year old. Thanks - Mom of Kid with Allergies Dear MOKW: We have some ideas for your son’s lunch recommended from a mom whose son has allergies too. Corn flour tortillas are readily available and a great platform for wraps or quesadillas. Rice is also a great solution and you can buy bread [...]...

Dear Cooks: I look at Rach’s daily morning program everyday. Thanks for your meals/recipes and ideas. I want to know whether I can freeze a homemade cheesecake? and for how long? Thanks, Cyndi Dear Cyndi: You are in luck - cheesecakes freeze incredibly well. To freeze, place the cooled cheesecake on a baking pan and freeze, uncovered, until firm. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, wrap it in heavy duty aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag.  Seal and return to freezer. It can be frozen for several months. Thaw the cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight. Always garnish your cheesecake (with berries, whipped cream, whatever you like) just prior to serving. Click here for a simple cheesecake recipe from King Arthur Flour. ...

Dear Cooks: How about some ideas for using an overabundance of lettuce? We get a lot of lettuce in our CSA box and just can’t eat it all before the next week. Thanks, Lettuce Lover Dear LL: Here are a few quick ideas on how to use your lettuce, beyond salad: Replace a bun with lettuce to wrap your favorite burger or sandwich. Make a quick lettuce soup topped with homemade croutons. For the soup, in a large pot, sautee 2 chopped shallots in a drizzle of EVOO until soft. Add 4 cups chicken or veg stock and one peeled and chopped russet potato and simmer until the potato is tender - 15-20 minutes. Add 6 cups torn lettuce and 1/2 cup fresh herbs of your choice (basil, parsley, [...]...

How many times do you go to the grocery store with the best intentions, loading up the cart with fresh produce and other perishables, only to look in the fridge a few days - or weeks - later to find unused, wilted fruits and veggies? You are not alone. It’s estimated that Americans discard an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption each year, according to a government study. It works out to about a pound of food every day for every American. That’s a pretty sad statement, given both how many hungry people there are in the world and the rising cost of food. So next time you look in your fridge, save the food that’s about to turn! [...]...

Popovers are like magic. You take a few simple ingredients - all of which you probably have on hand - and poof, out comes puffed golden airy beautiful buttery deliciousness. When it comes to popovers, it’s all about timing. You have to eat them quickly (honestly, it’s mandatory)  before they collapse like a souffle so have the softened butter and jam handy.  I had a childhood friend whose grandmother would make popovers for a casual weeknight dinner and I was blown away. I figured they must be so difficult when in fact now I know how easy they actually are. Popover pans are about $15-$30 for 6 or 12 cup pans but if  you don’t own a popover pan, you [...]...

For the past ten plus years my husband and I have taken a weekend afternoon in late summer and made pesto, assembly line style. Depending on how much basil we have (from plants in our yards, pilfered from his mother’s, or if our plants had a bad year, local basil from the grocery store), we make anywhere from 12-20 bags of pesto with one bag saucing one pound of pasta or two pizzas. It has become a tradition, and last Sunday was Pesto Day 2011. Here is how we do it. My pesto recipe is from the first cookbook I ever had - The Silver Palate by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (still one of my favorites). While most pestos have pine [...]...