Rachael Ray

I don’t know about you but I start to glaze over when I hit the supermarket produce section and have to decide what is an absolute must to buy organic and what is ok to go with non-organic. In a perfect world, I would buy all organic (and make that local too) produce but it can be pricey. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) issued a “Dirty Dozen” list - a list of actually 14 fruits and vegetables that should be at the top of your “buy organic” list, as well as the “Clean 15″ - a list of fruits and veggies which are lowest in pesticides. “The Dirty Dozen” Buy organic: Apples Celery Sweet bell peppers Peaches Strawberries Nectarines – imported Grapes Spinach Lettuce Cucumbers Blueberries – domestic Potatoes Green beans Kale/Greens ” The [...]...

Dear Cooks: I’m trying to find the recipe for Rachael Ray’s homemade pickles but can’t find it on her website. Could you help? Thank you - Angela Dear Angela - Rachael has a couldn’t be easier recipe for Sweet and Spicy Pickle Spears.  Please note you have to let them refriergate and pickle for at least 24 hours. You might also be interested in Rach’s recipe for pickled onions, peppers and cukes (a great topping for burgers and dogs). Happy pickling! ...

Dear Cooks: I bought a beautiful hunk of Cheddar cheese from my farmer’s market and kind of forgot about it. I went to pull it out a few weeks later, and there was some visible mold. Is it safe to cut off the mold and eat the rest? It was expensive! I remember my mom doing this when I was little but I’m not sure. Can you advise? Thanks! Sincerely, Anne in Rochester Dear Anne: It depends on the type of cheese - when soft cheeses like cottage cheese or cream cheese, or shredded, crumbled or sliced cheese, grow mold, they should be discarded as the mold can grow root threads throughout the cheese. Plus harmful bacteria like e coli or salmonella can grow along [...]...

Hi Rachael - Thank you for your tv show. Please teach me how to make successful hard boiled eggs with shells that don’t stick to the eggs. Once again thank you, Emerald Lee Dear Emerald - We get asked this question a lot - here you go! 1. Place the eggs in a pot, cover with water and bring to full boil. 2. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let stand for 10 minutes. 3. Drain, then crack the eggs by shaking the pot and running them under cold water until cool enough to handle. 4. Peel the eggs and enjoy! Here are some of Rach’s favorite hard boiled egg recipes: Deviled Eggs Mayo-less Egg Salad Deviled Egg Salad Cobb-style Meatloaf ...

Dear Cooks: I have offered to host a bridal shower for my sister at my house and I would like to have a casual lunch on a Saturday or Sunday, but I don’t want to spend the whole time in the kitchen. Plus, I’m on  budget. Do you have any recipes that are economical, you can make ahead, and that feed a crowd of 30 or so? Oh, and they should taste good too:-). Thanks! Cindy S. Dear Cindy S.: You are absolutely right, the last thing you want to be doing when you are hosting a party is to spend time away from your guests, plus you end up missing out on most of the fun. Here are three salad recipes sure to please, [...]...

I have been hearing more and more frequently about people consuming kombucha on a regular basis and how it is a wonder drink - it purifies you, energizes you, some claim it cures a hangover - or even cancer. It also is an acquired taste, according to most people. So what is kombucha? It is an effervescent, fermented drink made with yeast, tea, sugar, and bacteria. Although it’s sometimes referred to as kombucha mushroom tea, kombucha is not a mushroom — it’s a colony of bacteria and yeast. Kombucha tea is made by adding the colony to sugar and tea, and allowing the mix to ferment. The resulting liquid contains vinegar, B vitamins and a number of other chemical compounds. A cottage [...]...

Dear Cooks: On her show last week, Rachael explained how to cook hard boil eggs so they will crack easily. She said to put eggs in cold water and heat until the water comes to a boil, then turn off stove and let the eggs sit in the pan covered. I cant remember how long they were to sit and what you did after that - can you help? Thanks, Egg Lover Dear EL: Follow these steps and you will have fool proof, easy to peel hard boiled eggs every time: 1) Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about an inch. 2) Bring water just to a boil, then cover pan and remove from the heat. 3) Let eggs sit in covered pan [...]...

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 [...]...