Rachael Ray

My 6th grader daughter (turning 12 in May) spends plenty of time on the family computer visiting YouTube and using the Photo Booth program. She has not yet asked to get on Facebook (she must know what the answer would be) but I have heard that some of her classmates are. They also have cell phones, which she knows better than to ask for as well, but I started wondering, if she did ask, what would the acceptable age be for her to get on Facebook. Never? In my dreams. Facebook seems to me to be yet another tool for kids to hurt each other and get into trouble. According to Facebook, the minimum age is 13. Tools are put in [...]...

Half the fun of discovering a new restaurant is sharing it with people you know will enjoy it. As Rachael Ray’s resident restaurant guru, here’s an inside look at what I report back to Rach about some of my favorite restaurant finds and food experiences! From: Kappy To: RR Sent: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 11:05pm Subject: Another L.A. Food Marathon Hey Rachael- you know I never have enough time to eat whenever I’m in another city. So, I recently got back from L.A., where I did another one of my marathon eating frenzies. I used to work in a kitchen there about 10 years ago and there were a lot of young talented cooks ready to make their mark. I feel like L.A. is still [...]...

This is post number three on my quest to broaden my culinary horizons this year. So far, I’m doing great (see how well non-resolutions work?). If you’ve been following along, so far I cooked with quinoa, miso paste and this week I tackled wheatberries. I have eaten them a few times at the Whole Foods Buffet but never attempted to make them at home myself. WOW, was I missing out!! These things are great! So come with me and let’s dive into this exciting and tasty grain together. What’s a Wheatberry? The term wheatberry or wheat berry refers to most of the wheat kernel (except for the hull) which consists of bran, germ and  endosperm. They are tan or slightly red in [...]...

So my Valentine’s Day went just as expected. My dog ate a pan of brownies that a customer had ordered from my baking business. We discovered we have a serious home pest issue and my husband and I spent the day with the exterminator (nothing says romance like the exterminator - and his bill). My Valentine’s Day family dinner prep took longer than expected and my kids were wound up by the time I got dinner on the table. Before the meal even started, my daughter spilled a giant glass of cranberry juice all over the table that was strewn with valentines. As we sat down, I suggested we all go around the table and say one small thing we loved about each [...]...

It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, so it’s the perfect time to whip up a batch of these Red Velvet Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They are a great combination of a not-too-sweet chocolate cupcake perfectly complemented by a rich, sweet, cream cheese frosting. You will make a lot of sweethearts with these! Red Velvet Cupcakes (click here for printable recipe) (adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten) Ingredients For the cupcakes: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened best quality cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk, shaken 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring 1 teaspoon white vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs For the cream cheese frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 12 [...]...

Today is the second birthday of my kids’ pet guinea pigs.  Who cares, you say?  I certainly don’t but my kids think it’s quite the reason to celebrate so we are having a party.  My daughter went ahead and created invitations using Smilebox, a for-fee service that allows you to create all kinds of custom made cards and invitations.  We’ve been having fun using it and it makes this sort of thing, well, easy enough for a child. Unfortunately I will be at work when my kids come home from school, so I won’t be there to join in the fun.  Last night I was too exhausted to bake the cupcakes or “bug cakes” my daughter begged me to make, using [...]...

I lied.  This drink I concocted doesn’t remotely resemble chocolate, except maybe in color.  And I really do not like it when people try to tell me carob is anything like chocolate, because it ain’t even on the same planet. However, I made this drink this weekend just to see what it would taste like, as I had a jar of carob powder eyeing me for months in my pantry.  I don’t even remember why I bought it., it was probably part of some cockamanie diet I was trying, so of course there it sat, unopened. Finally I decided to give it a try, as I have been looking for dairy alternatives lately in an experiment to see if I am still [...]...

A semifreddo is a sweet, frozen mousse. You make it almost the exact same way that you would make ice cream, except you don’t need an ice cream maker. Semifreddo means “half-cold,” or half-frozen, in Italian. I think this is because it contains eggs and whipped cream, so it doesn’t freeze solid into a block of ice, but stays soft and pliable, like ice cream. You can flavor a semifreddo with almost anything, whether it’s chocolate, nuts, fruit, fruit juice, jam, or nut butter. Depending on what you put in it, you’ll want to whip up your cream and eggs first, and then fold in fresh fruit, chunks of chocolate, or nuts. Alternately, you may want to melt the chocolate and whisk [...]...

It’s hard to believe that I (lover of all things chocolate) have never made chocolate chip muffins, but it’s true. My kids recently discovered them at Tim Horton’s with friends which inspired me to make some hopefully healthier and more reasonably sized versions at home. They make a great after-school snack or even dessert - the sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on their tops make them a little bit special. Like most muffins, they freeze well. Chocolate Chip Muffins (adapted from Joyofbaking.com) (click here for printable recipe) Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups flour 2/3 cups sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup chocolate chips Topping: 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line [...]...