Rachael Ray's Blog, page 20
November 20, 2014
11 Thanksgiving Tips and Tricks from Rachael Ray
November 18, 2014
Rachael Surprises Howard and Beth Stern with $500,000 Donation
A Note from Rach: The Happiest of Holidays!
November 13, 2014
Welcome to the New RachaelRay.com!
November 7, 2014
Rachael Nominated for 2015 People's Choice Award!
October 31, 2014
10 Hearty Fall Salads
Fall feels like chunky, knit sweaters (the really good old ones with a few holes that you totally ignore – and kinda love). It tastes like steaming glasses of apple cider and sweet bites of pumpkin pie. It looks like falling leaves and long sunsets. Sigh.
But in the middle of loving (and devouring) the sweets of the season, don’t forget to dive into fresh fruits and veggies for a healthy kick.
From rich squash and roasty beets to bright green Brussels sprouts and crunchy apples, the combinations for a delightful salad are endless. Fall in love with these beautiful, refreshing, and surprising seasonal salads (not sorry for the bad pun!):
Hit the farmer’s market to find all your local varieties of squash that are on display for this fresh and beautiful salad. The trick here is freshly pickling some ingredients and roasting others for a perfect balance.
Toasted Hazelnut and Shredded Carrot
Your kitchen will smell absolutely divine once the hazelnuts in this salad get roasting. They only take about 5 minutes to prep, but that short time will fill your home with the perfect fall scent.
Serve this salad hot or cold. Either way, you get a nutritious boost from sweet potatoes, which are abundant and in-season right now.
Blanched Brussels sprouts (the veggie you loathed as a child but one day decided you really, really loved as an adult!) are bright and crisp in this twist on the traditional Caesar.
Spicy horseradish vinaigrette kicks the flavors of cooked beets up to insanely delicious levels. You’ll go crazy for this simple salad that’s a snap to prepare.
Warm bacon and roasted chickpeas are hearty, robust flavors – and they pack a mean protein punch! This smoky salad balances warm toppings with the cold crunch of romaine lettuce.
Fennel is back in season and one of our favorite flavors. Rich and deep, this black-licorice flavor goes surprisingly well with the cold crunch of celery.
Vinegar Carrots with Toasted Sesame Seeds
Even though carrots are available year-round, the chill of fall frosts makes them extra sweet. They’re especially lovely roasted or in pureed soups, but this simple salad really lets their raw flavor shine.
Goat cheese, warm and lightly breaded and fried, brings a hot and cold element to this salad that’s a bit like the weather outside!
Homemade honey mustard Champagne vinaigrette tops this lovely seasonal salad with fresh flavors like apple and walnut.
October 26, 2014
A Week of Meals Worth Sharing
Welcome to the Weekly Meal Planner! Whether you work all day and are out of steam when the dinner hour hits, or are fresh out of ideas and in a cooking rut, we are here to make your life easier.
This week, we are all about apples! We’ve selected some of our best recipes featuring our favorite fall fruit, including an apple-based snack, dessert, lunch and even guacamole. Try it – you’ll love it.
Check out this week’s dinners, which we can’t get enough of. Don’t miss our special steak dinner for Sunday supper. It’s as good, if not better, than your favorite steakhouse. It’s so great, you’ll want to invite over your closest friends – if you feel like sharing, of course!
Don’t know what to cook? Need help with a recipe? Feel free to ask us in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
Meatless Monday
Lunch: Put together this nutty and flavor-packed Quinoa Salad over the weekend and you’ve got lunch covered all week long.
Dinner: Enjoy flavorful Sicilian Eggplant and Pepper Ragu and Pappardelle for dinner tonight. Make the sauce over the weekend and reheat for a no-fuss Monday night meal. Pro tip: Use canned or fresh tomatoes with this recipe.
Snack: Bread is the envelope for oven-baked Apple-Cheddar Turnovers - a perfect anytime snack.
Tuesday
Lunch: Your favorite restaurant entree in a sammie! Cordon Blue Clubs are what’s for lunch today.
Dinner: Serve a simple roasted chicken with this versatile side dish. Lemon and Olive Oil Potatoes are easy and delicious.
Snack: Apple Muffins make a great snack or breakfast on-the-go. Pro tip: These muffins freeze well so feel free to make a double batch.
Wednesday
Lunch: Perfect for at-home or brown bag lunching, Pasta Salad a la Norma is delicious served chilled or at room temp. Pro tip: Feta cheese is a tasty swap for ricotta salata.
Dinner: Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breast Stuffed with Ricotta and Spinach is an impressive plate that’s surprisingly simple to put together.
Dessert: This delicious, and healthy, cookie recipe is packed with diced apples, walnuts and raisins. Apple Spice Cookies are great for a healthy after-school snack, lunch boxes or even breakfast!
Thursday
Lunch: Enjoy a healthy version of a meatball bomber today. Turkey Meatball Pocket Subs with Side Salad are delicious and good for you, too.
Dinner: Make a main-course salad dinner tonight. Grilled Eggplant Caprese with Speck is a great anytime meal that is served room temperature so you can make it ahead of time. Pro tip: Swap in any spicy ham for the speck if you’d like.
Snack: Chopped apples and sliced nuts put a unique – and crunchy – twist on a classic dip. Serve Apple and Almond Guacamole with chips, pita crisps or chopped veggies.
Fun Friday
Lunch: Kids (and kids at heart) will love Grilled Cheddar-Apple Dippers. Pro tip: Use your favorite type of apples, cheese and bread to make this sandwich your own creation!
Dinner: Make Friday night Burger Night and serve Knife-and-Fork Open-Faced Burgers with Stuffed Thick-Cut Sliced Tomatoes to kick off the weekend.
Cocktail: Get into the Halloween spirit with Bloody Cider Punch.
Entertaining Saturday
Brunch: Make your family’s favorite breakfast a whole lot healthier (the secret is in the wheat germ) with Crispy Whole Wheat French Toast.
Dinner: Serve your guests a fabulous and festive seafood pasta dish. Pasta with Mussels and Vodka Cream Sauce is something special.
Appetizer: Start your evening on a healthy note: Roast Cauliflower Bites with Kale Pesto are so delicious you’ll forget how healthy they are!
Family Sunday
Brunch: Use your favorite muffin mix to whip up a sweet batch of Cinnamon-Apple Muffin Waffles.
Dinner: Treat the family to a deluxe steak house supper tonight – Strip Steaks with Rosemary-Garlic Butter, Tallegio Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Broccoli Rabe.
Dessert: Serve Easiest Ever Baked Stuffed Apples with your favorite ice cream for a classic and comforting autumnal dessert.
October 24, 2014
8 Perfect Pasta Dishes
I will always stand by this sentiment: There is never a bad time for pasta.
Some of the tastiest, quickest, and most filling dishes out there utilize pasta as a base. You typically don’t need many pots, pans or bowls to prep them. They make excellent leftovers (if you have any). Both busy weeknights and long, slow Sunday afternoons pair beautifully with a delicious pasta dish.
Really, any day that ends with a hearty, warm pasta dish is the icing on the cake. Or, as the Italians say, come il cacio sui maccheroni.
Sunday Spaghetti and Meatballs
The whole family will love this Sunday dinner – any night of the week! Pro tip: Grated onion in your meatballs is your secret ingredient.
Sicilian Eggplant and Pepper Ragu and Pappardelle
Fresh sauce with hearty veggies makes this dish a perfect pasta option. The secret to extra punchy flavor lies in anchovy filets that season the sauce!
One-Pot Broken Florentine Lasagna
Broken, no-boil lasagna noodles are stirred into a prepared sauce and then baked like a traditional lasagna in this easy recipe. Make a meal for a crowd with all the “wow” factor of a traditional lasagna (and a few spare minutes of “you time”).
Fat Spaghetti with Frutti di Mare
Fresh seafood with thick noodles gives this dish a hearty bite. Bucatini pasta is hollow, so extra sauce sneaks inside!
Smoky Roasted Rapini and Strozzapreti
The roasted veggies in this pasta dish, along with creative spices like paprika and fennel make this ideal for a chilly night at home.
Bow Ties with Zucchini and Hot Chili Pepper Pesto
Light and zippy, you’ll love the kick in this vegetarian-friendly dish!
This traditional pasta recipe is John Cusimano’s favorite, and Rachael always makes it for him on his birthday.
This quick and flavorful ragu is filling and hearty, and works easily into a busy weeknight. Fennel fronds and celery leaves add extra zip and kick!
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