On Rachel Ray

I know. She's annoying. But she actually does make really good food, and her show is on when I get home from work...besides that, the concept is quite cool. She makes a whole meal "from start to finish" including all of the chopping and baking and pulling things out of the cupboard and refrigerator during the 30 min show. So...if I were as good a multi-tasker as she is...I should be able to make the "delicious and healthy" meal in 30 min too (though it would probably take me a bit longer).

I started watching her show last year...in spite of her. Her use of the made-up terms like "yum-o" and "E.V.O.O" (extra virgin olive oil...watch out, Rachel Ray brand EVOO is available at Meijers) and her over-excitement drove me crazy. But I like food and making food, so I watched and made a few of the recipes.

I don't watch her show as much as I used to (I don't get home from work as early, and she uses a lot of reruns), but I've changed my mind about Rachel Ray. I think she's a lot like me. She really genuinely enjoys cooking and talking to people about food (even though she's an untrained cook). When she comes up with a recipe that really is great she gets a little too excited (maybe because she's still suprising herself), and she really wants you to try it and like it...so she lets words like "yum-o" and "D-lish" slip. Who can blame her? I mean, seriously, what untrained chef wouldn't be excited if she came up with a great meal like Indian Spiced Chick Pea and Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup, Spiced Lamb Chops with Peppers and Onions and Garlic-Mint Couscous that the average at-home cook could make in around 30 minutes?

My favorite meal from Rachel Ray:

Baked Fish Dugler-ini and Angel Hair Pasta

with Green Beans with (carmalized) Onion