Whenever we need to make a difficult decision, we make a list. You know, like when we were choosing our favorite cupcake bakery, when we were choosing what to spend our tax refund on, or when we weren’t sure which we loved more: our Prada backpack or our Skechers.

So when are constantly faced with the awful decision of which annoying celebrity is more grating on our nerves, we make a list. Yes, this is a decision we feel the need to make on a weekly basis. We have a lot of time on our hands.

Moving on.

This week’s showdown is between two celebs that continue to invade our lives, no matter how hard we try to avoid them: Rachael Ray and Tyra Banks. Who is makes us want to kill ourselves more? We wish we didn’t have to choose. Let’s break it down: Read More »

So, today is World Nude Day. Yeah, we wish we knew too; this sweater is really itchy, and we are pretty sure our professor would cancel all Friday classes if we’d shown up in our birthday suits. Apparently this “holiday” was started in New Zealand to celebrate the body in its natural state and we applaud that. Everyone should love their body and want to show it off to the world!

At the same time, though, there are plenty people in this world who we’d rather not celebrate with. And we think it’s pretty obvious why. Call us haters if you will, but would you want to bump into a nude Dick Cheney, or have to compare your body to a nude Beyonce? Yeah, we didn’t think so.

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So, three weeks later, I’m still recovering from the worst. surgery. of. my. LIFE.  I can walk and sleep without wanting to die, but sitting for long periods is hell on a few fractured ribs and one which only half-exists, so I’m still spending most of my time lying on my side, watching TV or reading.

I have been reading some great books, but I’ve also been watching some horrible television.  Seriously, people.  There are shows dedicated to moving walls with holes in them and the jumpsuit-clad morons who try to jump through.  There are shows that obviously employ monkeys to write their dialogue.  There are shows that are politically based and hours long and amount to nothing!  Even HBO and Showtime can’t save me, because besides a few great series, the movies they show during the day should never have been made in the first place.

But wait!  There is some salvation – in the form of lesser known networks and their even lesser(er?) known shows.  Shows that are fantastic but rarely seen by the normal person.  Let me use my time on the couch to your benefit and educate you on the Top 5 Shows You Don’t Know Exist But Are Awesome.

Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations (Travel Channel): We’ve featured Bourdain a few times on our site, mostly because he’s an OGIF  (Old Guy I’d Like To…).  But here’s the thing, his show is actually awesome.  Unlike a lot of TV cooks, Bourdain seems to fully understand what it is to apreciate all types of food, and is pretty fearless when it comes to A) traveling around the world and B) eating random things from random places.

Bourdain isn’t interested in comfortable hotels and beaches, he wants the raw and real experience of each place he visits.  Because of this, No Reservations tends to be less about weird food and more about the people of this world; how different we are, and how weirdly the same.  Bourdain’s narration is funny, deep, and often pretty badass…plus?  He can’t stand Rachel Ray. Obviously, the guy knows what’s what in this world. Read More »

“What Rachel Ray does to food, Hitler did to Poland…she’s like a hypnotist; ‘everything’s okay, you’re eating just fine, throw some cheese on it and you’ll be fine’” — Anthony Bourdain.

[Initially, we thought today was Rachel Ray's birthday.  Obviously, one of us was taking drugs or something, because her birthday was actually August 25.  In any case, we still stand behind this article, because birthday or not, she's still probably tied SOMEHOW to Beelzebub]

In case you’re not familiar with her 30-minute brand of world domination, here are some reasons why Rachel Ray always has a first class ticket to fire and brimstone.

1) Her Voice: It sounds as though she smokes 3 packs a day, unfiltered. Except she rolls her own and crumbles glass and charcoal into that sh*t. We only know her for 30 minutes, why is her voice like that? Hopefully it’s from being really peppy and not screaming like a banshee at her sous-chefs all day.

2) Too perfect at making 30 Minute Meals: There is something fishy about her innate ability to time meals so that she always has time to take two or three bites. Something almost…satanic. A power so cosmic, every time she suggests her meal idea, I think ‘ok bitch, today’s the day you aren’t getting to eat what you make!’ but the stars somehow align and Ray gets two or three bites while laughing maniacally about how easy it was. Portobello burgers in 30 minutes my ass; devil burgers with a side of devil. Read More »

Rachael Ray is one of my heroes, I’m a huge fan and I’m not afraid to admit it.

I am ashamed to admit however, that I’m now a fan of Robin McGraw — well, her cooking, anyway. She made an appearance on Rachael Ray’s talk show and revealed this *gem* of a family recipe, so I’d like pay it forward and share it with you!

ALMOND COOKIES:

Ingredients

1 pound (4 sticks) margarine, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3 to 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup blanched sliced almonds, finely chopped

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 250°F.

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine margarine, sugar, vanilla extract and chopped almonds using a rubber spatula. Fold in the flour – you want the dough to be dense enough to handle with your hands. Sometimes it will take more flour to make this happen, so start with 3 1/2 cups and add flour as necessary. Read More »

I’ve decided to make my Nana a “blogstar” by sharing two of my very favorite recipes with all of my most near and dear blog friends.

Though I truly love everything that the divas like Paula Dean and Rachael Ray do on The Food Network, my Nana still wins. Hands down.

Sitting down and enjoying a recipe that you know your Dad or Mom devoured as a kid makes the meal taste even better–provided it isn’t some strangely cooked SPAM, which isn’t so delicious (though I’m sure some of you would argue about this.)

I could have kept this special meal in my recipe book, but why not share the love, right? Plus, you can make it on a relatively low budget and it’s filling!

So have at it!

CHICKEN DINNER CASSEROLE Read More »

If you’re like me; college student, broke, hungry, AND seriously craving warm COOKED meals, that aren’t boxed, canned, frozen, or wrapped, I will suggest this: THE FOOD NETWORK IS YOUR SAVIOR. I’ve eaten enough rice cakes to insulate an entire house and COOKED food….is so much better.

This is not your momma’s daytime television, oh no, this is for Us. Us meaning women who need to experiment in the kitchen a little bit before hosting a dinner party that doesn’t have Domino’s Pizza as a guest. We all need guidance sometimes and from experience, though she’s a bit whiney, I completely trust Mrs. Rachael Rays’ cookbook.

If you and your friends split the ingredients and cook together, an evening in the kitchen is even better/more affordable. Plus, the Writers Strike is over now, so we can watch Greys Anatomy with full bellies.

Here are links to some of my VERY FAVORITE recipes that I am CONVINCED have won over many hearts (men and women included) AND have helped me keep cereal as a breafast food. Read More »

Sometimes the thought of eating at the dining hall is just too much, and the prospect of yet another Subway sandwich is just as unappetizing. What, then, is a girl to do?

Answer: small-batch cooking and baking.

Equipment and recipes, though generally designed for a crowd, can be scaled down to serve you and a friend (or even just you). Here are a few retailers and manufacturers that make it easy for those of us flying solo:

A 1-quart baking dish, like this one from Cookware.Com, can do wonders in your kitchen. It holds just enough casserole or salad for two, so you can either dig in with a pal or tuck an extra portion in the fridge to munch on later.

If you’d prefer to divide out your portions, try these casserole pans available from Rachael Ray. They’re perfect for oven-baked dishes, and are high-quality for the price. If you need something cheaper to do in a pinch, though, Hefty offers disposable oven-safe single-serving casserole pans as well. Read More »