Rachael Ray Articles >June 08 "Summer Treats" >May 08 "Mother Knows Best" >April 08 "Play Ball!" >March 08 "March Comes in Like a Lion" >February 08 "Happiness Is Hibernation" >January 08 "Good-A-Plenty" >December 07 "The Spirit of Giving" >November 07 "Food For Thought" >October 07 "BOO"

>September 07 "Fall Firsts" >August 07 "Take your pick" >July 07 >June 07 "Give it your all" >March 07 "Splendiferous March" >January 07 "New Year"

Together, my mom, Elsa Scuderi, and I are like a tornado. When new friends come over to join us for a family meal or event, their jaws often drop at how we, well, communicate. In the span of 20 minutes, we can go from screaming, crying and shouting to laughing, hugging and kissing, rarely aware of anyone else in the room. Then, as if it were any other day, we sit down (after serving everyone else their food), mound up our own plates and gobble it all down. We're always the first ones finished, and we're up and cleaning before dessert. My wish for you and the person who truly looks out for you is simple: Eat well, be well and hug more! Here are some simple recipes that the kids can make with your supervision!

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All moms seem to share frustration when it comes to giving advice — they think their kids don't listen. How is it, then, that all of us "kids" grow up and hear our mothers' advice falling from our lips? Mom and I have become so much alike that when we do clash it's about just that. I do as she does, but not always as she says. Elsa would give her last 10 bucks to help out not only her own child but a worthy stranger in need, and if she spent it on herself, it'd be for flowers or half a tank of gas to go on an adventure.

Mom, when you tell me to be more practical and to plan for "someday when. . .," I hear you.

But I prefer trying to be like you — adventurous, generous, and gobbling up every moment of my life here, in the present.

This Mother's Day, treat Mom like a star with breakfast in bed. We've pulled together some early-morning goodies that are sure to start her day off right!

Happy Mother's Day!

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One of the best days of my life was April 19, 2003, when I was asked to throw out the first pitch of a Boston Red Sox game. I threw from the mound, and thanks to the tutelage of my pitching coach, Norm Hayner of Hayner's Sports Barn in Clifton Park, New York, the ball I threw made it to the plate and catcher Jason Varitek didn't have to stand up to catch it! My pitch was no heater, but it was no dirt ball either—and my mom, brother, boyfriend (now hubby) and several thousand fans saw it to prove it! James Taylor sang the national anthem. Pedro Martinez signed my glove and ball. I watched the game from the owner's box. We won. Yup, it was a good day!

I love baseball. It speaks to me like no other sport because it includes everyone. Big, fat-bellied guys play the game, sliding into bases under the gloves of buff-bodied players. Some guys get to play into their forties, pitching for teams with players young enough to be their own kids. There's a cross-section of races and ethnicities—which you also see up in the stands. You see fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, friends of every age and background brought together to cheer, and sometimes cry, for their teams. Baseball teaches us humility and loyalty as we follow and feel our teams' wins and losses. (You can understand that, as a Red Sox fan, I have become a woman of deep devotion.)

Spring is here! It's gonna be a great season!


For more family fare and to join in the fun and food, visit yum-o.org.

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March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Where I'm from that means snowdrifts in excess of four feet and three power failures before March 20. Then come the pounding rains, but at least the temperature gets above 40 degrees by month's end. That's why most of this issue's 30-Minute Meals are cozy comfort foods. I'm always asked about the words I make up. My mother's a huge fan of made-up words, too--she describes the good things in life as "fantabulous" and "splendiferous." So it's no surprise her daughter would call tasty food "yum-O!" My girlfriend Emily recently taught me her new made-up word--achelish (ay-ke-lish), adjective: so charmed by something sweet or delicious that you physically ache and just can't take it anymore.

Have a fantabulous, splendiferous March filled with yum-O food and warm moments that leave you feeling achelish!

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It's the season to hibernate, and the season is short. Come late winter, I get silly-happy with a case of cozy fever! I'm especially lucky to live in a climate that assures me five or so significant snowfalls of more than 12 inches. Snow days! Yay! With so few hours of daylight, there's no pressure to run errands or get to a gym.

The weather demands that I cook up a pot of soup, put on my big socks and sweats, curl up in bed with my dog and my hubby, and watch four movies in a row.

Then we'll shovel just enough snow to get to the logs so we can build a fire and make the big move from the bed to the living room sofa. For supper, a nice, starchy, high-carb pasta does the trick, lulling me into a deep slumber.

Recharge your batteries while you can--spring will be sprung before you know it!

The next dismal winter day that comes your way, call off whatever you can, put on your big socks and sweats, and cuddle up with the ones you love.

For more family fare and to join in the fun and food, visit yum-o.org.

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SHARE is my favorite word--and now's a great time of year to think about sharing. How to share with others is the first lesson we're taught in kindergarten, and that's just about toys and snacks! It seems as if we forget this important life lesson when we grow up. Let's go back to those times and remember, 'cause when we share, we're being kind. Share the holidays with someone you love, and have a peaceful one!

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My friend Tim once asked me a question that really affected—and inspired—me: "What does hunger mean to you?" We've all been hungry for something in life. Some people are hungry for success or for money. Some are hungry for love, others for attention or approval. We're human, and we have our wants and needs, but many of us have never wanted for food.

Close your eyes and imagine, if you can, what it must be like to be a hungry child. As a kid, you already feel smaller-than and less-than. Then, you're denied the most basic of needs—food. How small do you feel now?

When you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, be thankful for the opportunity we all have to feed others.

Food tastes better when you share it! We have the food and the heart and the capacity as a nation to end hunger, period. What does hunger mean to you? What could ending hunger mean to you? Please give to organizations committed to ending hunger, bring some dog or cat food to a local no-kill pet shelter or buy a sandwich for a hungry stranger on the street. Have a happy, healthy and delicious Thanksgiving!

For more family fare and to join in the fun and food, visit yum-o.org.

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October is my favorite month—the foliage, the crisp air, the smell of comfort foods...

As a kid, I was mostly neighborhoodless. Our house was up on a big hill, set apart from all the cul-de-sacs and paper routes. For Halloween, we'd have to drive to real parts of town. I felt funny, like it was against trick-or-treat rules to collect candy from people who weren't my actual neighbors, but the sackfuls of sweets helped ease my apprehensions.

Fess up: You "check over" Halloween candy to troll for faves as much as to look for tampering, right? My bag was always suspiciously light on anything with nougat and nuts—a popular combo in my family.

I remember the day-after candy trading at school would result in my giving up all my Kit Kats and Nestlé Crunch bars for a shot at a PayDay or Snickers. Check out your candy bar faves in our Halloween poll.

I've cooked up some special recipes, including a Halloween menu that you can make for your ghouls and goblins before they hit the streets. Or invite over some mummies and werewolves who aren't on chaperone duty to share these scary-good eats while their kids collect treats. Then you can balance out the sugar rush and get back on track with our healthful, fun and fast meals that families can make and eat together.

For more family fare and to join in the fun and food, visit yum-o.org.

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September is like a whole month of New Year's Days, filled with fresh starts and new beginnings. I love the first-picked McIntosh apples at Hicks Orchard in Granville, New York, and the first day it gets cold enough to wear a sweater. Kids start a whole new school year, and for us grown-ups, summer ends and we move into fall, hopefully refreshed from a few lazy days.

This September, I'm excited to begin my third year of marriage and the second season of my daytime TV show. Both have been a blast so far-more of an inspiration than a challenge. The summer growing season may be over, but everything here is coming up Daisy!

The new football season is upon us again and I'd thought I'd share some great recipes for when you're watching the Eagles games this fall. Football fans are the most satisfying snackers to cook for. They love anything that's savory, easy to eat, and delicious. You can make them even happier by setting up this easy appetizer buffet and then just standing back!

Junk food is required at a party like this one. By junk food, I mean those delicious, crunchy, fat-laden recipes that everyone loves and almost no one serves anymore. Watching great football games is a definite excuse to break any diet and enjoy yourself! And the guys probably don't care about a diet anyway.

Dips are absolutely necessary. Any kind of meat - whether meatballs simmering in a slowcooker, chicken wings, sandwiches that are easy to eat with one hand - are required. Snack mixes will fill any chinks left over - and some easy desserts should be included.

Beverages are extremely important to any football watching party. The demands of your guests, of course, are paramount. Beer, pop, (dare we mention sparkling water?), punches, and coffee should fill most needs. Just have lots of drinks - and even more ice.

One great idea is to have two party rooms going. Apparently, nothing is more annoying to serious fans than those who want to talk during the game. So if you designate one room "real fans only" and another "come here to talk and party" (see An Anti-Super Bowl Party), you'll make everybody happy.

I would definitely suggest paper utensils for this party. Paper plates, paper napkins, paper cups (all in team colors if you want to be fancy) make cleanup a snap and will put everyone in a more relaxed mood. Nobody wants to worry about breaking some china when the score is 21-20 and it's the fourth quarter, 3rd and goal.

Also consider keeping a cooler full of ice and beverages near the seating areas. Fill them with a huge selection of canned and bottled drinks and everybody will be happy.

Make sure the food table is set up out of the way of the action. Have crockpots, warming plates, and trays full of ice ready to go to keep hot food hot and cold food cold.

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I remember when Oprah stopped by my talk show before going to South Africa to open her Leadership Academy - and open the door to a bright new future for African girls. What a magnificent year she's had! Oprah told me that when you give, you should do it in a way that's personal to you. Food is how I make things personal. I'm proud to announce the launch of the Yum-o! Organization.

Our goals are to educate kids and their families about cooking; fund cooking scholarships and training programs in food and beverage service; and feed hungry American children. Kids and parents are pressed for time, and many don't know how to cook or assemble basic, healthy meals. They have easy access to inexpensive, unhealthy food, so eating habits have declined while obesity and diabetes rates in our children have climbed. Most parents are eager to make better choices - they just need the necessary tools.

Yum-o! Will help kids and families take control of their meals and improve their eating habits. To learn more, visit yum-o.org.

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Together, my mom, Elsa Scuderi, and I are like a tornado. When new friends come over to join us for a family meal or event, their jaws often drop at how we, well, communicate. In the span of 20 minutes, we can go from screaming, crying and shouting to laughing, hugging and kissing, rarely aware of anyone else in the room. Then, as if it were any other day, we sit down (after serving everyone else their food), mound up our own plates and gobble it all down. We're always the first ones finished, and we're up and cleaning before dessert.

My wish for you and the person who truly looks out for you is simple: Eat well, be well and hug more! This summer, wouldn't it be cool to spend some time together and eat good food? Pack a picnic or go for a walk 'n' talk by the seashore. Maybe you'll cook up a few ideas as you flip through this issue, like the lemon spaghetti supper I'm making for my mom's birthday on July 18. Mom, I love you. All my hugs!

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I remember when Oprah stopped by my talk show before going to South Africa to open her Leadership Academy - and open the door to a bright new future for African girls. What a magnificent year she's had! Oprah told me that when you give, you should do it in a way that's personal to you. Food is how I make things personal. I'm proud to announce the launch of the Yum-o! Organization.

Our goals are to educate kids and their families about cooking; fund cooking scholarships and training programs in food and beverage service; and feed hungry American children. Kids and parents are pressed for time, and many don't know how to cook or assemble basic, healthy meals. They have easy access to inexpensive, unhealthy food, so eating habits have declined while obesity and diabetes rates in our children have climbed. Most parents are eager to make better choices - they just need the necessary tools.

Yum-o! Will help kids and families take control of their meals and improve their eating habits. To learn more, visit yum-o.org.

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Click Here for Recipes

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Where I'm from that means snowdrifts in excess of four feet and three power failures before March 20.
Then come the pounding rains, but at least the temperature gets above 40 degrees by month's end. That's why most of this issue's 30-Minute Meals are cozy comfort foods.

I'm always asked about the words I make up. My mother's a huge fan of made-up words, too--she describes the good things in life as "fantabulous" and "splendiferous." So it's no surprise her daughter would call tasty food "yum-O!" My girlfriend Emily recently taught me her new made-up word--achelish (ay-ke-lish), adjective: so charmed by something sweet or delicious that you physically ache and just can't take it anymore.

Have a fantabulous, splendiferous March filled with yum-O food and warm moments that leave you feeling achelish! Here's a meal and a dessert recipe that will please your tummy!

For more family fare and to join in the fun and food, visit yum-o.org.

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2007 is here and winter is in full swing, I love to make soups three nights a week, and definitely one with beans and greens. They hit the spot on a cold winter's night I also make more steak and pasta dishes in the winter as well. My weight goes up and down because I love to eat a lot of food. I'm all about the volume, and I believe that if you eat healthier, you can eat more. I have become thinner simply because I work so much. I would like to eat more food, but I have no time, although I do make dinner every night because (my husband and I) far prefer staying home and cooking than going out. Here are two great soup recipes to try on out on those chilly January evenings. May your new year be the best that it can be!

For more family fare and to join in the fun and food, visit yum-o.org.

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