Rachael Ray is another of my favorite Food Network personalities and her new Rachael Ray’s Big Orange Book doesn’t disappoint. I’ve always laughed though at the concept of 30-minute meals because no matter how hard I try most things take me longer than that. However, I have gotten many great cooking ideas from Rachael over the years and have tried out many of the meal ideas I’ve gotten from her show and for the most part they are quite fast to prepare. I always marvel at how quickly things come together for her in the kitchen. I really like her bright personality and her quirky sayings like EVOO for extra virgin olive oil or sammies for a sandwich or better yet stoup for not quite a soup or stew-lol. She can always brighten my day with her big smile and laughter.
On to the cookbook-it is big and it is orange, reason being orange is Rachael’s favorite color-it makes her feel inspired, curious and happy-the same words she uses to describe her love of food. The entire book is 360 pages and there are some great sections in this book including Burgers, Vegetarian, Meals for One, and the famous 30-Minute Meals to just name a few and this edition contains nearly 200 brand new 30-minute meals for us to try out. What I like about Rachael’s recipes is that they are easy enough for the normal person to try and they don’t take forever to put together. In addition, the recipes include ingredients I can buy at my local supermarket. The recipes are nicely laid out but I would have liked to see more pictures. For me, I always connect the pictures to the recipes and it makes them much more appealing.
I ventured to try more than a few recipes in this book but I’ll only mention a few. One of my favorites is the Sweet ‘n’ “Sauer” Cabbage Soup. I love cabbage in anything. This recipe is an interesting combination of some of my favorite things like ham, cabbage, hash browns and beans to name a few of the ingredients. It was wonderful and the perfect meal to warm your belly on a cold day in Canada. I am not much of a beef eater but Rachael has a wonderful Salmon Burger in the Burger section that I love. Made with a salmon fillet and some yummy additions along with a great sauce to spread on I was in heaven. Salmon burgers are one of my favorite meals and I’m always looking for new ways to try them and I wasn’t disappointed in this one.
There are many, many more recipes to try. I could on but this post would take forever then. You’ll just have to get the book and try some out for yourself and come back and tell me if you liked any of them. This would make a wonderful Christmas gift for someone who loves Rachael Ray and loves to cook. Hey you could even throw in something like her GB bowls or pots and pans. You can check out here website here. There is plenty to browse through and enjoy. This great cookbook was released by Random House on November 4, 2008.
I love cookbooks! That cabbage soup sounds wonderful.
Oh Dar…this seems like a good recipe book. I need to do some more 30 minute meals.. I can whip together my stand by meals in about 20…but I need some pizzazz in my kitchen. Great Review!
Ohh you made me hungry! And it’s cold – soup sounds good! This sounds like a great cookbook to own!
I LOVE salmon burgers too! Sounds like a keeper cookbook!
Sounds yummie. I LOVE Rachel. She's so bouncy & bubbly and just has this infectious love of food and cooking.
We don’t get the Food Network, and I’m not a huge cook recently (something bigger than pasta maybe once a week), but I LOVE cookbooks, and this one sounds great.
would you believe this is a fantastic book for the holidays….for Anna’s hubby…since he loves cooking and rachel ray.
very cool, I like Rachael Ray. I’ve used some of her 30minute meal recipes and ideas.
She’s always so darned chipper…lol!
This sounds like a great cookbook. I’ve never had a salmon burger.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
Kathy, when I first get one I go through it and put stickie notes everywhere. By the time I’m done it looks like one big stickie note. lol.
Toni, this would probably be really good for you especially with working and all. Although you are really good at planning ahead for your meals-I’m always amazed how you do that.
Luanne, I love soup in the winter. It’s perfect.
Mary, you too hey. I’m always looking for new ways to make them.
Marvin, I agree. She just seems to love life. Do you like to cook?
Fyrefly, I think there’s something about cookbooks that people are just attracted to. Even if you don’t cook, it’s nice to look through and dream about what you could make and how good it would be.
Serena-lol. So I guess Anna’s hubby does the cooking then-perfect set up. My ex loved to cook and he was really good at it too.
Naida, I agree. I’m amazed at how chipper she always seems. I wish I was like that. If you like salmon at all, you should look up some salmon recipes-you can make with fresh or canned and they are so good and a nice break from the meat kind.
None of my “30 Minute Meals” are done at the 30 mintue mark either. I love her Chicken and Dumplings (it goes over well here). My mom has “BOB” and has made a few things from it for my step-dad; so far so good. =)
I love Rachael Ray books and am hoping to get this for Christmas.
I used to like Rachael Ray a lot but her enthusiasm got to me after awhile. I guess I don’t do perky well. LOL.
I do like some of her recipes though. That cabbage soup you mentioned sounds really good as does the salmon burger. Yum!
The author sure does have a very cute and a sunny persona 🙂
she makes me smile too; 🙂 now if it is her smile or the food; 🙂 we need to ponder on that LOL
wow. i have been wanting to try out some of her recepies. i am a total vegetarian so the options become limited. but i will look into this one for sure! btw..orange is my fav color. oh if only i cud show you my tshirt at work right now! 🙂 bright orange!!
did you mention vegetarian recipes?? now you’ve got me interested.. I love watching Rachael Ray – she’s got so much energy – it is so inspiring!:)
Yes, it sounds like a great cookbook. Nevertheless, please check out my recently published (Nov/08) book that I hope to qualify for that honor:
“Tried and True Recipes from a Caterer’s Kitchen—Secrets of Making Great Foods” http://www.eloquentbooks.com/TriedandTrueRecipes.html
http://www.howfoodswork.blogspot.com
Check it out!
It always takes me longer than 30 minutes too! Maybe because I keep stopping to sip wine 🙂
The salmon burgers sound yummy!
Shana
Literarily
Love Rachael Ray, but I have to admit I haven’t made a whole lot from the cookbook I have of hers (can’t remember off the top of my head which one). Seems like there are some ingredients that I have a hard time finding (and my pantry is well stocked). Maybe this weekend I’ll have to pull it off the shelf and then add this one to my list.
Kylee, yup I’m not as fast as she is. It can take me 30 mins to get my ingredients ready-lol-but I do love to cook.
Carolsnotebook-I hope you do get it for Christmas. Cookbooks are such a great gift.
Ti, I don’t do perky well either which I think is why I like her. I always mention how is possible for someone to be happy like that all the time but you know some people are just like that.
Veens, you are too funny. The smile could be for some yummy food too.
Keyomi, there isn’t a lot of vegetarian recipes but a few. I guess if everyone is a vegetarian then it may not be the best.
Ramya, I was saying there is some. If you eat both then it’s worth it.
Shana, lol. Love that comment-stopping to sip the wine. You’ve got the right idea.
Trish, I looked over these recipes and for the most part this is stuff you can easily get. Browse through it in the store and see what you think.
I love Rachel Ray but haven’t bought any of her cookbooks yet. I think that I’m going to ask for one for Christmas 🙂
Yum-O!! Great review Dar! I need to pull out my cookbooks this winter and start cooking more and trying new recipes. This looks great.
Sam, 30 minute meals are probably really handy when you have kids. I like most of her stuff because it’s almost always straight forward and easy.
Bonnie, isn’t that the truth. Usually people are so busy they just throw something together but it’s nice to sit down with a cookbook and plan something nice.
My husband loves Rachael Ray and he loves to cook. But I’m the one who does 99 percent of the cooking. LOL I’ve also learned some great tips watching 30-minute meals! This sounds like a book we’d both use. Thanks for the recommendation!
–Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
Anna, lol. He loves to cook but you do the cooking-hmmmmm, doens’t sound right does it? lol. It’s definitely chock full of a lot of recipes. You both would probably really like it.