Many of her recipes combine stove-top cooking with a final few minutes of finishing in the oven to get that baked goodness. The same goes for the recipes in her books as well. That, equipped with simple fast cooking tricks enables her to create a whole meal in a matter of minutes. If you’ve ever watched an episode of her 30-minute meals cooking show, you’d notice how Rachael always put a stress on having a well stocked fridge, freezer and pantry. Rachael Ray certainly knows her way around the kitchen. It’s fun, fast, and makes for a great evening cooking! While she does pair many classic flavour combinations together, her way planning a meal around these flavours is what most appeals to me. Her recipes encourage you to think outside the box and opt for unconventional ideas. If anything, these books have taught me to throw caution to the wind and get even more creative with my cooking. If you thought she could only get creative with naming her dishes, wait till you actually read through the recipe itself! How many times have you found yourself cooking your tried-and-tested favourites week after week – not because you enjoy them that much, but because you’re stumped for ideas! I know I’m guilty of doing so.

A quick glance through her list of recipes can’t help but pique your interest and tempt you to flip over to the particular page. One thing I have to hand out to her however – she’s one helluva creative cook! And I mean that in the most nicest way I can. You see, like many out there, I too find her a bit too jumpy to be had with my morning cuppa – which is why I try and tune in to her during lunch time. But on the other hand, as someone who can’t resist the urge to flip the channel whenever RR has one of her umpteen show on, I was a bit skeptical. As someone who devours a cookbook akin to the latest bestselling bedtime read, I was ecstatic.

A couple of weeks ago, I received a stack of Rachael Ray’s cookbooks for review, including, 365: No Repeats, Express Lane Meals and Just in Time.

Rachael Ray 365 by Rachael Ray