OK, here's my "take" on Rachel Ray . . .
GB said:
Sounds like cooking to me. You just described stir fry, soups, stew, and many other things LOL
When I first started watching the food channel, I found her interesting. But after a while she began to wear on me. That's not Rachel Ray's fault. That's just me. I watched $40/Day and expected she'd cover all the bases on $40 -- you know, room, board, shopping. I don't do restaurants, so this show is not for me.
I like that Rachel invites her mom on the show, and that she strives to get people out of the "quick food" rut of taking a processed, packaged something out of the freezer and tossing it in the microwave, then eating it out of the cardboard container it came packaged in. (I know people who do this.)
I bring an agenda to watching food shows. What I'm interested in seeing is technique, explanation, food that's a bit arcane, has "flair" or "panache" . . .
So, by way of example, Emeril, Alton Brown (particularly Alton Brown), Sarah's Secrets . . . although she mostly bakes stuff, and I'm not into baking. I like to hear her talk. *G*
The Barefoot Contessa drives me crazy too. But again, it's me. Seems most everything the Contessa prepares starts out with a lemon. *G* I don't like lemon as a flavor, and so use them only to acidify broths and sauces -- If I can't do it with beer, basalmic vinegar, etc.
Moving along . . . "Iron Chef" -- I like that Alton Brown does the commentary on this show, and there are heaps of arcane, complicated processes going on. Alton does a good job of explaining them. Ahhhhhh, but I just think sometimes the "challenge ingredient" is entirely out of la la land. (A characteristic of Japanese cuisine e.g. the blow fish that will kill you if it's not correctly prepared.)
So, "Iron Chef" . . . I just don't have a lot of settings where I need to prepare Nepalese Yak gonads.
Other cooking shows that snap my socks? "Cookin' In Brooklyn" -- although I don't always agree with what he's doing. "License To Grill" -- even though he's grilling and not barbeque . . . and I can do without the "steamboats."
Anyhow . . . what is the deal with Rachel and the engagement ring that appeared, then disappeared?