Almost six years ago, I grabbed Rachael's "Express Lane Meals" from a book store shelf and made it my own. I have a foggy memory of seeing her on a daytime talk show, which I am certain I was watching while nursing a new baby in a very messy family room—big sister at kindergarten and the boy napping upstairs. Yes, that's right: three kids in four years.
Express meals, indeed.
And her book did not disappoint. It's been on my go-to shelf of cookbooks ever since. {Chicken with Scallion-Lime Sauce and Sweet Carrot Rice!!!}
When my friends at Simon & Schuster asked me to review Rachael's newest book "My Year in Meals", I couldn't wait to start cooking.
You see, the baby is growing up and my time in the kitchen is getting longer. The day has come for me to tackle new (and fancy) recipes. This cookbook includes recipes for: breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, and dessert. Over 500 possibilities broken down by month, day of the week, and time of day.
Ribs are always well-received at this house and with a weekend ahead of us, I decided to pour a little bourbon. Like a lot of Rachael's recipes, the other ingredients were already in my cupboards.
After preppring the ribs, the sauce ended up taking less than 10 minutes to prepare (add 20 minutes to simmer). Once the ribs were dressed, I popped them into the broiler for 10 minutes. In warmer weather, I'll definitely be trying this recipe on the BBQ.
{Clearly my husband needs a lesson in food photography}
Verdict: DEEEEEEEEEEEEEELICOUS!
And just in case you were wondering what to do with the leftover Bourbon, this wonderful cookbook has an added bonus. Turn it over and you'll find more than 100 cocktail recipes by Rachael's husband, John Cusimano (this is a guy who knows how food should be photographed).
What about you? Do you like to spend time in the kitchen?
Tell me in the comments below and I'll randomly choose one lucky reader to receive a complimentary copy of "My Year in Meals" by Rachael Ray courtesy of our generous friends at Simon & Schuster Canada.
The winner will be selected January 30th.
Open to Canadian Residents only.
Hurry - you've got 365 days of cooking ahead of you.
