30 Minute Meals - General Discussion

[scorpio1031]

20 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

There are two different reboots. One that has aired that takes old episodes and adds new update information called Good Eats: Reloaded and than a series that will be all new episodes called Good Eats: Return of the Eats that comes out this year.

Ohhh!  Thank you!  I thought I saw some kind of different show.

[Yeah No]

4 hours ago, scorpio1031 said:

And don’t you wonder how her talk show managed to win a Daytime Emmy?  I find it hard to watch.  

I know, it won this year for "best informative talk show".  It only got 2 other Emmys in 13 seasons back in 2008 and 2009, although it was nominated a lot.  I fast forward through a lot of it.  I will admit that there are some informative segments that interest me so I tend to zero in on those.  But why the show won for that this year is beyond me as I actually thought the quality of that stuff had gone down.

[WritinMan]

Today I caught the episode where she made a cheese, onion, mushroom "philly" (let's call it that) topped with giardiniera. And then she committed the same crime against some french fries.

One of the most disgusting things I've seen on the Food Network.

Edited May 19, 2019 by WritinMan

[patty1h]

I used to watch her old 30MM show and liked it, it was nice background noise and it was interesting to see how she managed to squeeze in multiple dishes into the 30 minute timeframe.  Many of the dishes even looked good and managable (even though I never ended up making anything that Rachael cooked up).

I just caught an episode of the reboot, where is making tomato soup with a popcorn garnish and a Reuben salad.  She is SOOOO hyper and manic that it's distracting - making faces and twitching and waving her arms.  I started to wonder if she's drunk or high.

[chessiegal]

44 minutes ago, patty1h said:

I started to wonder if she's drunk or high.

Or both.

[WritinMan]

1 hour ago, patty1h said:

I used to watch her old 30MM show and liked it, it was nice background noise and it was interesting to see how she managed to squeeze in multiple dishes into the 30 minute timeframe.  Many of the dishes even looked good and managable (even though I never ended up making anything that Rachael cooked up).

I just caught an episode of the reboot, where is making tomato soup with a popcorn garnish and a Reuben salad.  She is SOOOO hyper and manic that it's distracting - making faces and twitching and waving her arms.  I started to wonder if she's drunk or high.

That microwave popcorn in the brown paper bag idea was the bast thing she did in this reboot. I had never considered making popcorn that way. Since seeing it, I've done it several times and love it! Told my Mom about it and she does it now too.

[chessiegal]

Alton Brown did the popcorn in a bag many years ago on Good Eats.

[WritinMan]

1 minute ago, chessiegal said:

Alton Brown did the popcorn in a bag many years ago on Good Eats.

Yeah, well, didn't see it.

[Sew Sumi]

I wish she wouldn't have repeatedly SCREAMED HER ENTHUSIASM for it. That gave me a headache.

[Bblack3]

Her older shows were the best. I just made her Sloppy Buffalo Joes last night and realized I printed that recipe in 2009. It is a staple in our house. We put it over rice and it is delicious!

[VioletNevermind]

Sweet Jesus, this woman is abrasive.  I have to admit, I didn’t have cable when her show aired for the first time.  I remember people talking about “EVOO” and her special garbage bowl, for sale on the Food Network website (which I never understood; just use a damn bowl that you already have), but I never actually saw her show.  I knew she had a big personality, but wow, she is off-putting both as a cook and a person.  She appears to think it’s cute to run around the kitchen chasing her tail, forgetting things, flapping her hands, etc.  It’s just not cute to me at all, especially for a woman her age.  I’m watching the episode where she’s making Indian food and rice.  Her husband has joined her.  This dude clearly thinks he is too cool for school, bebopping around the set and grooving to music that only he hears.  Rachael full-on yells at him, barking orders and interrupting him at every turn.  All I can think about when I look at him and his gross, patchy beard is the fact that he is well known to be a swinger.  Different strokes and all, but yuck.  I wouldn’t mind so much if he didn’t come off as such a slimeball.  When she plated up the food, she unleashed this guttural growl that I don’t really understand.  This show appears to be the same kind of dump-and-stir food assembly fiasco that the Pioneer Woman has perfected.  Rachael will never unseat the Pioneer Woman as my most loathed Food Network personality, but she’s tiptoeing dangerously close.

Edited June 9, 2019 by Suzy Rhapsody

[Sew Sumi]

I forgot that tidbit about Da Cuz being a swinger. Didn't he get busted somehow? It wAs years ago, and my memory is fuzzy on the details.

[JTMacc99]

1 hour ago, Suzy Rhapsody said:

her special garbage bowl, for sale on the Food Network website (which I never understood; just use a damn bowl that you already have),

You would have to have been watching back in the day to understand the garbage bowl. 

It was just part of the things that made her popular. I very distinctly remember a discussion back at TWoP about the garbage bowl. One person said that she felt bad for the garbage bowl because it never got to hold anything but garbage. Several other people immediately chimed in with the same thoughts. It cracked me up, so I told the story at home and found out that my wife at the time also felt bad for the garbage bowl. 

When it eventually became something available in stores, she bought me one which I used exclusively as a serving bowl. 

[fairffaxx]

I found myself thinking less of a co-worker who gushed that she "just loves!" Rachel Raye back when the "30 Minute Meals" show first started.  I try not to judge people, but couldn't help cringing at that.  I retired long ago and haven't seen that person for years -- can't help wondering what she thinks now? 
 

[CharlizeCat]

On 6/9/2019 at 12:08 PM, Suzy Rhapsody said:

 All I can think about when I look at him and his gross, patchy beard is the fact that he is well known to be a swinger.  Different strokes and all, but yuck.  I wouldn’t mind so much if he didn’t come off as such a slimeball.  

Ugh. I just threw up in my mouth a little bit!

[scorpio1031]

Whomever told Rachael, who is what 4'11", to wear a black and yellow horizontal stripe sweater on her show really needs to be fired.  All she's missing are the little black antennae and a beehive:/

[Yeah No]

9 hours ago, scorpio1031 said:

Whomever told Rachael, who is what 4'11", to wear a black and yellow horizontal stripe sweater on her show really needs to be fired.  All she's missing are the little black antennae and a beehive:/

LOL if you think that's bad you should see what she wears on her talk show.  It's so bad I can barely tolerate looking at her.  No one could force me to wear the stuff she wears, not even to the local store to buy a loaf of bread much less on national TV.  For a while she was wearing another abomination sweater with horizontal stripes and a long frumpy black skirt with ginormous athletic shoes that make her feet look unnaturally huge.  BTW, she's actually 5'3".

[scorpio1031]

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

LOL if you think that's bad you should see what she wears on her talk show.  It's so bad I can barely tolerate looking at her.  No one could force me to wear the stuff she wears, not even to the local store to buy a loaf of bread much less on national TV.  For a while she was wearing another abomination sweater with horizontal stripes and a long frumpy black skirt with ginormous athletic shoes that make her feet look unnaturally huge.  BTW, she's actually 5'3".

Oh this was on her talk show.  I haven’t seen the athletic shoes, but I have seen the white heels she wears with dark colored clothing 🙄.  

[Sew Sumi]

It's like Stevie Wonder dresses her. She's a mess.

[Chai]

I think what happened to Rachel  is menopause hit. I know its not easy, but you ARE on television in front of millions of people! someone, ,somewhere is responsible for what she looks like on camera! We can  forgive weight gain, no one will forgive looking or acting unclean.so trim your hair, put it in a ponytail and leave it alone. 

Apart from the looks, its the attitude, or general lack of giving a sh!* that's the problem.Again,it might be time to go to a doctor and talk about hormone replacement therapy. Or maybe just therapy!   I don't know! LOL!

[kicksave]

On 4/27/2019 at 1:14 PM, Sew Sumi said:

Who still thinks this woman has any creditability? I haven't seen her talk show in years, so I don't know if she acts and/or cooks differently there. 

This reboot was a massive misstep. She won't notice; she got paid and her clinger-on husband (I've always called him Mr. RayRay) gets to slither on set to make exotic cocktails. They seem to think that they're too cool for school, when in fact everything about their personas is WRONG (said just like Rach).

I am so glad others feel the way I do about this reboot...I haven't watched RR's talk show in years so I was shocked by her appearance and her over the top, loud and obnoxious behavior. OMG! WTF???? Yelling, screeching, wild gesturing...I really couldn't believe what I was seeing...she's unwatchable. Her food has become more unhealthy too...fatty laden and a mish mash of ingredients in some dishes that just seem inedible. 

The episode where she made Indian peppers and steak was truly cringe worthy...her hubby  made an appearance where his "awesome" mixology skills were put to use to make some cocktails...something they both look like they imbibe in quite frequently...Rachael verbally abused him during the entire episode. She made snarky comments about him, emasculated him and generally treated him like trash. I guess that's what happens when you marry an ATM machine and quit your day job as an attorney. You become the proverbial punching bag for a domineering, bossy bitch. By the looks of him, it would appear that he's indulged too much of Rachael's spaghetti carbonara along with quite a bit of vino and vodka.

It is true that RR is a nightmare to work for. She's very controlling and is dismissive of her staff...as she gained popularity on the Food Network and got her own show she became more and more bossy and controlling. She treats her staff like indentured servants. Also, along with her celebrity, she has ditched her former friends for other celebrities...she spends her summers in the Hamptons and hangs with Howard and Beth Stern and other Hamptons notables. She has no use for "common" folk anymore.

As I watched a few of these episodes it made me wonder if she's drunk on the set or was snorting up coke in between takes! So hyper, manic and crazy! It's sad to see a once likable and relatable TV cook turn into a Tasmanian Devil. 

Edited July 30, 2019 by kicksave

[Kathcart]

“That’s one French hot mess! Isn’t that disgusting?” Said Rachael Ray at the end of the last episode of 30-Minute Meals I just watched. Niiiiiice. I mean, yeah, I thought it looked disgusting but you’re the person who made it, you idiot. You’re not supposed to say that.

However, on the positive side: SHE TOOK HER RINGS OFF before sticking her hands into the burger mixture to firm the patties. OMG. I have been hollering about this for years.

[Sew Sumi]

I didn't realize there were new episodes. She ruined those onions.

[biakbiak]

4 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

I didn't realize there were new episodes. She ruined those onions.

Me either. It’s a Christmas miracle because I love mocking her shitty food!

[CynicalGirl]

On 12/21/2019 at 9:10 AM, Kathcart said:

However, on the positive side: SHE TOOK HER RINGS OFF before sticking her hands into the burger mixture to firm the patties. OMG. I have been hollering about this for years.

Same here, that always drives me nuts. So disgusting and unsanitary, and who wants their jewelry gunked up with raw meat??

And to those who didn't know there were new episodes, my dvr started picking them up in November, six total right now. I haven't watched them yet and not sure if I will. Maybe during this holiday rerun season.

[snowydaze]

It was good to see Rachael take off her rings  when mixing meat , but she handled the burgers to put them in the pan and did not wash her hands .  She went right to handling parsley and cheese ! 

And why can she not ever have her hair styled so it doesn’t look like she just crawled out of bed ?

 

[Sew Sumi]

Her hair is so scraggly. She needs to cut it to shoulder length. Menopause hasn't been kind to her.

[chessiegal]

Rachael has enough money to be able to afford top stylists. She doesn't look like she has, which to me says she doesn't care that she looks like a hot mess. I watched her show when it first came on and made some of her recipes. Fame seems to have gone to her head. I can't watch her anymore.

[Coffeewinewater]

Why dosen't she just use the bottom oven? It seems every episode she says she can't see if something is done because she is too short. Problem solved you have 2 ovens.🙄

And why is every meal accompanied with fries and tots? 

[Sew Sumi]

Because it takes too long to make a salad, even with all the veggies pre-prepped, as usual. 🙄

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, Coffeewinewater said:

Why dosen't she just use the bottom oven? It seems every episode she says she can't see if something is done because she is too short. Problem solved you have 2 ovens.🙄

Also, the studio was apparently built for her so why not lower them? Of course than we would miss out on her complaining about it every single time! 
Given the amount of garbage she puts on salads fries and tots are probably healthier!

[chessiegal]

Rachael has enough money to be able to afford top stylists. She doesn't look like she has, which to me says she doesn't care that she looks like a hot mess. I watched her show when it first came on and made some of her recipes. Fame seems to have gone to her head. I can't watch her anymore.

And if what I've read about her being  PITA too work with is true, I doubt her staff do anything to make things easier on her.

[Coffeewinewater]

56 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Because it takes too long to make a salad, even with all the veggies pre-prepped, as usual. 🙄

I guess, but in her old shows I dont remember being endless fries and tots. Plus roasting or grilling some veggies would take the same time as frozen fries. Or just leave out the frozen potato products all together. He main is usually huge, you dont need a side.I'm just complaining to complain now 😂

Edited December 28, 2019 by Coffeewinewater

[Gam2]

If you want to learn how to cook, watch Ina Garten on the Barefoot Contessa. She’s calm, instructive and helpful. I cannot and will not watch RR at all. She’s on Meth or Coke or something to act the way she does. And have y’all seen her commercial for the FoodNetwork app? Holy moly, people. I am stunned that they allowed that to be aired.

[biakbiak]

2020 is different because she made a dish I would make with only a change or two, no sugar in the sauce and I refuse to call it what she called it, but the zucchini pizza looked good.

Do people store vinegars in the fridge? I have literally never seen that before. Though perhaps I have on her show but this time it stuck out to me, maybe because I have started making my own vinegars.

[crazycatlady58]

3 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

2020 is different because she made a dish I would make with only a change or two, no sugar in the sauce and I refuse to call it what she called it, but the zucchini pizza looked good.

Do people store vinegars in the fridge? I have literally never seen that before. Though perhaps I have on her show but this time it stuck out to me, maybe because I have started making my own vinegars.

Does she still bang things around and sound like she is aggravated at the world?

[Sew Sumi]

2 minutes ago, crazycatlady58 said:

Does she still bang things around and sound like she is aggravated at the world?

I think that's default for her. 😁

[crazycatlady58]

4 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

I think that's default for her. 😁

To bad I liked her old show but thus one.. nope I have better things to do in live than listen to someone bang pots and pans around. Like cleaning my cats litter box.

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, crazycatlady58 said:

To bad I liked her old show but thus one.. nope I have better things to do in live than listen to someone bang pots and pans around. Like cleaning my cats litter box.

She's actually much better on her daily talk show, but I seem to be the only person left in the world that still watches it, and there's no thread here on it either.  Although lately none of the recipes she makes there interests me in the least.

[sheetmoss]

On 1/4/2020 at 9:27 PM, biakbiak said:

 

Do people store vinegars in the fridge? I have literally never seen that before. Though perhaps I have on her show but this time it stuck out to me, maybe because I have started making my own vinegars.

I had pomegranate vinegar that said to refrigerate after opening. 

[marmalade]

On 12/28/2019 at 5:14 PM, Gam2 said:

If you want to learn how to cook, watch Ina Garten on the Barefoot Contessa. She’s calm, instructive and helpful. I cannot and will not watch RR at all. She’s on Meth or Coke or something to act the way she does. And have y’all seen her commercial for the FoodNetwork app? Holy moly, people. I am stunned that they allowed that to be aired.

I haven’t seen the commercials. Is it online ? 

[ByTor]

22 minutes ago, marmalade said:

I haven’t seen the commercials. Is it online ? 

I Googled it, there are lots out there, none that I find especially objectionable.

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/ZZxq/food-network-get-cooking-with-a-little-help-from-rachael

[Ashforth]

Just saw the end of a rerun from 2019 of RR's new iteration of 30 MM featuring "Korean style" sloppy joes. God God, she was totally wasted - drunk for sure and maybe coked up, because she kept sniffing.

Waaaaaayyyyy back in the day, her 30 Minute Meals show was good, then it became slightly annoying, then it became full-on irritating. Now it's just sad and embarrassing for her and for FN. What a pitiful progression. No wonder they're airing it at 6 am on Saturday.