Soups and stews are two of the most popular wintertime staples. Not only do they fill the house with rich, mouthwatering aromas while they simmer on the stove, they are the ultimate in great-tasting comfort foods.

Rachael Ray 8 Quart Hard Anodized Orange Covered Oval Pasta Pot

List Price: $79.99
Buy New: $77.99
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In fewer than five years, Rachael Ray has radically changed the way America cooks dinner. Her perky-girl-next-door swagger, her catchphrases for techniques, and her dinner ideology of simpler, less expensive and just in time have sold billions of books and placed her at the top of the talent heap of food television personalities.The unique oval shape of this Pasta, Etc. Pot means no more breaking long pastas and the convenient pour spout makes draining liquids from the pot easy. Nonstick Interior allows food to slide off and fat-free cooking. Grippy Silicone Handles are comfortable to grip and oven safe to 400??F. Glass Lids allow you to monitor foods without removing the lid.

Using broth to create homemade soups and stews is a wonderful way to add lots of flavor to these tasty dishes without having to spend all day in the kitchen. In fact, most people use broth in home-cooked soups and stews. According to a recent survey commissioned by Campbell Soup Company, broth is used in homemade soup more than 80 percent of the time, and in stews made from scratch 69 percent of the time. So, go ahead and warm up your taste buds with these cold-weather classics.

Sensational Chicken Noodle Soup starts with a flavorful base of Swanson chicken broth and combines chicken, egg noodles, carrots and celery to create a heartwarming dish as good as grandma would make.

For a satisfying entree, prepare Hearty Beef Stew. Just add potatoes, beef and carrots to Swanson beef broth for a slow-cooked meal that is tender and tasty. It is sure to be a family favorite!

When the weather outside gets frightful — create a delightful homemade soup or stew that is sure to warm your family from the inside out. For more hearty dishes and helpful cooking tips, visit www.swansonbroth.com.

Beef Barley Soup
Prep: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Cook: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak or top round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups Swanson Beef Broth (regular, 50 Percent Less Sodium or Certified Organic)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
Generous dash ground black pepper
2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)

Directions:
1. Heat the water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Add the barley.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 40 minutes or until the barley is
tender, stirring occasionally. Drain.
2. Cook the beef in a 3-quart nonstick saucepot until it’s well browned, stirring often.
3. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are tender.
4. Stir the broth, thyme, black pepper and carrots into the saucepot. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Stir in the barley.

TIP: Substitute 1/2-cup quick-cooking barley for the pearl barley. Cook for 12 minutes (or according to the package directions) or until the barley is tender.

Sensational Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep: 5 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients
4 cups Swanson Chicken Broth (regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)
Generous dash ground black pepper
1 medium carrot, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup uncooked extra wide egg noodles
1 cup shredded cooked chicken or turkey

Directions
1. Heat the broth, pepper, carrot and celery in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.
2. Stir the noodles and chicken into the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.

Asian Soup: Add 2 green onions cut into 1/2-inch pieces, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Substitute uncooked curly Asian noodles for egg noodles.

Mexican Soup: Add 1/2 cup Pace Chunky Salsa, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 cup rinsed and drained black beans and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Substitute 2 corn tortillas (4 or 6-inch) cut into thin strips for the noodles, adding them just before serving.

Italian Tortellini Soup: Add 1 can (about 14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed and 1 cup spinach leaves. Substitute 1/2 cup frozen cheese tortellini for egg noodles. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Whether it’s a family dinner for 10, or an open house for 50, organization is the key to successful party planning. This winter, create a great party with more cheer and less stress.

Furi Rachael Ray Gusto Grip 3-Piece Knife Set

List Price: $125.00
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A perfect gift for a home chef, Fueri’s Rachel Ray 3-piece knife set offers a handsome presentation as well as high-quality, functional tools. The set is named after the Food Network personality and includes both a 5-inch and a 7-inch Gusto Gripo East/West knife. With features of both a cook’s knife and a vegetable chopper, the two make handy all-around tools that suit everyday kitchen jobs. The German stainless-steel alloy blades are crafted without seams and have been cut very thin then hardened and tempered, so the edges start out extremely sharp, maintain their razor sharpness longer, and hold up well for years of heavy use. For exceptional maneuverability, scallops along the blades help the knives move through food without sticking, and the forged bolsters and weighty tangs provide balance and strength. The contoured red handles provide a striking finish and fit comfortably in the palm. Enclosed in a natural bamboo box with a hinged lid and slots for the knives, these tools store safely and securely when they’re not working hard. Best washed by hand to protect the edges, this set comes with a limited lifetime warranty. –Kara Karll

Ginny Bean, publisher of Ginny’s catalog and Ginnys.com, shares these ideas for making sure everyone has a great time — including you.

1. Plan ahead.
“Planning is daydreaming with a purpose,” says Bean. “It’s emotionally enjoyable, and the end result is a party made special by attention to detail.”

She suggests taking inventory of cookware and serving pieces well in advance to ensure they’re up to the task ahead. Among today’s options is a growing array of cookware designed to go seamlessly and beautifully from oven or stovetop to even the most formal table, saving time and clean-up.

2. Make the most of your space.
The size of the meal may expand during the holidays, but cooking and serving space doesn’t. Rachel Ray has an ingenious line of high-capacity, oval-shaped pots and pans that are perfect for preparing crowd-sized meals on a single burner. Ginny’s double coffeemaker is another great holiday space-saver, brewing two 12-cup pots of coffee at once, so guests can choose between decaf or regular. On the buffet table, tiered servers hold appetizers and desserts vertically, rather than horizontally, saving valuable space and creating an attractive display.

3. Embrace the buffet.
The larger the group, the less practical sit-down meals become. Buffets are perfect for large-scale entertaining, and a large-capacity buffet warmer is a party essential. The most versatile of these now come with individual serving compartments and a base that doubles as a warming plate. Consider creating multiple food stations in different rooms.

4. Decorate for the season.
Guests love to come into a home decked out for a special ocassion. Decorating transforms stagnant rooms into fresh new spaces, providing as much of an emotional lift for host as guest. The trick is to avoid turning decorating into a huge, stress-filled production. It doesn’t take a lot of decorations to create a festive mood. A strategically placed floral arrangement and seasonal candles can do the trick. Candles are perhaps the best bang-for-your-buck in all of decorating. There’s even an added bonus beyond the warming glow and seasonal scents: candlelight makes your guests look 10 years younger.

Ginny’s holiday catalog includes 140 pages full of practical ideas for the home, kitchen and beyond, including appliances, house wares, furniture, bedding, accessories, personal care items, electronics, and a wide selection of gifts for men, women and children. There are also seasonal recipes and helpful tips on everything from setting a festive table to keeping children amused on car trips. To request a copy of Ginny’s catalog, log on to Ginnys.com or call (800) 487-9024.

Paula Ann Groover, better known as Paula Deen (born Paula Ann Hiers on January 19, 1947), is an American cook, restaurateur, writer, and Emmy Award-winning TV personality.

Deen owns The Lady & Sons restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, where she resides, and runs it with her sons, Jamie and Bobby. She has also published four cookbooks. She is known for her bubbly, “down-home” personality, which makes her a favorite among TV viewers. On her shows, books and appearances, she still uses the surname Deen, from her first marriage.

Born in Albany, Georgia, she married her first husband after graduating from high school in 1965. As documented in the Food Network special Chefography and Paula Deen’s Official Website, her parents both died by the time she was 23 and as a result she developed a fear of death which led to chronic agoraphobia. She was a proficient Southern cook, a talent she used to help her deal with her condition. In 1986, she felt well enough to take a job as a bank teller. She was robbed at gunpoint the next year, and that incident led her to deal with her agoraphobia head-on. After the family moved to Savannah in 1989, she decided to parlay her cooking experience into a catering service. She made sandwiches and other meals, which her sons delivered. She also adopted two sheepdogs, Nikki and Matty, to which she credits her day to day happiness.

Complete Wikipedia Description

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Rachel Ray of 30 Minute Meals fame has a signature line of cutlery and cookware designed for the more diminutive chef. She is living proof of the necessity of the irreplaceable chef’s knife. Her latest 30 Minute Meal Cookbook, Rachael Ray 365, is an honest-to-goodness cookbook and not just a collection of recipes. Keep it handy because you’ll use it often.

Cooking gear used and recommended by Alton Brown on the Good Eats show.

	Emsa Perfect Beaker Measuring Beaker
	Lodge Original Finish 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
	Polder 307 Deluxe Preset Thermometer, White
	Krups 358-70 La Glaciere Ice Cream Maker
	Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book (Not on Good Eats but purchased often with ice cream makers)
	OXO Salad Spinner Variation
	Black & Decker EK550L Ergo Electric Knife with Fork, Cutting Board, and Case
	Braun MR430HC/AC Multiquick Deluxe Hand Blender & Chopper
	Euro-Pro F1066 5-Liter Electronic Stainless Steel Deep Fryer
	KitchenAid BCG100WH White Blade Coffee Grinder 4-oz.
	Zyliss Silicone All-Purpose Spatula
	Salter Glass Platform Kitchen Scale
	Deluxe Squeeze-Type Dishers
	OXO SteeL 58081 Can Opener
	Maverick CT-03 Digital Oil & Candy Thermomter
	OXO Good Grips 73481 Flour Sifter
	Taylor Digital Instant-Read Pocket Thermometer
	Freezer Thermometer
	Zyliss Silicone Spoon - Spatula
	Zyliss Pizza Wheel
	Microplane Grater/Zester
	Hoffritz Stainless-Steel Vegetable Peeler

Wolfgang Puck’s beautiful, restaurant-quality stainless steel cookware set may be the best value in cookware sets. This 19 Piece Set contains everything most of us will ever need, including 1 quart, 2 quart and 4 quart covered saucepans; 12″ oval skillet with cover; 11″ chicken fryer with cover; 8 quart covered stockpot with vegetable steamer; 8″ and 10″ omelet pans; and steel slotted spoon, solid spoon, turner and fork. All pieces are stainless steel with tempered glass covers.