There are certain microscopic bacteria that can pose special health risks to pregnant women and to their babies. Although most people can safely eat food containing a type of bacteria called Listeria, pregnant women are ten times more likely to get sick if they eat those same foods. And if they do get sick, the infection can be devastating for the baby. The tricky thing about Listeria is that, unlike many bacteria, they can thrive at refrigerator temperatures. To be sure, ensure your partner avoids the following: Read the rest »

Life is hectic and busy for all of us.

No matter where we work or what we do it can feel, at times, like a balancing act.

As a result, I thought that this time we’d break it all down into easy, bite sized portions.

Things that we can all do *starting today* but which wont take forever to read (I know. I can get verbose) or to understand.

The basics which we all may know but all need reminding of as well. Read the rest »

Grocery coupons have been around since 1894 when Asa Candler handed out handwritten tickets for a free Coca-Cola drink. Over 100 years later, in 2002, shoppers saved $3 billion by redeeming 3.8 billion coupons, according to the Promotion Marketing Association. People of every age and income use coupons and couponing can make a real difference for a family’s bottom line. The question is: Can it make a difference for you?

This month’s topic regarding cutting your grocery bill in half will touch on the advantages and disadvantages of couponing. From here, you can make a decision that is right for your family regarding the benefits of using coupons. For most of you, some level of couponing will make good sense. With that said, couponing is not for everyone and it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before investing your valuable time in the fine art of coupon shopping. Read the rest »

Celebrate Fat Tuesday the old-fashioned way – with a classic Bayou feast! For additional recipes pick up the February issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray - on newsstands now!

Classic Hurricane Cocktails
Makes 8 Drinks

½ cup sugar
Ice cubes
2 cups rum
2 cups passion fruit juice
2 cups orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
½ cup orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
Juice of 4 limes (about ½ cup)
Bitters, such as Angostura
8 fresh pineapple wedges Read the rest »

Blueberries are available in many forms: fresh, frozen, juice, puree, concentrate and dried. Fresh blueberries should be firm, dry, plump and smooth-skinned. Ripe berries are deep purple blue to blue-black. Stay away from containers of berries with juice stains, or that contain moldy, soft, watery or wrinkled fruit.

Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for five to seven days. Don’t wash blueberries until to you are ready to use them.

Preparation: Wash fresh or frozen berries before using them.

Freezing fresh blueberries: While blueberries are available year round, they are least expensive when they are in season in your area. Take advantage of your local crop year round by freezing blueberries. That’s right, blueberries freeze very well. To freeze blueberries: Do not wash them. Lay a single layer of blueberries on a cookie sheet (or flat pan) and freeze them. Once frozen, packed the berries into containers or freezer storage bags. This method makes it is easy to grab a handful of berries from the freezer for pancakes, smoothies, etc. Wash them before using. Read the rest »

Step #1: Place all the condiments from your refrigerator and pantry onto your countertop. Wipe down the shelves.

Step #2: Toss out the items that have expired

Step #3: Place the dressings and sauces that you enjoy into the refrigerator and pantry, consolidating like items together.

Step #4: Chances are you may be left with some dressings on the counter that after tasting you don’t like much. These dressings can often make the best marinades for meats, potatoes and/or veggies, even though you are not crazy about the taste on your salad. I love marinating my meat before I freeze it, but you can actually pour these dressings into individual freezer bags and pop into the freezer. Make sure to mark the contents and the date. Read the rest »

When I say “Inflammation,” thoughts of painful joints, muscles, swelling and loss of mobility probably comes to mind. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious disease such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and Alzheimer’s disease, to name just a few?

The amount of inflammation in our body varies and is dependent on may circumstances like activity level, amount of sleep or stress in our lives and even the foods we eat. Now what you have to realize is that these factors are all accumulative and as the levels increase, the risk for disease increases.

Now, early in life these levels can be so low that you would not even know that you have any inflammation in your body and that is because our bodies do a fair job at controlling the inflammation at least for a while. Then, one day you wake up and you are in your 40s and something is just not right. The fear sets in and you think to yourself what did I do, what did I do wrong or what can I do right now to help myself. Read the rest »