"30 minute meals" news and stories

Jamie Oliver's new 30-Minute Meals cookbook is literally selling faster than hot cakes. The book, much like his American TV spots, is based on "a revolutionary approach to cooking good food fast," and contains 50 recipes that follow through on that promise.

As Daily Mail UK reports, despite the book's hefty price of £26 (that's close to $45), it has remained on bookstores' bestseller's lists every week since it was released, just two months ago. It has already sold 735,000 copies, they say, which is "an average of 10,500 a day." In fact, it's the fastest selling non-fiction work -- ever.

That means it already beat out the "ten-week sales record previously held by comedian Peter Kay's memoir The Sound of Laughter which sold 483,000 copies" after it came out in 2008, reports the Mail. And in the past week alone, the book sold "well ahead" of The Guinness Book of World Records and The Simples Life, another British high-seller. It won't be beating out the highest selling book ever (the Bible) anytime soon, but there is speculation that it may bump another TV chef out of the running: Britain's Della Smith, whose book How to Cook is the reigning king with just over one million copies under its belt.

Jamie's publisher told the Mail: "Jamie proves [his approach], by mastering a few tricks and being organized and focused in the kitchen; it is absolutely possible, and easy, to get a complete meal on the table in the same amount of time you'd normally spend making one dish!" That's good enough for this year's Christmas tree, we think.

I know, I know, it seems like we have Rachael Ray news at least once a week here, but hey, the girl is popular and seems to be EVERYWHERE (your television, Dunkin' Donuts, boxes of Triscuits) so...

Ray has just signed a new two-year deal to continue cooking for Food Network. Besides her 30 Minute Meals show (she'll do 60 episodes under the deal), she'll also host a new program titled Rachael's Vacation, which sounds a lot like her $40 A Day show only in foreign countries. The new show starts on January 12.

She'll continue to do her daily syndicated show too, of course.

• During the crazy holiday season, everyone could use a holiday planner, with ideas for things to cook, cookie swap recipes, customized placecards, and more.
• A step-by-step video guide to making the perfect pie crust. More videos: the world's easiest mashed potatoes and how to carve a turkey.
• Some winter escapes(though not to warm weather).
• More recipes: Italian Pasta Bake, White Hot Chocolate, Infused Vodka, Turkey Gravy, and Orchard Fruit Pie.
• Also in the mag (not online yet): a Christmas gift guide, how to make your own gingerbread house, and a look inside Martina McBride's fridge.

In a special surprise election held yesterday, TV food icon Rachael Ray was named President of the United States.

Her challenger, Martha Stewart from the state of New York, put up quite a fight, but in the end, Ray squeaked out a win in electoral votes. Many people cite Ray's ability to seemingly be in every single state in the country at the same time, giving speeches and cooking demonsrations for crowds of supporters. Others cite Stewart's time in prison as working against her.

This is really the most logical next step for Ray, who has 27 shows on Food Network, her own monthly magazine, a daily syndicated TV show, her face on various products in the supermarket, DVDs, a Christmas CD, cookware, a new endorsement deal with Dunkin' Donuts, and her own planet named after her. Ray has said that the first thing she plans to do as President is to add the word "awesome" to the Pledge of Allegience.

After the jump, the complete statement from President-Elect Ray.

How can someone who puts out such a fun food mag put on such an unbearable TV show?

I want to like Rachael Ray, the TV show. I really, really do. Honest. But it's just an annoying hour to me. Maybe it's because I'm a guy. One minute Rachael will be teaching us how to make some cool quick meal with pasta and vegetables, and then five minutes later she'll be talking about women in abusive relationships or how someone can organize the shoes in their closets. It just doesn't work for me. (And there's also the whole thing with her voice and bubbly personality, which I can take on 30 Minute Meals but when it's an hour every day...). But it's really popular, so maybe I'm not the right audience.

But Every Day With Rachael Ray? That's a great little magazine. It has a bunch of recipes that you feel you can actually cook (unlike some mags), quick guides to eating in various cities, tips on shopping, tips on buying wine, interviews. It's well-done. If there's one quibble I have is the whole "celebrity fridge" feature in the back of every issue. It's kinda funny to see what celebs have in there, but do we have to have some quiz about what they have? On the same page where we can see the answers?!? It seems to be a quiz made for people who find the TV Guide crossword difficult.