By MARY CLARE JALONICK (AP), The Associated Press - WASHINGTON — Celebrity chef Rachael Ray says she has a big mouth. And she used it Tuesday to ask lawmakers for more money to improve school lunches.

Ray's whirlwind one-day tour included a visit to a Washington elementary school where she talked to kids about how they can make better food choices and meetings with several members of Congress. She is also visiting the White House to take a peek at first lady Michelle Obama's kitchen garden.

"It's nice to see that everyone can have a voice here," Ray said between meetings. "It's a little Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

The legislation that

Home Textiles Today - New York, NY, USA - Town & Country Living is cooking up some new kitchen textiles and table linens with licensing partner Food Network, with the launch of the Iron Chef America collection and the expansion of the Rachael Ray collection.

The Iron Chef America collection, based on the cable network’s primetime program series set stadium style, comprises oven mitts, potholders, grippers, kitchen towels, aprons and other accessory pieces.

Town & Country said each item “has something special about it” intended to make cooking for the user easier, faster or more fun.

The line is scheduled to ship this summer.

The Rachael Ray collection is being spiced up with

PR Newswire (press release) - New York, NY, USA - Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine welcomes as contributors Daisy Martinez and Evette Rios, who share Rachael's can-do approach to life. Martinez and Rios will introduce two new columns, "Mucho Gusto" and "Kitchen Fix," to help readers spice up their kitchens and their lives, effective with the September 2007 issue.

Martinez, whom Ray refers to as her "spicy, saucy amiga," will celebrate her Hispanic roots--and America's growing Hispanic community--in "Mucho Gusto," a column dedicated to Latin food and flavors, and to the importance of dining with family and friends. Martinez's recipes will be available in English and Spanish on RachaelRayMag.com. Prior

Savannah Morning News - Savannah, GA, USA - Oprah Winfrey still reigns as queen on Forbes' 2007 list of the 100 Most Powerful Celebrities, but Savannah's butter-loving restaurateur and chef, Paula Deen, is gaining ground.

Deen made the list for the first time, ranked No. 99 in power and 96th in wealth.

The rankings are based mostly on the prior year's income. Deen's earnings equalled about $4 million, according to Forbes.

That put her ahead of fellow Food Network chef Bobby Flay, who was No. 100, but behind cooking phenom Rachael Ray (No. 66) and "Bam!" man Emeril Lagasse (No. 87).

Lea Goldman, editor of the Celebrity 100 list, said Deen was

PR Newswire (press release) - New York, NY, USA - Fans of celebrity cook and daytime host Rachael Ray are in for a new treat. For the first time ever, Rachael is offering both fans and "foodies" alike the opportunity to download her recipes from "sammies" to "stoups" directly to their wireless phones.

Rachael Ray, along with AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and LimeLife, the leading publisher of mobile content for women, announced today the launch of Rachael Ray Recipes on the Run -- a new wireless application that allows subscribers to download recipes directly to their mobile phones. Now, consumers can quickly access actual Rachael Ray recipes from anywhere -- including