In her second annual Mega Holiday Gift Away celeb cook-turned-entrepreneur Rachel Ray is increasing odds of winning by offering more presents, more time to enter and more chances to walk away with the Grand Prize. Featuring free gifts totaling $145,463, Ray's successful Everyday with Rachel Ray Magazine is cranking up the heat this holiday season with daily "gift aways" from November 16 through January 27, 2010.

The Grand Prize allows two foodie fans to attend a taping of the Rachel Ray Show in New York City . However, if you don't wind up on set, the consolation prizes are pretty sweet too.

Black Friday's prize offers the chance to win $500 dollar American Express gift cards. On other dates in December, enter to win an HP mini notebook or desktop computer, golf clubs from Callaway, an Orbitz ski vacation, a culinary weekend for two at Hotel Viking in Newport, RI, a Jacuzzi hot tub or a week on a Norwegian Cruise Liner - to name a few.

Here are this week's Five Fabulous Finds from Coupon Cravings, including free appetizers, frozen yogurt treats and even baby brie! Plus, get a bunch of free cookbooks and free subscriptions to Tennis and Wind Surfing.

1) Hungry? Get a free Sammie at Quiznos, a free entree at Ruby Tuesday or a free appetizer at Longhorn Steakhouse. You can even get a free $10 dining certificate to use at Ted's Montana Grill or Champps.

2) It's time to sign up the kids for summer reading programs. Barnes & Noble will give your child a free book when he reads eight books this summer. Or, check out the Feed Your Brain program at Half Price Books and your child will get a $3 gift card each week she reads 15 minutes a day.

Being a celebrity chef is as much about celebrity -- and good marketing -- as it is about cooking.

Sounds like an obvious statement, but a recent SmartMoney article takes the celebrity-chef craze to task for what it considers some sleights of hand that can ruin your appetite as well as your dinner budget.

It points an especially accusing finger at the Food Network, which has spawned many of glamorous gourmets, each with product to peddle to viewers. While cooking and eating at home in lieu of dining at pricey restaurants is great in theory, the article points out you could easily undermine your frugal moves by splurging on Emeril Lagasse cast-iron cookware, Mario Batali Crocs or Rachael Ray mixing bowls, olive oil or even dog food.

Here are this week's Five Fabulous Finds from Coupon Cravings, including free facial cleansers and body creams at Bath & Body Works and free anti-perspirant at Walgreens. Plus, score a free copy of Rachael Ray's new book, Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book.

1) Get a free Roastburger at Arby's or a free sub at Quiznos. Want to cook? Then score a free copy of Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book with all new 30-minute meals, vegetarian dinners and even meals for one.

Do you love freebies? Most people do. Walletpop's "Loose Change" video team recently visited downtown Manhattan where the art of scoring freebies actually has turned into art -- a store-front art installation called The Free Store, which has been doing a bustling business and has people on the street talking. You can watch it below. After the jump, you'll get WalletPop's three more fabulous freebies!

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When it comes to Rachael Ray, I find myself seriously torn. On the one hand, I am convinced that convenience foods are a major step toward the downfall of Western civilization; consequently, I am willing to join forces with anyone who fights against them. By convincing people that they can easily and quickly cook meals for themselves and their families, Ray is doing battle against the junk food menace and placing herself on the side of the angels. To that extent, I have to give her a lot of credit.

On the other hand, RR is also a traitor. In addition to her product endorsements for cookware, grocery stores, and knives, she has also made a lot of money shilling for Burger King and Dunkin' Donuts. Under the circumstances, I have to wonder if she suffers from multiple personality disorder, has an evil twin, or has been cloned by "the Man." Otherwise, I find it hard to imagine how the woman who won an Iron Chef cook off actually has the temerity to describe Dunkin' Donuts' coffee as "fantabulous." Unless "fantabulous" is a synonym for "tastes like it was brewed from a mix of flea dip and raw sewage," she's gotta be out of her tree. And let's not even get on the insanity of endorsing Burger King's deep-fried carbo bomb cuisine! Bottom line, anyone who is willing to sell her reputation to pander for the "Home of the Whopper" is morally bankrupt.

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Beyond that, there's the fact that Rachael Ray is incredibly annoying. I mean, like oh my gravy, she is super yum-o, mega-delish, über-obnoxious, gag-me-with-an-almond-biscotti annoying. Given a choice between spending a half-hour watching Rachel Ray and spending a half hour in my Algebra II class from high school...well, I guess I'd still watch her, but the fact that I had to think about it says a lot. I get that Ms. Ray may seem like a logical pop-culture step for a generation that grew up on Care Bears and My Little Pony, but she's just too damned precious for words. If her cuisine doesn't send you running for the insulin, her demeanor most certainly will.