Listen up, Rachael Ray fans… Rachael’s got a brand-new line of bakeware, now at the Food Network Store! It’s called Oven Lovin’, and I’m really lovin’ it. I’ve been bursting at the seams wanting to tell you about it ever since I saw the line at the Chicago Housewares Show back in March. I was sworn to secrecy about it until launch, but the wonderful folks at Bonjour Gourmet—the company that produces Rachael’s cookware and bakeware—sent me some samples to try out at home. For those of us who love nothing more than playing around in the kitchen, getting new toys to play with is like being a kid on Christmas morning. And since I’m addicted to baking, getting the cookie sheets, muffin tins, cake pans, and loaf pans was like getting a visit from my kitchen fairy godmother. And boy, have I had fun with them.

What I (ahem) love about the Oven Lovin’ products is that they’re so fun and user-friendly. All the products have a nice heavy weight to them, and they feel good and sturdy in your hands. They also have a long-lasting, heavy-duty nonstick coating that won’t start to scratch after a few uses. But my favorite part is the handles. I never thought I’d be so excited about bakeware handles, but let me tell you why I love them. Have you ever gone to take a cake or pie out of the oven, and then—WHOOPS—the thumb of your oven mitt goes right into the dessert? This has happened to me more times than I care to admit, but not anymore. All the handles are extra-wide, with orange (so Rachael!) silicone grips that make them super easy to handle. Even the round cake pan has handles, which has solved my cake-clumsiness problems.

I’ve been baking up a storm with these products all summer, and have had great success with chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, coffee cake, layer cakes, brownies and more—all have turned out just beautifully, with no sticking or burning. But you’re not limited to baking desserts with these. Rachael designed them to be great for making savory dishes, too. The cookie sheets are perfect for oven fries because they have nice, high sides that mean you can stir the fries without them falling out onto your oven floor. The mini-muffin tin would be great for making individual potato gratin. And I had fantastic success making roasted chicken thighs with peaches last night in the rectangular cake pan.

Finally, what makes these even cooler is that Rachael is donating 100% of her proceeds to her organization Yum-O!, which works to help kids and families develop healthy relationships with food and cooking. Check out the full Oven Lovin’ line now at Food Network Store. I’ll think you’ll be lovin’ it too.

P.S. Don’t forget to enter our Rachael Ray sweepstakes! We’re giving away 5 Oven Lovin’ collections worth over $300 each. (Sweepstakes ends 8/31/09; see site for full rules.)