The Introduction

So, have you ever thought that you were destined to do something and from the time you were little you knew it? Think of some famous singers and actors like Mariah Carey and Dakota Fanning (despite only being a teen now)...don't you think that by singing, dancing and/or acting at such a young age made it inevitable that they would become famous?

I think that most people in the world fall into their destiny. With the normal facets of life, people gravitate towards what is comfortable via consistency around them, family, friends, etc.

When I was barely old enough to talk, my mom decided it was time for me to learn how to go around the room and address everyone by name. Well to the normal 1 year old that would be mom, dad, Lindsay, etc. I went around the room and said "Ma-Ma, Da-Da," and pointed to myself and said, "Ra-Ra." Being that my name is Lindsay I am sure my parents wondered (and we are all still wondering) where I came up with and why I called myself "Ra-Ra."

Obviously I learned that my name was Lindsay, however my parents to this day, at 27, continue to call me "Ra" or "Ra-Ra."

So let me skip ahead 20 years. I was in college at Temple University and living on 12th and Walnut Streets. I had my very own black and white kitchen that was always so intriguing to me. I decided that processed, fatty, calorie packed foods needed to go out the door and I needed to begin cooking for myself. Face it, all college kids blow through money and now being 21, drinking became my priority over grocery shopping and cooking. So I like to think that I became responsible and mature, in turn walking the few blocks to Whole Foods, Reading Terminal and Superfresh with my shiny red metal 2-wheeled cart that you typically see little old bag ladies pushing or pulling down the streets. One word - TRENDY! My mom always called me a bag lady, but that story is for another day. In any event, I began cooking for myself. I soon really enjoyed it. After moving out of the city upon graduation, I continued to cook. Typical meals included spaghetti with homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs, chicken cutlets with couscous and steamed broccoli or tilapia with rice and broccoli. For someone that never cooked, this was a four course meal at Morton's Steakhouse to me.

Moving ahead to about 2 years ago is where I truly found my passion. While I was a new construction site agent for Pulte Homes, I still found time to cook and now I started spicing things up a bit. I began "eyeballing it," trying new foods, mixing new things together and soon never used recipes. I would get a general idea from recipes and them craft my own concoction. I became a HUGE fan of Rachael Ray. I would watch 30-minute meals marathons and Tasty Travels religiously. When I found out she had her own show I couldn't believe it. I bought her cookbooks, garbage bowl, anything I could afford. This Christmas my fantastic parents got me Rachael Rays POTS! YUMM-O!

Needless to say, Rachael inspires me. Call me a copy cat to some extent, but let's face it, everyone lacks originality in some sense. So, while my idea to blog about cooking my way with Rachael Ray may seem to go hand in hand with the hit movie Julie and Julia, where my originality lacks, my originality soars in my coooking.

Now to all of my blog followers (I could bet money I have 0 right now other than my parents and boyfriend), here is what I have decided to do....

I will cook my way through Rachael Rays cookbooks. Once I make a recipe, I will blog about how it was, what was good, bad, what could be changed, etc. In addition, I will be creating my own cookbook with my very own recipes that I will also create throughout this process. The reality of it is that I won't cook every night, but I certainly will do my best to cook regularly.

In conclusion, when I was 1 year old and called myself "Ra-Ra," I obviously knew that cooking was my destiny and Rachael Ray (hench her first two initials Ra-Ra) was destined to be my idol, my coach, and probably someone I will never meet.

Off to the kitchen to make Brazilian Shrimp with Raw Tropical Sauce served with steamed string beans and buttermilk smashed potatoes from Rachael Ray's BIG ORANGE BOOK.

P.S. The recipe is made with chicken and the potatoes were taken from another recipe, but again, I want my readers to find their own creativity in cooking as I have.

Until tomorrow...