My tribute to Rachel Ray

I know that many foodie, cooks etc dis RR, but frankly she is why I cook anything more than hamburger helper at all.

I am watching a chefography on FN on RR and realize I have been not paying RR the homage she deserves for ME. I realize other people came to cooking in many ways, but she was my guru, so to speak.

I could only cook anything on high and as fast as possible. And veggies, in my food, no way. Pasta was ragu and noodles. I mean I was fed as a child, but my wonderful mom was a working mom and with the advent of frozen dinners and packaged foods, cooking was not her thing, therefore, not mine. I didn't care because I didn't know what else was out there. I see kids today eating Thai, sushi, and all sorts of other foods I was never exposed to as a child. ( I used to pull the cheese and tomato sauce off pizza and just eat the crust. How bad is that??)

But, one day I got direct tv and FN and everything changed. I can totally say RR is why I cook at all. I would love to have had Julia as my inspiration, but I can only vaguely remember her show in my childhood and how silly she sounded, with that high pitched loud voice. I am really trying to appreciate french food and her cooking. Actually it is quite awe inspiring to realize what she accompolished in a time when there was nothing about cooking anywhere.

Anyway, enough about that. Tonight I made a garlic shrimp alfredo pasta with sun dried tomatos. Yes I had some help with SeaPak shrimp. But I did make the recipe mine by cooking the shrimp in oil from the sdt. Very tasty. While I am sure JC would only use fresh shrimp, make the alfredo sauce by herself and add a great side, I did the best I could, thanks to both RR and JC.

Best cooking to all
Bon Soir

MMC