As a young bride , I only knew how to cook a few things : fried chicken , cornbread , and pecan pie . Growing up , my mother had been in gourmet groups , and we grew up eating curry and other international foods from whatever cooking phase she was in . But since she preferred to cook alone , my cooking skills were limited , honed primarily from my high school home economics class . When I married at 27 , my husband , Richard , went grocery shopping daily and was in charge of all meal preparations . Even when I tried to cook , he ’ d look over my shoulder and ask how I had seasoned the dish , so I let him have complete control . Granted , he was an excellent cook .

When he passed 22 years ago , I was not only faced with raising our eight-year-old son and working full-time , but I also now had to figure out how to cook . I watched a peppy young Rachael Ray and learned so much watching her 30 Minute Meals TV show . She ’ d whip up a dish in a jiff with five ingredients and was my inspiration . I began sautéing and broiling vegetables , making homemade stews , and grilling marinated chicken and bacon-wrapped filets . Pouring over recipes became my obsession , and soon I had enough confidence in my newly acquired skills to ask friends over for dinner . It was a challenging but rewarding journey .

Fast forward to today , and I love trying new recipes . Recently , I fixed pasta puttanesca , a dish that supposedly originated in the brothels of Naples , Italy ( puttanesca roughly translates to prostitute ). It ’ s a simple yet delicious dish made with tomatoes , garlic , olives , red pepper flakes , and the magic ingredient ,

Me , apron and all , ready to share my love of cooking . ( photo by Tracy Hellriegel at SLA Cabinets ’ Rome showroom ) capers . The recipe I followed calls for a whole jar of capers with brine . My current husband , Jerry , is a huge fan . I knew when he told me early on while we were dating that he never thought he ’ d find a cook as good as his mother that I had him ! The joy of sharing a meal with loved ones is truly special .

With Christmas coming soon , I was excited to dive into our Dog Eared column ( page 8 ), which features our writer Elin Woods ’ selection of favorite food-related books . I typically have a new cookbook on my Christmas wish list , and several of Elin ’ s picks might now be included , like Twain ’ s Feast , a book about the regional dishes one of our literary treasures , Mark Twain , loved to devour . The anticipation of discovering new cookbooks is always a thrill .

My love of cooking involves continual trial and error . I learn from watching how-to videos on YouTube , clipping recipes , and following accounts on Instagram like @ 3piecesofpecan . On Sunday afternoons , I listen to the cooking radio shows “ Milk Street Radio ” and “ The Splendid Table ” while catching up on my chores . And I always look forward to reading Kathy Patrick ’ s recipes in the magazine ’ s Get Cookin ’ column . Champagne is the topic of this issue ’ s column ( page 36 ), and how appropriate . I must try her chicken au champagne . I mean , what ’ s more fun than cooking while enjoying a glass of bubbly ? Cheers !

4 | NW GEORGIA LIVING NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024

NOV / DEC 2024 Volume 15 | Issue 6

Publisher and Founder Editor-in-Chief Laura Wood Erickson

Editor Jill Becker

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Copy Editor Elin Woods

Contributing Writers Jennifer Almand Jill Becker Andi Counts Ande Frazier Kathy Patrick Robert Smyth Dana Thompson Elin Woods

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NW Georgia Living Nov/Dec 2024 | Page 6

Cookin ’ with Rachael Ray