In the Beginning

First, an introduction. To be brief, I have resolved to embark on a culinary adventure and attempt to cook each and every recipe in The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics. I might, however, skip the recipes with beets. I realize this "cook the entire cookbook and blog about it" has been done (think Julie and Julia, which I have not read, but perhaps now will read for inspiration or a word of warning, depending on the perspective). I have decided not to go in order, as to avoid becoming stuck in the poultry section for months on end, etc. Instead, I will proceed at random and check off each recipe as I go until I am finished. I have had this cookbook for over a year now, and thus have already knocked off some recipes...but not as many as I would have hoped. I aspire to proceed at a pace of two or three recipes each week. One a day would be too much food, and, knowing Martha, too much butter. Considering there are more than 1,200 recipes in the The New Classics, it should take me a couple of years to get through this endeavor. I also hope to stray a bit and throw in recipes from some of my other cookbooks as well. I would not want to get bored cooking all alone with Martha.