Julie and Julia inspired

Amazed and inspired by Julia Child. Given my limited access to television and diet that was mostly the result of my father's hunting, I had never been exposed to the likes of Julia Child. I have vague of memories of her via my grandmother's cable television set. Her and Mr. "and they'll say oooh it's so good" Foods.
My cooking education began around the age of three in my grandmother's kitchen. And truth be told, it really wasn't cooking per say that I was learning. I majored in baking, specifically desserts. I completely skipped being educated on main dishes. In fact, I knew nothing of side dishes, appetizers, meats, vegetables or punches. The first time I made a potato salad I didn't even boil the potatoes, but man could I whip up a cherry pie with the flakiest of crusts by the time I was ten. I had mastered the softest, chewiest chocolate chip cookies by the age of 12 sans recipe or measuring utensils. My confidence was bursting (and so were the seams on my pants). I had visions of becoming a pastry chef at a world famous eatery, or owning my own bakery. I continued to amaze myself with my creations into my early adulthood.
Two major events seriously impacted my drive for baking. Husband number one (there will be little discussion of him) and husband number two. Husband number one had celiac disease, and let's face it, there are only so many ways to be creative with flourless recipes and rice pudding. Husband number two "prefers a second salad to desserts". Screeching tire sound, rewind, what did you say? I couldn't believe it either. I presumed he was a freak of nature (turns out he is, but one that I continue to adore). Well, I had never mastered the perfect salad. What is there to a salad? Are you kidding me?! I did have much to learn, but salad over cheese cake? What a cruel joke! Oh my gosh how was this marraige to survive? Initially he did most of the cooking. He grew up in a traditional Italian family. Let's just say I let him do the cooking for the better part of the first ten years of our marraige. I was not prepared to have my "home made" sauce (Prego with my own meat and spices added) compared to that of his grandmother's or his mothers. So for nearly ten years, I watched. I all but gave up on baking for if I was the only one to eat it, I found it so less rewarding. I had found the true joy in creating in the kitchen for me had been the appreciation others had shown upon sharing the experience. I reserved creating my special treats for holidays and dinner parties.
Over the past few years, with help from the folks at Cooks Illustrated online and The Food Network (sadly enough while working out at the gym I have drooled over Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals) I have expanded my abilities and confidences in the kitchen. I have actually had guests for dinner threaten to move into my garage so that they may experience my fare on a daily basis! So HA when my husband thinks it is "too rich", or "too many flavors", or "just not my thing". I have rekindled a love for creating in the kitchen and I have actually grown the kahonas to create something I know won't be his "thing" just because I want to try it. I warn him that he isn't going to like it and I have learned to bring the left overs to work to share (where I still get a steady supply of ooohs and aaahs).
So there is a brief history of my time in the kitchen. Cooking has become an artform for me. A way to express myself and nourish my family. It is something I have taken pride in and completely enjoy. I am now ready for Julia. I am not going to do what Julie Powell did, a year challenge of Julia recipes. First of all, I don't follow recipes, I gain ideas from them, kind of like the way song writers are inspired by other song writers or artists are influenced by other artists. I am now completely inspired by Julia Child as a chef, as a person, and as a creator. I have ordered three of her cook books and am anxiously awaiting their arrival. Some of the dishes I most look forward to are those involving duck or goose, and any type of souffle.
As today is my husband's birthday (and I have to work evenings), I have created a simple (bland in my eyes but it will be tasty to him) beef stew and stuffed mushrooms for his dining pleasure.
If anyone is interested in the recipe it is as follows
Beef Stew
browned in two tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil 12 mushrooms, three cloves of garlic finely chopped, and one half of a yellow onion
browned in two tablespoons of butter one and a half pound of about 1 and a half inch cubed stew meat.
I placed both in my covered cast iron dutch oven and added 4 cups of beef broth, one teaspoon dried thyme, four peeled and cut potatoes, one stalk chopped celery and about 5 peeled, chopped carrots. This cooked at 350 for two hours. I haven't thickened it yet, as Dear Hubby likes to cook up egg noodles and serve the broth over the egg noodles, but it could be thickend with about two tablespoons of corn starch mixed in about a half a cup of cold water until disolved and then whisked into heated broth. More corn starch and be added if a thicker stew is desired.