Duke nurse to appear on "The Rachael Ray" show

Cheryl Baum, a nurse at Duke, will be on The Rachael Ray Show tomorrow, (10 am ABC- 11) talking about her challenge to cook a Rachael Ray recipe every day for a year.

Naturally, the idea was inspired by the hit film "Julie and Julia" in which a woman did the same thing using Julia Child's recipes. But Cheryl had another reason -- she's getting married in December.

"I was a terrible cook," she says. "I would use Shake & Bake for any type of meat, add a bag salad and that was dinner."

She decided her 'fantastic' fiance deserved better, and since her schedule allowed a few days off during the week, she decided to learn to cook. She checked out cooking lessons, but they were really expensive. So, Cheryl says, she sought out an economically friendly, easy and fun way to reach her goal.

Each day, Cheryl goes to the Rachael Ray show Web site and tries out a recipe that also includes video. She started on August 21st; it was so much fun, she made her pledge and began in earnest on August 24th.

Nearly 40 days in, Cheryl says her favorite recipe so far has been the jerk chicken with roasted vegetables and pineapple. Her fiance likes the flat iron steak with blue cheese butter.

"It's been challenging and fun," Cheryl says. "It's like a New Year's resolution. You just have to stick to it."

She admits a small, but predictable downside -- both she and her fiance have gained a little weight. "But are bellies are happy. And now dinner time and the dinner meal has richer meaning for us."

Cheryl's efforts came to the Rachael Ray's show attention because she had a question about a recipe that required the chicken to have an internal temperature of 165 degrees. The self-described 'sub-amateur' cook didn't know how to reach that temperature without a specific oven setting so she emailed the Ray show Web site. She got a call 20 minutes later.

"I thought, I can't even get doctors at the hospital that fast," she says, laughing.

The producer didn't answer her questions (friends have since encouraged her to buy a meat thermometer), but the producer did say they wanted Cheryl on the show. Her appearance was taped last Wednesday.

The new nurse (she graduated in May) was filmed by the show at her Cary home, at the hospital and during her bridal shower, which had a Rachael Ray theme. Now that she's cooking Cheryl says, she needs things like plastic whisks and a food processor.

Besides a satisfied belly and a TV appearance, the challenge has meant a lot of folk inviting themselves over to dinner. It's also inspired the couple's wedding menu; they'll be having jerk chicken. Although that won't be Rachael's recipe, the wedding day does fall in her year-long challenge, so Cheryl says she'll have some Rachael Ray dips as she and her mother get ready for the big event.

And when she does finish on August 24, 2010, it will have added meaning. Her last meal will be the day before Rachael Ray's birthday.

If you want to follow Cheryl on her great Rachael Ray adventure, visit her blog at http://cherandrach.blogspot.com/