I have been a cook my entire life. I have my large family to thank for that, which also contributes to the fact that I cannot create small portions even if my life depended on it. I am the oldest of six children, and was homeschooled my entire childhood, so naturally, I spent alot of time studying "Home-Ed" AKA Cookbooks. My father is Hispanic, so naturally, I love mexican food. I would love to master the art of making tamales, but my patience is thin, and I have a full time job. Bad excuse, but it's all I've got. I love casseroles (casseroles: isn't that a fun word to say??) They are such comforting foods and make great leftovers. Every year at Christmas time my mother made Wedding Tea Cakes. But it wasn't the cookies I enjoyed, I just ate the dough!!! I've earned several grand champion purple ribbons as a teen when I was active in 4-H. One of my favorite winners was a recipe called Grandma's Tortilla Casserole. I will soon post the recipe... I once burned a pan of rice during a 4-H cooking contest. I think my embarassment was harder to live down than actually having to start over again.