I'm married, living in CO (high altitude - 7,000-ish ft.), and I am pretty much learning how to cook more and more, but when I do make something, it comes out wonderful and, somehow, people praise me for my abilites (that I didn't know I had!). My sister says I should seriously look into culinary school. Haha! Well, I have already been through college for something else, so I am just cooking as a hobby. I REALLY love to bake, though, and I am more experienced at that. Most of my cooking is for items to bring to family gatherings or functions at work. I love to make cookies!!! Pretty much anything in the baking and dessert category. I also love to try different international cuisines, though it is hard, because that requires you to buy a lot of weird ingredients...ranging from sesame oil to lamb brains (I'm serious, I've seen it in a cookbook.) I don't think I'll be making THAT anytime soon, but I love making regional U.S. stuff, too. My husband is a guinea pig! (not literally - haha - that'd be weird, and wrong.) My mom didn't really cook a ton, she did mostly easy stuff, and I guess that's what makes me want to pursue the knowledge of cooking so many different things besides just mac and cheese out of a box. I want to create those memories for my family. The thing I was the most proud of baking was an almond-crusted mascarpone cheesecake. It was in a water bath and everything. I had never baked a cheesecake before, and it only cracked once! It was a gift for someone, so I didn't get to try any, but I heard that it was way good! :) Aw geez... I guess when I was just learning to cook, you know, you don't know what spices go with what food, and you don't have the "timing" skill of what takes how long to cook (actually, I STILL don't have that skill, really down pat, yet), so some of my stuff tasted kindy funky. haha