Cooking is love and art and nourishment. It gives me a profound sense of joy, and I never want to stop experimenting. Casseroles! Quiche. Pasta anything. Interesting chicken marinades. I love experimenting with roasted veggies, especially balsamic. But my heart and soul is in baking bread. I'm still learning, but there is nothing like it. My dad showing me how to make a roux when I was very young, eating creamy curry over you-name-it: rice, spaghetti, eggs... Eggs on Saturday and pancakes on Sunday. Weekend breakfasts make me feel happy and peaceful. My mother is the master of all things dessert and I am still learning from her all the time (two rules set in stone: always underbake cookes and always make your own icing, no matter what). My spinach and artichoke dip, pesto-feta pasta salad, baked mac and cheese, warm soft yeast white bread, homemade marinara sauce, Chicken Cardini. Bread salad! Strata! I'm fascinated by using bread in different ways, but have had several cases of a too-mushy finished product. As someone who had to learn that recipes are there for a REASON, I have had many past cooking tragedies. But I'm better now.