I am happily married with 2 beautiful girls. While I was home on maternity leave with my first child, I started watching Food Network...religiously. I learned so many techniques to make things easier and tastier and I now LOVE to cook and try new healthy recipes. As a family, we are all concerned with staying healthy and my girls now love to cook with me and know how important healthy meals are. I love to bake and this is the most fun a mom can have with her kids. We bake all kinds of cakes, cookies, pies, breads, and anything we can. I would have to say my favorite traditions were always holiday dinners at my G-ma's house. She made the best sweet potato casserole for the holidays and we still have it today—even now that she is not with us. I have made a wonderful and healthy Christmas dinner for our large family (around 15 or so) for the past 8 years or so now. I have tackled roasted goose, leg of lamb, crab cakes, homemade potato rolls, and some lovely sides. Everyone leaves happy and full. One Thanksgiving, I decided to make the pumpkin pies completely from scratch. I cooked down the pumpkins, rolled out the homemade crusts, and did it all homemade. I was so proud of my pies. While on the phone later that day, I heard a crash in the kitchen. When I got there, my dog had pulled a pie down and eaten the whole thing. Needless to say, I was crushed but she pooped green for days after that.