Well, I am in my mid-twenties. I am originally from Minneapolis, but moved to Maryland where I, shortly thereafter, met my husband. Jeromy and I were just married summer of 2006, so we we still have newlywed syndrome! We are Christians, and that fact influences everything we do! My personal interests include: writing, reading Christian authors, teaching children’s church, missions team, listening to Christian music and attending concerts, meeting new people, camping, hiking, traveling, driving, mountains, baking, and sipping sweet espresso beverages! :) banana bread (usually based on my unwillingness to throw away a brown banana, though!), applesauce cake, brownies (and yes, a shortening recipe), oatmeal raisen cookies (ok, so you see I like to bake!). As far as cooking, my favorite is stir-fry chicken (sweet & sour, curry, teriyaki, whatever) with broccoli and jasmine rice! Mmmmmm! Also homemade pizza, turkey chili, and any other stew/soup recipe in the crock pot! Gotta love it! Goolash. Simple, hearty, tasty, and my mom always made it. Pea soup - another of my mother's recipes. Also, apple crisp. And then there's lefsa, which is from my Norwegian heritage. It was a family ordeal! Another tradition is all the extended family gathering at my grandma's place near Austin, Minnesota (home of HORMEL) and shucking, boiling, and cutting corn to freeze in ziplock baggies for the long winter. NOTHING like fresh Hormel corn-on-the-cob. When we were done working we would feast on nothing but corn for dinner! Can't really brag about cooking yet. Although, now that I'm married, I have a little bit more responsibility in that area! But I do like baking better. A co-worker just asked me for a rum/applesauce cake recipe I made for all of them - does that count? I prefer baking because there's no pressure if it fails. With cooking, you can't fail or you starve! I get grouchy when I'm hungry! :) I try not to dwell there....