I feel calm and content when cooking for pleasure but haven't mastered not being stressed when making a lot of dishes at the same time for a crowd. I love baking and making comfort food. I love to make anything that I know will be good, which means too much butter and cream,...not so good! Being comfortable with techniques allows me freedom to be creative with recipes. My son is a fine dining chef, my daughter is a very accomplished vegan cook. I love to share special family time coking together in the kitchen. At the holidays, by request, Eggs Portugal, and Broccoli cheese casserole are mandatory. Everyone loves my meatloaf, beef stroganoff, bread pudding, pecan brittle, and homeade soups, especially Ham hocks and Lima bean and Portugese Bean Soup. Whenever I make it I have to make at least 3X or 4X more. Toffee, butter separated (learned not to stir and that the temperature must be constant, I removed the pot from the stove and decided it should cook more so I put it back.) Toffee saltine cookies, burned the sugar mix. (it was still good so we ate them anyway!) Now I rely on a candy thermometer.