I'm an ovo-lacto vegetarian who loves fresh foods. I do cook with meat products for my family. Locally grown organic veggies make up some of the best meals I've made! Every new experience in the kitchen with my girls brings me joy. My proudest moment happened while living in Japan. After learning how to cook the traditional fare of the local cuisine (for six years) I was finally brave enough to prepare an authentically Japanese meal for some of our friends. They praised it and ate until all the food was gone! (*^-^*) I still glow when I think back on it. I was making simple spinach calazones with a nice marinara sauce. The baking stone cracked in the oven, ruining the calazones and the dinner. I served some nice wine and ordered in from a nearby Italian restaurant. Still haunted by the whole mess.