I'm a 36 year old mom of three beautiful kids and married to a wonderful husband. I love to cook. I have such a passion for it that my favorite place in my home is the kitchen. I don't mind cooking 7 days a week because I love cooking and the smiles on people when they taste my food. I always wanted to go to cooking school and one day open my own restuarant but the busy schedule of taking care of everyone and the cost put things on hold for now. I continue to make food for bake sales, special meals or desserts for my husband's job or even family events I cater much as I can. I'm a quick learner and have no problem following a recipe. I can watch a cooking show or even someone right in front of me and learn how to do that recipe for myself and perfect it. I love to be creative and make up things or put my own touch on traditional recipes. Hey one of the reasons my husband married me was for my cooking. Well, I guess the saying a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, is true! pernil ( slow cooked in a secret marinade ). People tell me they never tasted it like that and it's the best they ever tasted. Ropa vieja, roasted chicken in mojo, seafood asapao, shrimp or calamari dishes, pasta dishes, muffins, brownies, cakes, cupcakes, any meat dishes. I always do all the cooking. Certain things I let my children help me prepare. My husband once in a blue moon will lend me a hand but he's more a taste tester than anything. Holidays I like to go all out whether it's here or at family or friends. If it's here I cook everything and if it's somewhere else I always bring a dish. Special events such as birthdays, I always make all the food. Several different dishes and of different cuisines. Anything new that I try that is successful and makes everyone have more. For example I made these crab empanadas for the first time and it was so good that everyone wanted more but by then it was all gone. Trying to pass off a jar of ragu sauce as my own homemade sauce and my husband knew the difference. He said I know this is not yours because it leaves an after taste in your mouth. Well I was pregnant at the time and running late for a ob visit so I had to whip up something quick for dinner and that was the first thing that came to mind. Well, I know never again because yes it wasn't my sauce and once you tasted mine , you don't want that jar sauce. That goes with usually anything homemade.