I learned to cook from working in restaurants. I used to be quite the gourmet, digging into complicated recipes, trying tricky techniques and searching for special ingredients, but after decades of cooking for kids, I've gotten away from such fussy cooking. But...every once in a while I like to get crazy the kitchen -- and I've been known to mix a mean cocktail too. I love to make simple foods that are tasty, easy, and healthy. The Slow Cooker is my friend. In fact, I have more than one! Grilling and roasting are the next favorite. I love world foods and learning how to make them. My favorite times have been cooking with my sister. Just leave us be in the kitchen and don't expect anything to be done at a certain time. Eat a snack, have a drink and relax -- good things take some time to complete. We haven't had that opportunity in the last several years since she's moved to the west coast.:-( Cooking three meals and two snacks for 12 children five days a week for 12 years. Making the entire Gourmet Magazine Thanksgiving menu once. Catering my own wedding with Mexican and Spanish cuisine. Catering a huge New Years Party with my sister using the entire Martha Stewart Party book as a reference. Simultaneously impressing and frightening my future husband by flambe-ing cornish game hens for Valentines Dinner. See all of the above -- there are tragedies inherent in each culinary triumph! A lunch for kids that was all beige foods -- chicken nuggets, potatoes, applesauce, mac and cheese. (They loved it though.) The Gourmet Thanksgiving Dinner was served at 11:00 pm. The Spanish cuisine wedding reception put me at the church one hour late for my own wedding. The New Years Party catering adventure had my sis and I spending more time sweating in the kitchen than having fun at the party. Flambed cornish hens turned out well, but the marriage flamed out early too. (See self-catered wedding.)