Hello all. I like to make recipes more frugal and more flexible: I almost never follow a recipe to the T, but adjust something (usually because I don’t have all the ingredients). I owe most of my cooking skills to my untrained father. He is the one who taught me how to use what I have creatively rather then ask him to buy something. I belong to a family of 13. I love it when the whole family gathers around the dinner table to eat and fellowship and read afterwards. By Gods grace I can eventually be like Him: I am not anywhere close right now, but I know I'm learning. I like arithmetic, reading, history, science, bible, cooking, sewing, and gardening. Potato anything (I love Irish foods), doughnuts! (I just recently had a first-try success and am very excited). Two of my favorite ingredients to use are potatoes and chicken because they are frugal, healthy, and fun to use. I like making soups, breads, pasta dishes, casseroles, and sautéed dishes. We always have coffee cake on Christmas and egg casserole on New Year's. Throwing a company meal together when Daddy thought we had nothing useful in the house!(which is quite an accomplishment because it was his teaching that made it possible). Making tortillas from scratch, though they aren't as good as store-bought. Making doughnuts from scratch. Making up a breaded chicken with sauce recipe that Daddy loves. Making gravy without meat, broth, or gravy helpers. Any time Daddy approves my food it is a triumph in my book. The garlic bread was charcoal, the noodles falling apart, the spaghetti sauce tasted like raw tomatoes, aanndd the salad was disgusting (fortunately my family can eat anything:)