1L Law school student at UC Hastings College of the Law Sauteed veggies with olive oil and garlic (spinach, zucchini, squash, green beans, bok choy, kale, etc.), Chicken mushroom cassarole, Pumpkin pie (from scratch), Cheesecake, Pan seared scallops, Parmesan Risotto, Mulled Cider, Meatloaf My mother and grandmother taught me to cook, and they both had a good mix of Italian and American cuisine. My brother and I would also cook meals almost as frequently as our parents, and his tendency to experiment and add creative flourishes to a recipe has certainly rubbed off on me. My family loves to cook because we all love to eat, and leftovers are usually never a problem. Salt, olive oil, and garlic are essential to my family's kitchen as well as my own. Pan Seared Scallops Parmesan Risotto and Sauteed Spinach - this meal just fell together very nicely. The scallops plated very well on the spinach (topped with a buerre blanc sauce) and the risotto was a perfect compliment. Not to mention a cheap bottle of white wine that I purchased at the last moment which seemed to go great with the scallops and the risotto (gotta love Yellowtail wines). Family cheesecake recipe - everytime I have cooked this recipe, it never fails to please. Most people are used to a more sugary cheesecake, but this one is more savory and has a great texture. Hollandaise sauce - I love Eggs Benedict, but I have failed making hollandaise sauce so many times. And these are not edible failures either. I'm willing to let this recipe stay out of my collection. Yememi Coffee - I tried this recipe ages ago, and through some combination of error on my part and the absolute potency of this stuff, I had my family running for a glass of water.