I am a wife of nearly 20 years and proud mother of two boys ages sixteen and ten. I have been preparing my family's breakfast, lunch and dinner nearly every day for the last two decades. I have picky, easily bored eaters with exception of my husband who thoroughly enjoys a great meal. He has a substantial appetite and always refills his plate. Coming up with new and exciting dishes has certainly kept me on my toes but the satisfied look on my hard-working husband's face after a meal is all the motivation I need to keep my kitchen skills sharp! I love anything that can be made in a crock pot...I often start something mid-morning and let it simmer all day. I love using ground chicken, chicken breast and less expensive cuts of beef that do well in the crock. I enjoy using my All-Clad LTD. which collects lots of browned bits for easy and flavorful pan sauces/gravies. My mother is a fabulous cook. A true gourmet who never used a cookbook nor measured anything...except when baking, of course. I often say that my mother could make a paper bag taste good. She grew up watching her mother who was also quite proficient in her kitchen I love when my mom tastes something of mine and just loves it...I always tell her "I got it from you, Mom." I made a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting from scratch at twelve years old. I was out of school due to illness and quite bored. I got the recipe from the back of a C&H sugar box. My parents could not believe the accomplishment, invited people over to share the cake and still speak of this cake 30 years later. I have been baking from scratch ever since and make cupcakes that are so well known amongst the baseball community here that I cannot show up to a function without them...for risk of being run out of town! I have had two total disasters with scallops and pork chops that I am sure my elder so would rather I never mentioned again! No one's perfect!