I am a 31-year old grad student getting my PhD in immunology. I have three kitties who are my furkids. I love to cook big, fancy meals, but since I live alone and am always in the lab, it is something I usually save for holidays and special getherings. I don't eat meat or poultry, but I do eat eggs, dairy and seafood. Also, my parents are ovo-lacto vegetarians and my older sister is vegan. Hence, I am quickly becoming an expert at modifying recipes to fit different grades of vegetarian lifestyles! Cakes from scratch, streusel-topped pies, green beans, fresh fish, apple-cornbread stuffing Big Christmas dinners, elegant cookouts where you make "real food" on the grill, Indian style buffet dinners. I made the most amazing chocolate layer cake for my sister's last birthday, and some of the best vegetarian moussaka ever for my parents' anniversary party. Last year, I also managed to make a "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner that was 100% vegan, and not gross at all! Last Christmas Eve dinner I made stuffed eggplant, but I forgot to turn the oven on when I put the eggplants in. The stuffing was really good, but it ended up being served in cold, slimy, uncooked eggplant halves. Ewww. My family still hasn't let me live that one down.