My Mom taught me to cook and bake. She was a great teacher and I found that I liked to cook because my Dad always said I could cook as well as my Mom. I love most that it helps me in every way to cook. I find that after a long day at work that I really enjoy to cook dinner. Most people really dread this but I find that I can really relax cooking. I love to bake at Christmas. But I also find I love to try different casserole recipes. My favorite would be The Cottage Cheese Cake. Baking at Christmas with my Mom will always be my favorite. Making popcorn balls with my sister is also a favorite Cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner in my tiny apartment kitchen for 9 people. On my first Thanksgiving with my new husband's family I made a homemade pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin like I had alwayed done before. This time my crust tasted flat and the pumpkin really tasted bad. My new Aunt and Uncle really turned up their noses! I was so ashamed because my pumpkin pie was the only one that year. That happened 17 years ago and I now never make my pumpkins by scatch.