The branded level of 'intermediate' may even be a little too advanced for me...simply, I love to cook. With music on and glass of wine in hand, I find it to be an extremely relaxing way to unwind at the end of the day. The most important thing I have learned from my cooking 'adventures'? Keep it simple. Trying to be something you're not only leads to confusion (usually from your guests after they taste their food). Hello??!! Anything with cheese. Period. I wish I could say 'cooking with grandma', but unfortunately I have not descended from the hierarchy of master chefs. As kids we received a lot of mac and cheese from a box, beef and broccoli stir fry (complete with seasoning packet), and every type of 'Helper' you can imagine. Fond memories of food do include late night cheese, onion, and mayo sandwiches with my Dad and Benny Hill....oh, and of course my Mom's pigs in a blanket. There are definitely a few things that fall under the category of 'unique'...love you Mom and Dad. :-) I'm still waiting for my ultimate cooking triumph! Dishes have turned out successfully, but I am always my worst critic. Even if a meal is truly tasty, I am always starting the notes in my head immediately as to how to make it better. No problem filling in this blank...I have to say that the worst tragedy only happened two years ago at Thanksgiving. I thought I would really go 'totally gourmet' and brine the turkey, make exotic vegetables, and use cooking techniques I had only read about. Man, what a mistake! Turkey turned out way too salty, no one ate the dishes they didn't recognize, and the unusual veggies went untouched. Note to self: don't mess with people's dry turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry tubular gelatin.