I've been cooking professionally for about 6 years. I've always enjoyed baking. There's always something new to learn and perfect. I love making sweets. Anything with sugar; I like the satisfaction that comes from putting an entire menu together too though. My favorite cookies are peanutbutter cup. My favorite side is mashed potato casserole. I think my lasagna kicks butt too! Every year at Christmas my entire family comes to my house for a huge feast. Nobody brings anything (except take home containers), I supply the banquet...that's my Christmas present to everybody. We have two meats, two starches, two veggies and a ton of desserts. Everybody takes home a basket of cookies too. It's a lot of work, but I love doing it. It's the only time of the year we all get together in one place. I's awesome! I baked a 3 tiered wedding cake to feed 400 people one time. I was so nervous it wouldn't turn out right. It was a lot of pressure..the bride was happy with it so I considered it a victory. The first pie I tried to bake from scratch was discusting. I still don't know what I did to it, but it was really bad!