With a full-time job at a large non-profit and a 4 yr old to chase around, I don't have as much time for cooking as I used to, so right now I'm looking for quick and easy, yet healthy recipes. My mother and I are very close and she has been teaching me to cook and bake since before I could see over the stove. Over the past couple of years I've been experimenting with all kinds of new recipes and techniques, and when I came upon Allrecipes, it was love at first site. I am on here several times a day looking for inspiration! My family LOVES Italian food, so I cook a lot of baked ziti, chicken parmasagna, manacotti, etc. The perfect recipe for me is something quick and easy that uses ingredients that I already have in the house. Also, I tend to cook a little on the plain side, with recipes that you can "add to" for more flavor, as we have several picky eaters in our family. My mother and I use any holiday as an excuse to cook. Our two favorites are of course Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our menu consists of: Turkey, Ham, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Candied Yams, Green Bean Casserole, Corn Tomolita from Chevy's (a sweet corn side dish), cheesecake and 7-up cake. Yummy! Pretty much any time I follow a recipe and it turns out right the first time, I'm shocked :O) I once tried to make my mother a sponge cake when I was 11. Let's just say that it more closely resembled a kitchen sponge than a cake!