Food is fun. It always has been for me whether it was trashing my mom's kitchen in the 6th grade as I made cupcakes or learning favorite family recipes at Christmas time. I like to experiment but only after I feel confident about what the recipes is asking me to do. With music on, I get into my cooking zone and am very Zen. Well, I am best at dessert. I have been making/baking for almost 20 years! Dessert makes people happy. There are many Italian dishes that are famous favorites in my Sicilian clan. Of course the actual recipes are hard to get but you can figure them out....well, that is what I am hoping! I mostly get my cooking skills from my father who is a gourmet. I am still dreaming about a pesto-infused lobster risotto he made a few years ago. I consider it a triumph when I host a family dinner and the food is good and creative, everyone is relaxed and I surprise them with a delectable dessert. Every once in a while (like once a month) some inventive idea I had totally flops. I get irked when this happens but there is always a learning curve too.