I am a nurse, mom to two teens, a young adult son, and wife to one well fed Aggie. Needless to say I do not have a lot of time but I still love to try new recipes and this is my favorite source for them. I recently moved out of the country so I am enjoying being in the city and having more access to all sorts of experiences, including more grocery choices. I also love writing, blogging, journaling and being a total MySpace addict. Anything new and different, italian dishes are awesome and easy, oriental, and just whatever strikes my fancy. Casseroles seem to be my "new recipes" fetish lately. They are so easy and can add a lot of variety but still be fast. Also trying to move into some vegan recipes, too, to add to our menu. I have a house full of hold outs though. I am not into baking bread, cookies, desserts and etc. I'd rather put the time and effort into a marvelous main dish but I have a great reverence for my fellow cooks who can knead up some wild dough. Actually, I come from a family that notoriously has some trouble with cooking...LOL. My Mom can make some wonderful chicken salad though and my Aunt Susy has made some good stuff but no one is very adventrous. When I cook something really out there I can hear them making fun of me in the back of my head but they should taste it! The major tradition we don't let go of (other that chinese buffet on Christmas Eve)is a really big breakfast on Christmas morning in lieu of a big dinner. And a coffee cake of course. Even when I have to work, which is more often than not being a nurse, I know there is someone behind cooking up some breakfast delights for the family. Learning to cook out of nowhere when I married at a young age, that is my biggest triumph. One day the food popped out of the kitchen or the take out window seemingly miraculously, and the next day I am a military wife staring at an oven. And that was before the internet! I would also have to say I can count on one hand how many recipes were total failures that I have tried. So, luck or skill?? Who knows. I cannot recall a total tragedy. I do know there are just those times when it is "just not right". Like when the potatoes are not tender enough, or you miss the pasta by a minute or two either way. Or you make a boatload of homemade salsa and have been way too friendly on the Cilantro. Ok, that was a tragedy.