I started cooking when I was 14, worked in a local restaurant as a dishwasher, moved into a cooking position at the age of 17 and have been cooking for the better part of my life, usually for my children(3), husband and grandchildren(3). When I'm not cooking, my husband is also an excellent chef. He has taught me a great deal about various spices, Asian cooking, and stir fry. When my children were born, I decided I wanted to do more with my talents and spend less money on birthday cakes so I invested in a Wilton course and expanded my horizons with cake decorating. I enjoy preparing both small and large meals, as well as, desserts, cookies, cakes, et cetera. However, I would have to say my favorite thing to cook would be brownies. Not only are they the easiest thing I have found to prepare; they are also the best thing to eat...you see, I am definitely a chocaholic and deep, dark chocolate has got to be the best!!! At least that is the opinion of this chocaholic! My family favorites would be our Family Christmas Dinner. I have often thought that we need to design a cookbook just for our family, but no one else seems to think it would sell!! Who cares! I want it for prosperity!! My sister does a mean homemade noodles and cinnamon roll that nobody can touch. My mother's cherry dessert is out of this world. I personally use her candied yam recipe, but it sure doesn't taste or look like hers and everybody raves about it(they don't know that it is her recipe, of course)! I could go on, but there isn't enough room and besides, you get the picture!! My triumphs would have to be the wedding cakes that I have done for my nieces wedding presents. Not only did I save them money, but they received a gift from the heart that no one else could give them. Of course, it was gone overnight, but they have pictures that they can look at whenever they want. My cooking tragedy would have to be the green beans that I absolutely could not make for the first 2 years after I got married. Every time I tried to cook green beans, no matter how I tried to make them, I would burn the pots black. I can't tell you the number of pans we had to replace that first 2 years of marriage. Until I started using the 1 pot that my husband had before we got married. That pot would get burned, make no mistake, but at least we didn't have to throw it away!!! He was able to scrub it clean! Then for some reason after about 2 years, I was again able to cook my green beans without burning the pots. It was the freakiest thing!!! Now I don't burn our food anymore!! Thank goodness!