I'm a married mom of 2 small kids that works outside the home full time. I enjoy reading, gardening, hiking & thrift store shopping! Appetizers, chili, soup & stews, barbeque, slow cooker recipes, seafood dishes & all things Mexican. I come from a big extended family & love pitch-in dinners, especially Thanksgiving at my aunt & uncles farm in southwest Ohio. I love to have people over & my favorite things to make are appetizers. I've hosted couples showers, baby showers, wedding showers & inpromptu neighborhood get-togethers with relative ease using simple, make-ahead dishes or on-hand ingredients. I haven't figured out the timing needed for dinner parties. A few Christmas's ago we had tenderloin of beef with cold rosemary roasted potatoes & soggy asparagus.