Cooking is just a hobby for me, but its also a necessity. If I don't cook, I'm going to get 1 of the 3 things my wife will cook, spagetti, meatloaf, or Egg-Surprize, which is scrambled eggs with whatever else she get's her hands on! So I cook meals to change it up, with 4 step children and another on it's way, I end up cooking for many hungry mouths. I enjoy finding new ideas on this site, but its never enough to follow a recipe, I've always got to do something to it to make it my own. I really enjoy baking. Cookies, Cakes, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls. The Crockpot is a big tool used, as I work 10 hour days, so during the week, I've got to do something to make dinner easier for me! Either the whole meal is in there, or I cook the meat there and finish on the stove. I really love new dishes, and thankfully, I know the kids' likes enough to keep the new dishes within their range! (But I sneak in new things every now and then without them knowing!!) We're making new traditions every year. Of course the major holidays seem to turn into family pot-lucks, and I'm always bringing more than I should, but I've never heard too many complaints and never seen leftovers! POT-LUCKS!!! They are my favorite! Give me a theme, and I will find something that I KNOW will not be brought by anyone else. And usually my dish is the first one gone!! That's the best compliment!! When I first started baking, I must have slightly burnt every item I tried. Tops were perfect, bottoms, not so much!! I quickly learned it's better to pull it early than thinking it can go another 30 seconds or minute!!