I was born in New Orleans and moved to the outskirts when I was a little girl, so I was raised on flavorful Cajun cooking and was taught that a full spice cabinet is really a girls best friend. Every recipe I cook usually winds up with at least a few modifications to add a little Cajun flair. I love trying new things. My husband fusses sometimes because he says I will fix something he really likes and then never fix it again because I am on to something else. So, just about anything goes for me when it comes to cooking. If it sounds tasty, I want to know how to cook it. My favorite cooking traditions are the homemade breads that my mother taught me and all nine of my siblings how to make. Her breads have always been famous, but it was one of those things, where you don't use a recipe, you just put in a pinch of salt and a handful of flour, etc. When I was 11 years old, I decided to enter a 4-H cooking contest with my homemade muffins. I didn't really think I would win, but I won first place and that really boosted my love for cooking and my self-confidence at an early age. We were having a large group of friends together and I decided to make a homemade birthday cake for one of my friends. It was a cake I made all the time, bur for some reason, this time it totally flopped and turned out rubbery and very heavy. I was humiliated. Everyone told me it was good, but I knew better. Oh, well. I guess it built my character, right?