i'm a single mom with a very picky 4 year old. i moved back in with my folks (boo) so i don't get to cook nearly as often as i used to (mom still rules the kitchen) but i get in there as often as i can. i love making casseroles. my mom didn't "do" casseroles when i was growing up, so i didn't discover them until i was much older and my friends started making them for their families. they are fast and easy, and a great way to hide veggies from my picky food inspector. my mom is a great baker. her jewish apple cakes are battled for. people will re-arrange their party plans so that my mom can attend (and of course bring the dessert tray)! from growing up in my mom's kitchen, i think of desserts as the easy part!!! we have always thought of food (jewish apple cakes especially) as the perfect gift for any occasion. so far no one has EVER complained ;) making anything that my dad likes. he is a really easy audience (he'll eat anything) but to have him try something new and really like it is a great accomplishment. I make these salmon puffs (really easy: canned salmon, cream cheese, crescent roll dough) that my dad (and every one else) goes crazy for. getting my family to try anything new is an accomplishment actually! there are many. when i moved into my last apartment i had to learn to switch from gas to electric cooking. i have since moved (back to gas TG) and i still had not mastered it. lots and lots of burnt cookies :) i once made a really great lemon cake for a garden party, only i didn't take into account that it was like 95 degrees out. i put the cake on a table in sun, and by the time dessert was being served it had melted into a really well decorated yellow blob. c'est la vie! (p.s. we still ate it and it tasted great!)