I was thrown into cooking by my mother at an early age. I was never much for cleaning my room and this was her trade off. Since then I've come to love cooking for family and friends, especially my husband. I regularly work long, odd hours, so crock-pot and quick & easy recipes are my staple. I'm always trying new quick dinner recipes to find the right ones. My husband will tell you my chili and rice salad are probably my best. I'm also a fan of grilling and try to get as much of it in as possible. Right now my favorite newly created tradition is that the cook never has to do the dishes!!! For my Mother in Law's birthday I fixed Mussels alla Diavola. It was a big chance given her family's dislike for seafood, but it went over very well. My picky father-in-law even asked for seconds! Oh... there have been several. The worst would be my first attempt at brining a turkey. Not sure what went wrong, but a 14lb turkey found it way to the trash that night.