I had the original Betty Crocker for Kids Cookbook when I was about 8 years old. After I got over the Easy Bake Oven phase, I started seriously cooking and baking at about 11 or 12 years old (when I joined 4-H and was trying to score my first blue ribbon!) Seventeen "Butter Cakes" later, I did get a wonderful blue, thanks to loads of help, suggestions and patience from my wonderful mom! Desserts for my husband, brunch, Weight Watcher and diabetic friendly foods, snacks, a nice meal on the grill! In addition to turkey and all of the fixin's, I love eating our traditional German sauerkraut and bacon at Thanksgiving. My grandmother also started a bunny cake tradition at Easter that we loved as kids and still love now. I spent untold amounts of money and time to make a gingerbread house for a contest one time. It looked so beautiful! (despite a patch job on the candy laden roof) Although I didn't win, it was great fun. I really enjoyed the process and learned how much money you can truly spend on cooking and baking! I would rather tell about my mom's cooking tragedy, since she is one of the best cooks. As a young teen, she lovingly prepared an apple pie for the family dinner. Upon proudly presenting it at dessert time, her grandfather Teddy oohed and ahhhd over it. After standing and making a stirring speech about the pie's beauty, he dug his fork in with gusto. "Up through my lips and through my gums, look out Teddy, here she comes!" he exclaimed proudly. He stuffed his mouth full. My mother anxiously awaited his approval...and then he made a terrible face and spit it out! She had accidentally put salt into the pie instead of sugar! I can just picture how my grandmother was doubled over shrieking with laughter, tears running down her cheeks. Even though he ended up being fine, my poor mom has never heard the end of this episode and still laughs to this day about it.