I'm 28 years old. I live with my boyfriend and miniature schnauzer in Nashville, TN. I had gastric by-pass 5 years ago and came to this website looking for recipes that would accomodate my new diet/lifestyle. I've lost 189 lbs and discovered a love for healthy cooking. I really enjoy making up new marinades for grilled chicken, which is my favorite food. I adore Italian food, and it is so much fun to set an elegant and delicious meal. Over the years I have developed a love for baking, and I am always looking for new things to bake for my friends, family and co-workers. Some of my personal favorites are Big Soft Ginger Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Tiramisu, Tortes, Cakes, Pies and anything chocolately! I have 5 recipes that are family hand-me-downs: Homemade Chili, Lasagna, Chicken Pot Pie, Made-from-scratch Chocolate Meringue Pie and Made-from-scratch Banana Pudding. My sisters and I all gather at my mom's house the day before Thanksgiving and we cook/bake al day long in preparation for Thanksgiving dinner. We make everything ahead that we can: such as getting casseroles ready to bake for tomorrow, make the pies, bake cornbread and biscuits for the dressing, etc. We have so much laughing and joking while we work. It's one of my favorite days of the whole year. It's the same with Christmas - and I love it! I would submit the recipes, but I was taught the dash of this and dash of that way of coking these recipes. I have no idea what the measurements are, I just cook it the way I was taught! lol My very first chicken marinade that I made up. It is so very yummy, and I am SO proud that I made it up myself! :) The first time I shared my Gumbo at a potluck - people were coming back for seconds and thirds and foregoing all of the other stuff brought in order to fill up on my gumbo! The first time I made Chicken Milano (from this website), it sounded good but I had never attempted to cook anything like that. It was delicious and my boyfriend says it's better than the Italian Restaurant nearby that serves something very similar. The first decorated cake that I made for a Birthday! I LOVE watching and listening to people ooh and aah over my creations! Well...according to my boyfriend my only tragedy is the Green Bean Casserole that I make every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's actually reeeeally good - he just doesn't like mushrooms. That's ok though, that's just more for the rest of us!