I'm a work-outside-the-home mom of 3 very picky kids and wife of one rather culinarily conservative husband. Pretty much anything that gets me in and out of the kitchen fast! I do like to try different recipes, usually desserts, sometimes with one or more kid helping. On weekend afternoons I'll browse "Joy of Cooking", or this site, for something new and inspirational. I like to use boneless chicken, seafood, and flavorful meats like kielbasa, for the speed they lend to preparation. I have a few recipes that I learned from my mom: fudge, bourbon balls, taco casserole, chicken Italian; I've also learned to cook a couple of my husband's favorites - I don't DARE mess with his mom's chile recipe! My daughter and I have come up with a few tricks of our own. My favorite is when she concocts an exciting (or at least interesting) new chicken marinade after school, and she or I broil it when I get home from work. I have a recipe from a magazine that uses two basic cookie batters to make about 12 unique and delicious kinds of cookie. I also learned to make an awesome cheesecake with a chocolate ganache topping. When I was off work to be home with the babies, this was my way of saving money on Christmas presents. My deep-Southern neighbor taught me to make her wonderful, light and fluffy biscuits. When I tried to make them later in college, they could have broken your foot. The same thing happened to my meat turnovers. I never did figure out what I was doing wrong. I've also been known to fix up a great slow cooker dinner and then forget to turn the thing on. Pizza, anyone?