A wife of 13 years and a mother of two, I just happen to find cooking a more of a pleasure and less of a chore. My personal challenge is to try one new recipe a week. My new goal is to learn how to cook Eastern Indian and Greek dishes. My first recipes I took part in assisting my mother with were cookies . . . thus good memories die hard! I love to bake desserts most of all - and it helps when all the neighbors & friends we have beg for baked goods :o) Memories of cookies and picnic foods inspire my special occasion cooking. I have increased my cooking abilities high enough to have improved upon my mother's recipes (her words, not mine) and to have won the approval of my late father's ever-critical palette. I am now teaching my children, aged 11 and 9, the basics. Making tamales - oh so sad! I had to throw away two enameled stock pots and 4 doz enamel-burn-flavored almost-tamales. Tip - keep adding a bit of water to keep level up when steaming them - even if you can't see the bottom of the pan to check.