As the father of 11 children (1st born '51, 11th born '03) I've learned to make large dishes rapidly and converted many recipes to Kid Friendly to teach my children to love to come into the kitchen and help. I have a website for everyone: www.kitchenroundtable.com I love to bake, especially birthday cakes! I love to make cakes that my children look forward to, not knowing what Papa will come up with next. My Mom could make Turkey. That's it. I learned to cook for self-survival. I learned by trying to duplicate something I'd eaten or seen my Grandma make. Good, hearty farm food. Fried dough, fresh bread and rolls and cakes with texture. I had a restaurant in Spain and surprised even myself with my range of dishes. I made all the foods that the ex-pats missed and made dishes that catered to the local residents as well. Most exciting day was the first Sunday I made Bagels. We were filled to over-flowing with people eating Lox and Bagels, toasted bagels, bagels and cream cheese etc. It became a once monthly occasion that filled our restaurant every time. I have yet to find a dish I can't ruin on a barbecue grill. I've been working very hard since my wife told me that when I die I'll have to learn to cook over the plentiful open flames of the place I'm going to! LOL (I hope)