I've been cooking and baking since I was a young girl. My grandmother taught me so much as well as my neighbor which allowed me to help mom get things on the table when she was working. Now I'm teaching my 2 daughters how to cook and bake at the ages of 3 and 5 years old. The same age I started! Whenever I cook they are right there wanting to learn so I teach them like my grandmother taught me. pastas, chicken dishes, soups, and I love to bake as well. my grandmother taught mew that when you are simmering something on the stove..always scrape around the sides of the pot because that is where all the good stuff goes! Ever year I have Christmas as my house for the entire family and it's a festive get together filled with lots of laughter and food. after watching a zillion tv shows on cooking, reading recipe books as a hobby and my past experience...I can say tht the times I "wing it" in the kitchen I still come out with a pretty good meal! Grandma always told me...if it doesn't turn out...pitch it and order a pizza! the 1st time I made chicken paprika my dumpings turned out more like baseballs. Needless to say this was the 1st meal I was cooking for my husband....while we were still dating. Needless to say, I pitched them as grandma said and used noodles instead...and he still married me!!