I have a very demanding and time-intensive career, so I don't get to cook as often as I'd like. However, I try to spend time in the kitchen as much as possible. I love food, wine and trying new recipes and flavors. My husband and I live a healthy lifestyle, so I'm unlikely to cook recipes that call for lots of butter, heavy cream, processed ingredients or beef. With the once-a-year exception of Christmas cookies & treats! :-) I enjoy cooking chicken, fish and vegetable dishes that we can eat on weeknights. I also really enjoy baking-- particularly quick breads and cookies-- which I often bring into the office for my co-workers. My mother is an excellent cook, and she taught my brothers and me everything she knows. We all love to cook. When we're all home at Christmas, we whip up wonderful meals together. My husband is not a foodie, so any time he's really impressed I consider it a triumph. The Tiramisu Layer Cake recipe on this site was a bit of a triumph for me as I won an award for it in a Junior League baking contest. Also, the Turkey & Black Bean Chili recipe has twice won me first place at a friend's Super Bowl chili cookoff. No major disasters yet, but plenty of times when a dish was just "okay" and nothing more. Actually, there was that time when I was 10 and accidentally made pancakes with flour and water instead of pancake mix and water. Absolutely disgusting, but pretty hilarious.