Working Mom of 2 munchkins and chief cook of the household. My weekday cooking is fresh, fast and simple - relying on great ingredients. My weekend cooking is more involved and I love to take the time to create that "food of love" thing (with thanks to Emeril for that term - I love it.) Cooking and baking are a primary passion in my life, and I can read cookbooks and recipes the way most people would read a novel. Food - good food - is a joy, a treat and an art form; something to be cherished, indulged in and most of all, shared. Comfort foods, fun & different fresh foods, decadently rich, horribly sinful deserts - especially those that involve chocolate. I grew up cooking. It's such a part of my family life that I can't even think of "traditions", since cooking and baking were just so integral to every day living. Managing a turkey the first time - with no help - and it came out perfectly. Mastering the art of real rice - took me long enough! My homemade chocolate ice cream. The richest B-day "cake" ever - brownie bottom, fudge truffle cake top, filled and topped with cocoa-espresso ganache - and everyone asking "WHERE did you BUY this?" Honestly - I've never had a tragedy. I've had some things not come out the way I'd hoped. I've had a few burned or over-cooked things. I've left the pan of green bean casserole in the oven, forgotten until the next day. But I can't call any of those tragedies. Mistakes happen. It's part of life and part of cooking. No big deal. Oh - OK. The only tragedies involve my only two cooking injuries: the monstrously huge mistake of trying to strain still-hot oil and winding up with it all over one hand. Ouch. Or the umpteen stitches in my thumb because I zigged when I should have zagged while cutting onions for a HUGE pot of chili (needless to say - the chili did not get done!)