Born and raised in a small town, I knew I was destined for bigger things. I've lived in Brazil and Ukraine and can speak six languages fluently. I moved to Arizona in 2005, and I absolutely love this weather! I bake when I'm happy or when I'm sad. I try to cook at least three to five nights per week from scratch. I'm also OCD, so I keep my work space nice and tidy! I love cooking Spanish potato pancakes, anything with MorningStar Farms vegetarian meat, breakfast foods (i.e. pancakes, waffles, muffins), fish dishes and organic vegetarian dishes. I love to create colorful dishes with creative presentations. My mother taught me the basics of baking, particularly the importance of patience and precision. My great grandmother taught me most of the Polish dishes I know; she also taught me the joy of using black pepper. My paternal grandmother on the other hand taught me the joy of cooking (not just baking!) with sugar. Chocolate chili shrimp, fresh beignets, vegetarian beef tacos, Spanish potato pancakes with smoked cheddar, blueberry muffins, #1 pancakes, chocolate chip cookies with milk chocolate chips, and many more! My first time baking Key Lime pie was disastrous! What a watery mess! Of course, I was only about 12 years old at the time, but it was a learning experience nonetheless. I've also tried making Brazilian pamonha (similar to Mexican tamales). I was super disappointed by the consistency and taste of the corn used. We live and we learn! :)