I rekindled my love of cooking when my job was eliminated due to corporate cut backs. Once I had the time to think, plan & prepare meals, cooking started to be fun again. Plus, it is an amazing outlet for my creative side. My family & I love asian cooking. I used to dread all of the prep. Now the children are old enough, so I have Sous Chefs. They don't even complain because they love the meals. I loved cooking with my mother & grandmother. This was always a time to chat & catch up. Hopefully, my children will appreciate our cooking time. Creating a menu & directing the kitchen for a German Feast for 500 people at a church fundraiser. 5 people volunteered to help cook. After 12 hours of cooking, I enjoyed a wonderful bottle of wine & enjoyed the rest of the event.I especially enjoyed the requests for the name of the caterer. It was definately worth it, but never again! The first time that I made chicken mole in the slow cooker. I had given up on the hot red mush. I was just waited for my husband to get home & we went to a local Mexican place. Lesson : A slow cooker set on High for 9 hrs. turns chicken into hot mush