My mother first taught me to "cook" when I was old enough to stand on a stool and stir Jello. By the time we were in junior high school, my sister and I were making full dinners for the family. I love to cook and bake all kinds of food -- from comfort food to more complicated recipes. When I'm not in the kitchen, you can usually find me reading or spending time with my kids. Like many who love cooking, I like to read new cookbooks from start to finish in one sitting. Too numerous to name! Making spaghetti sauce from scratch, learned at a young age and making our family's favorite tacos although I have never found anyone else that makes them the way we do. I'm not particularly fond of making Christmas cookies, but do so to get the kids involved with me in the kitchen. I look upon any successful cooking project, no matter how simple or complex as a triumph. I'm especially happy when I can get the entire family to enjoy the same dish! Pancakes -- always awful! I have never been able to make a decent yeast-based bread. I cannot make rice without a rice maker or I forget about it and it burns!