Home Town:
Socal,
California,
USA
Member Since:
Oct. 2005
Cooking Level:
Intermediate
Cooking Interests:
Baking, Slow Cooking, Mexican, Italian, Healthy, Dessert, Kids, Quick & Easy, Gourmet
Hobbies:
Scrapbooking, Reading Books, Charity Work
I'm a busy mom of 3 who goes in and out of phases when I love to cook and other times when I avoid it like the plague. I do however, feel that it is so important to have the entire family around the table for a nice meal and some good conversation. That fact often brings me back into the kitchen. I hope that my family can taste the love that I put into their meals and treats. Otherwise, the food is simply fuel, and that's no fun.
My favorite things to cook
I LOVE to bake! I generally don't like to alter recipes to reduce the fat or calories, it's pretty much either all or nothing for me. As much as I love to bake I don't do it often because it's not very figure friendly. Although, every Monday night I try to bake for our Family Home Evening treat. I also enjoy cooking Italian, Mexican, Comfort foods, Breakfasts, Crock Pot meals and Grilling.
My favorite family cooking traditions
I love all of the holiday traditions associated with food. The process, and of course, the taste. Some foods simply taste like Christmas, like my mom's Yummy Cheesy Potatoes or my Aunt Haydee's Cranberry bread. My kids are learning to enjoy looking forward to certain dishes on the appointed holidays- and helping mommy in the kitchen, too.
My cooking triumphs
Honestly, anything that my husband really likes is a triumph because that means it was worth the time spent in the kitchen. I'm way too busy to make anything that we don't love.
My cooking tragedies
For the life of me I cannot succesfully make the Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe (consistently, at least)! I actually haven't attempted it in over 3 years because I'm so afraid of it. Since then I have used many other choc. chip recipes and they've turned out great- but the taste just couldn't compare to a good batch of Nestle Tollhouse Cookies. My sister has had the same problem and told me that she stumbled upon a solution: put the white sugar in with the other white ingredients instead of creaming it with the butter and brown sugar. She says it works every time- I have yet to try it.