I'm a Minnesota girl and I grew up helping mom and dad in the kitchen. Now that I have my own place I like to branch out and try new kinds of food. Favorite hobbies are reading and travel. I'm an engineer by day and I view cooking as a fun and delicious experiment (usually!), so when I see a new recipe I immediately wonder if it can be "tweaked". Tried and true comfort food favorites include mac and cheese, risotto, and grilled cheese sandwiches (there seems to be a cheese theme here!). I also love finding new ways to prepare veggies and my recipe box is stuffed with all kinds of ideas. I like to cook on the grill in the summer, but unfortunately that doesn't last long in Minnesota and I'm too wimpy to brave the cold in the winter! My parents are both good cooks and I still look forward to meals at their house. My mom's specialty is spaghetti, and she also makes Swedish pancakes for breakfast whenever guests stay over. Dad's specialties include chili, roast beef, and baked chicken. My sis is a vegetarian and she has introduced me to lots of delicious things, but her curry is especially good. I'm a complete klutz so I consider it a small victory whenever I make something that turns out well. I especially like it when other people enjoy my food or when new recipes turn out unexpectedly yummy. Baking...almost anything. I tend to be an absent-minded cook, and I'm tempted to stray from almost every recipe. Those traits just don't mix with baking! I've burned a lot of cookies and wrecked more than one pan because I've forgotten about them in the oven!