My Beginning .... cooking

I can remember at five years old standing next to Gramma Baker in her kitchen while she rolled pie dough and of course with the left over raw crust, we would make cinnamon milk pies for me to munch on. She taught me how to make milk toast for breakfast and as I grew older, I helped make lunch for the farmhands with her. Her signature dish was country ham and browned potatoes. I was 26 before I was brave enough to try that but I did it!

When I stayed with Gramma Piper we would make homemade rolled dough cookies. Her gingerbread and raisin filled cookies were to die for! Although she has given me the recipes, they just never taste the same.

I remember being 8 years old and standing in my moms kitchen while she was in the next room (her beauty shop) shouting out directions of how to make supper. It may not have been the most conventional way to learn how to cook, but it worked! It was a sign of the times, and relationships between mothers and daughters were evolving. As moms took to the work force, many of my peers had no one to show or tell them anything about cooking. I was at least lucky enough to get direction from mom while she was doing hair! She taught me how to make my first casserole called hamburger goulash, and it was good! I also would bake on Saturdays after cleaning the house. Typically making my choice of cookies and the occasional Texas sheet cake.

So, thanks to these three women and their combined talents I had a fantastic background for cooking and baking. But it was not until my mid thirties that I branched out from boxed meals and processed food and actually started to cook. I guess as my sons got older and their tastes were developing and expanding it gave me the motivation I needed to get cookin'! We also have two great friends that share the love of cooking and great tasting food. With these folks, we sure do have a great time.

This leads to where I am today. A wife, mom, and teacher that enjoys cooking at the end of the day to help unwind and get a sense of accomplishment that she has prepared a nice meal for her family. So with that, lets get this party started!