About Me / My Mission

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My Mission:

To prepare healthy and delicious foods and to exercise portion control while not denying myself my favorite foods (the "French" way of eating) in an attempt to lose weight without losing my mind.... one recipe at a time.

About Me

I love food. I love to cook.... I love to eat.... on Saturday mornings I watch the Food Network. When I make a dish or a dessert, I love to watch people enjoying what I prepared. Like Emeril says, it's a "food of love thing". I guess you could say that food is a symbol of love for me. It has been ever since I was a skinny kid with knobby knees watching my dad stir up the roux for his famous (and absolutely delicious) Chicken a la King. My mouth would water as he would melt the butter into the flour and I would watch as he would carefully add the chicken stock, cream and enormous chunks of chicken along with vegetables. "I'm so hungry I'm going to DIE!" I would scream. He'd smile and tell me that I'd probably live until dinner. Waiting for that, my favorite meal (which is by definition to me the ultimate comfort food), was absolute torture. I have tried several times to duplicate his recipe but have thus far been unsuccessful. I'll keep on keepin' on until I get it right, though.

I remember being very young, certainly younger than 10 and sneaking into the kitchen on a weekend morning to make pancakes. I did an alright job (they tasted good to me as long as I followed the instructions on the box) but I was too young to clean dishes efficiently. Plus, I hated cleaning up after myself so for the most part I wouldn't bother. This would have annoyed most moms but fortunately mine was very tolerant. She understood my love for pancakes. I could go on an on about food memories from my childhood.... from Mom's sherried chicken to Grandma's blueberry muffins and banana bread to dad's amazing french toast. But it's making me hungry!

I'm sure many of you are wondering why I didn't pursue a career as a cook or a chef. I sometimes wonder that myself. I guess you could say I was a late bloomer and wasn't sure what to major in when I was in college. I finally chose a double major of Political Science and Business & Liberal Arts. I've had some awesome jobs and don't regret my decisions. And I've had some great experiences along the way. Cooking is more of a hobby. Besides, I'm certain I would hate the hours. Most people that graduate from culinary school work long hours (including nights, weekends and holidays) doing back breaking work. Most cooks don't make it to Food Network. I have long considered small scale catering which is part of the motivation for this site (along with weight loss). This will only add to my experience in the kitchen.

Since graduating, running the rat race in NYC, and moving to a rural location I've had a lot of time to think about my future plans. Do I want to go to graduate school and pursue a masters degree and later a PhD in Psychology? Or do I want to hit the ground running now and have something I enjoy and am passionate about be my main source of income? I have been flirting with the idea of starting a small scale catering business..... or perhaps a personal chef. God knows I've got the kitchen hours under my belt. But first, as I look down at my waistline (although I can see my feet, there's not a clear view of my my upper thighs), I need to focus on getting fit and healthy. I need to be strong enough to venture out and do the hard work that is required of a professional cook. And above all, I need to lose weight. This is my "journal" for all to read.

Recipes:*******************

Appetizers
Breads & Baked Goods
Breakfast & Brunch
Condiments
Eggs/Dairy/Cheese
Grains
Italian & Pasta
Meats (including poultry, pork & beef)
Mexican Cuisine
Sandwiches
Seafood & Shellfish
Soup
Thai/Asian Cuisine
Vegetables, Side Dishes & Salads
Vegetarian Recipes
Special Diets*
Desserts Snacks Drinks

Grandma Baldwin's Recipes*