@misscrys79
I am originally from the Pacific Northwest but was transplanted to the east coast when my hubby went back to school to get his Ph.D. My husband and I are parents to two boys that we fondly refer to as "Search & Destroy" and our golden retriever, Sydney. I'm a stay-at-home mom and have just started homeschooling our children. I L-O-V-E to cook and bake. Honestly, I think I pretty much always have--it is something I inherited from my mom. :) She is the one who taught me to not be afraid to make a recipe, and when I'm not sure what a term means, to look it up (or ask someone who knows to talk me through it). My friends Lisa, Sharon and Shannon have also taught me a lot too (you'll see a few recipes that I've posted that I have received from these lovely ladies). And, I'd say that my experience as a prep cook for a brew pub in college taught me quite a bit too. :) I also like to make jam, to bake my own fresh loaves of whole wheat bread from flour that I have ground myself, and to preserve fruits and vegetables like my Grams taught me. Gardening is a new-found hobby of mine, and preparing foods with fresh fruits that I have harvested is so rewarding! I love my Oregon Ducks and am a proud alumnae of the University of Oregon. When we have a ladies' event at my church, I'm generally involved in the food aspect, in one way or another. The recipes I'm best-known for are my dessert recipes.