DuChick

about me

I am...

~a mother of 2 kids (18 and 20) who are extremely picky eaters. The mere mention of "healthy" sends them running in the opposite direction. They prefer the creamy, cheesy, fried stuff that they weren't brought up on!

~a wife of a wonderful man who fights an expanding waistline and will lovingly eat most anything I set before him. Everything is 5 stars to him. He's the easiest customer a cook could ask for!

~a teacher who tends to reach for comfort foods to relieve stress. I am a middle school reading specialist. The miracles I see on a daily basis keeps me going! But it's also stressful, so keep me away from the cookie jar! I really have to fight off the sugary, fat-laden stuff that has no worth beyond the momentary comfort in my mouth.

~and I'm also a daughter who was brought up on home cooked meals back when calories meant nothing and taste was everything! That is an idea built into my system that's hard to shake! My mother raised 8 kids (I'm #7) on her home-cooking and I always tease her that she didn't raise a single skinny kid! I luckily inherited her great love of cooking and baking.

~finally, I'm "mom" to the best Bichon in the world. He is Quincy, our kid in a dogsuit. He'll be 12 years old in October '08.

Favorite Foods:

I'm not really known for any special dish. Rather, I'm better known for not ever bringing the same dish twice! It seems I hardly ever cook or bake the same thing the second time around, unless it's really a winner. That drives my family and friends nuts. Life is too short not to try new things...all the time.

I adore chocolate anything. I think it should be a food group in itself. Lately, dark chocolate has been my preference, but I don't want to make "milk" chocolate feel like an unloved child!

I also love spicy foods like Mexican and Italian dishes. When I cook, I often use lots of spices to tickle the tastebuds, but stay away from the heavy use of fats and sugar. I'm trying very hard to modify recipes to be healthier, since DH and I each lost 30+ pounds last year. Keeping it off has been a struggle, especially since becoming a 'zaar addict!

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