ABOUT THIS COOK:

I like to cook but I hate to clean up. I have over 50 cookbooks and most have only been looked at once. I finally realized you don't need fancy pans or stainless steel appliances to cook good food. I never helped with cooking when I was a kid. I really started getting interested in cooking when I became a stay at home mom watching Martha Stewart and The Food Network. The best compliment is when my kids tell me they like what I cooked.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  ostrich

• What do you cook when home alone?
  cold tuna pasta salad with mayo & relish

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  Le Creuset 7 qt. dutch oven

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  6