As a mom of three hungry, growing boys (well, make that two... My 4-year-old’s idea of a meal is a forbidden piece of candy, evidenced by the wrappers I often find in his secret hiding place behind the living room chair).  Anyway, I find myself in the kitchen quite a bit.  As a newlywed, I used to rely on the same ol’ standbys like taco night, chicken night, and pizza night (what a way to spark up the marriage!), but then I discovered how much FUN it is to experiment with new recipes and expand my knowledge of cooking and baking!  I love preparing foods from scratch, but I also know the importance of short-cuts in a busy mom’s life.  I try  to create a balance between the two.  Food Network, as well as various magazines and websites, have been a great source of inspiration for me.  Although I’ve had my fair share of failures (ask my boys about my infamous dumplings), I’ve discovered a lot of “oohs and aahs” along the way, too.  So come on, gather ‘round the table with me as I test new recipes and share old favorites.  Say good-bye to cries of “Meatloaf, beatloaf” (can you name that movie?) and hello to “When can we have this again?”