This book came about because I have 2 daughters and a daughter-in-law, all raised by moms who had to work outside the home when they were growing up.  That lifestyle didn’t leave a lot of time for us to “teach” them the way our moms taught us.  When my youngest daughter, who’s now 33, said she wouldn’t be bringing deviled eggs to a family dinner because she had trouble peeling the eggs, I was floored.  Then I realized that she’d never been taught the things I had taken for granted.  She and the others are constantly calling to ask questions about the simplest of everyday dishes.  Unfortunately, an awful lot of young adults, male and female, are clueless when it comes to even the most basic kitchen tasks.  And most cookbooks available on store shelves are not much help.  They ASSUME that every reader has a working knowledge of cooking lore to draw from and sadly, that “ain’t necessarily so!”

Most folks pick up a cookbook and find only a couple recipes that call for simple ingredients with simple instructions.  This leads to the ownership of many books that just sit and collect dust.

My format is different in the hope that while browsing for recipes, the reader will realize that they are holding MORE than just a cookbook.  I’ve added stories to go along with some of the recipes so that the reader will see that we all make mistakes and hopefully, they’ll be able to learn from some of mine.  The tips added throughout the book are the sort of things collected and tried over a lifetime.  They’re great ways to save time and money.  And all three; recipes, tips and stories are for a reason.  I want them to have a source of good food, funny stories and tips for life that will entertain as well as educate.  A book they can refer back to time and again.

 I’m 58 years old, divorced and too old to start on a new career…so this cookbook is just my way of re-vamping an old one.  There are 100 basic recipes in this book.  But if the reader makes use of the various variations I’ve suggested plus their own imaginative input, it could easily be hundreds.  And rest assured, I have many more in the works.