MarthaStewartWanabe

about me

I love to cook and entertain for my family and friends. It's a great joy for me to serve them delicious, creative dishes. I always anticipate their feedback when they try something I've made. My favorite and most-utilized cookbook is the 12th Edition of the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. I enjoy exploring new cooking techniques and experimenting with various ethnic cuisines. I am an avid viewer of the Food Network channel, always looking for new and interesting ideas.

I work at a nursing home in Rochester, NY as an Executive Assistant to the President and Administrator and have been there for almost three years. I love my job. I not only coordinate board functions, do secretarial work in the Administration Office and supervise Reception, but my bosses allow me the opportunity to build relationships with the nursing home residents. Because my coworkers and residents know cooking and baking is my passion, I have earned quite a reputation. My boss and I have done a cooking program with the residents, where we involved them in making simple dishes and sharing them with the rest of the unit. I am now doing a regular baking program each month with the residents, called "Becky's Birthday Bakery". I bake a different type of cake each month to celebrate the residents' birthdays which take place that month. Cooking and baking with the residents brings them so much joy and comfort, as it helps to make the nursing home feel a little more like "home". It's amazing what the smell of fresh-baked bread or cookies can do for the mind and soul!

I identify cooking with feelings of accomplishment, peace of mind and reminiscence. My favorite childhood memories involve cooking with my mother and grandmother. We would enjoy one another's company while cooking for family gatherings. It was always a family effort harvesting, canning and freezing vegetables and fruit in the summer/fall. I wasn't aware at the time, but I was learning generations of recipes and tricks of the trade that would carry through my life and hopefully eventually through my children (when that time comes).

I have to say Recipezaar has given me much joy. I first visited the website in search of a quick chicken breast recipe and have been hooked ever since, recommending the site to my friends and family. I enjoy posting my recipes and anticipate other viewers' reviews and ratings. The website has encouraged me to become more inventive in the kitchen. Some "mad scientist" attempts are successful, whereas others flop. But I have realized you'll never know unless you try! Fortunately, I have my loving and tolerant husband as my primary critic and sometimes unfortunate guinea pig. God love him!



Aussie/NZ Recipe Swap #15:

Favorite Foods:

I don't really have a particularly favorite food. Those who know me best know I actually have difficulty commiting to the word "favorite". I do like Italian cuisine and enjoy Tuscan-style dishes, but I'll try anything.

My husband and I enjoy fine cuisine, so we are always in search of interesting restaurants with a reputation for excellence. My personal favorite restaurants so far (just to name a few) are:

- Mario's Italian Steakhouse, Rochester, NY
- The Olive Tree (Greek), Rochester, NY
- The Red Osier (known for its prime rib), Stafford, NY
- Thai Cuisine, Ithaca, NY
- Tanino Ristorante Italiano, Horseheads, NY

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