Welcome!

My name is Jennifer and I am a self-appointed foodie. I love to eat and I love to cook. I don't know about anyone else, but I can't tell you how many times I've gone to a fancy restaurant and left unsatisfied. Sure, by the time dinner's done, I've usually had a glass of wine and I feel happy. But once the haze has worn off, I realize that the shrimp was chewy, the pasta starchy, the entire meal too greasy, too bland, too sweet, or all of the above. In my opinion, you should get what you pay for. I know when I go to a fast food restaurant, I'm going to get a salty, chewy burger on a limp bun. But when you go to nice restaurants and pay good money, shouldn't you get better food?

Anyway, this is why I love to cook. I am part Japanese and have recently started exploring the world of Asian dishes. Plus, since I am a couple of pounds heavier than I'd like, I try to take a healthy twist on my foods. I am also committed to living "green," so I often cook with organic products. But, folks trust me on this, there is no way I'd eat something "healthy" that didn't taste good. What's the point?

So why is my kitchen untidy? I cook most nights and I am a slob. My husband helps clean up, but between the whole grain flour everywhere and the 101 kitchen gadgets I've got, I never seem to have what my mother would consider a "tidy" kitchen. So there you have it.