Karen

A fond childhood food memory is....Christmas EVE dinner! This was the Polish family event. Pierogi, Shrimp, Lobster, Mushroom Soup. It was and is one of my favorite nights of the year. The family has dwindled some but the good times still envelop me this night. I have since taken over the Christmas Eve meal for my family and have combined both my Polish and Italian heritage for one lovely meal.

My go-to meal for each season....In summer the grill is my favorite tool - and now I've discovered grilled pizza! Quickly becoming a family favorite to make your own. For the fall, we love casseroles, so anything I can make in a crockpot is a welcome addition to the menu. Winter is my time to make my famous Beef Barley, or Beef Stew warm it up with a hot soup or stew. Spring gets me ready for the summer season so we may go with tacos and steak salads.

I wish I could make/eat.....Satay, or anything with peanuts or tree nuts, My son is allergic so these are not on our menu. But I have learned to skip the ingredient totally or changed it to adapt to his condition. I may try cooking with sunflower butter more and start experimenting on some recipes.

Food I dislike the most is....Mussels, I used to eat oysters with my Uncle Rich and Cousin Jacqui on New Years Eve when I was small. Jacqui and I would try to act all grown up with the uncles. Now, just thinking about it...ick!!

My guilty indulgence is....CHEESE...Brie, Cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, American, Mozzarella, Jack, Farmers, Cottage... All CHEESE!!

If I could only have 4 foods forever they would be....Certainly not cantaloupe! :) Probably Steak, Mushrooms (life needs to include a FUNGI), Apples, and Chocolate ( I tried to steer clear of it... But there's no denying the Chocolate)!

I want to learn to make....Our homemade family Pierogi. My brother took lessons from my parents - but I'm Christmas Eve Queen so I really need a lesson to continue the tradition.

My meal planning philosophy is....To always try 2-3 new recipes per week. Some are flops! But some become family favorites and make a routine revisit to our family weekly menu board.