I really have no idea what I want to write about today. I have several recipes I would like to share but those are not what I feel like writing about. Maybe I will just fill you in a little better on who I am. I hope you don't get bored. Or regret it.

I have been cooking for over 25 years. I would consider myself a cook, just a good cook. Most definitely I am not a 'gourmet', whatever that is. I don't like most of the fancy cooking going on these days. Just give me good old fashioned cooking like most of us grew up on.

Most of my memories are all wrapped up in my cooking and being in the kitchen. I still remember the excitement of bringing home my first Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I am still proud of the ribbons I received for my entries at the State Fair. I bake about 95 percent of the bread consumed in this household. And, it is often requested that I bring my cinnamon sticky rolls for the refreshments at a garden club meeting. I could go on all day.

My favorite day in the kitchen is Christmas Eve day. That is when everyone in the family gathers at my house for one of the big meals of the holidays. I look forward to it all year. I start planning around Thanksgiving. I always like to ask: 'What might you like me to serve this year?' I usually end up making the choice myself, but I still want to ask.

The guys in the white coats carrying the straight jacket may come knocking at my door when I say I have over 100 bowls. Serving bowls, mixing bowls, dessert bowls, cereal bowls, soup bowls, salad bowls, storage bowls and rice bowls. Bowls made of plastic, glass, ceramic, crystal, silver, and fine china. I have both antique and new. I have mise en place cups (a French term literally meaning 'putting in place') and custard cups which are just very small bowls. It is a little weird I will admit, but I guess it could be worse.

I know I have mentioned before I collect cook books. I have started to focus my attention on those older cook books I find out there. I like the way some of them are written and organized. They are quaint and out of date. And by that I mean these older books have an admittedly sexist leaning. These books were written for the housewife, with only her in mind. Other than a few chefs who owned restaurants, women were doing the cooking in those days. When I read a reference to a 'her' or 'she' or 'housewife' in one of these books, I just think to myself "Well, I guess I'm showing you!"

Here is a quick recipe for a great cup of hot cocoa. Enjoy.

Mix cocoa, sugar, and salt; add the water bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes. Add milk and mix well. Serve hot with a dollop of whipped cream or mini-marshmallows. To make hot chocolate use 4 squares unsweetened or semisweet chocolate, grated and melted, for the cocoa powder.