On the Lighter Side...I'm no Martha Stewart

I am so grateful to be able to work in my wonderful kitchen--I'm glad some of you said you liked it too!

It's the first really nice kitchen I've ever had...I've had the type of kitchen (before) where I would have to quickly borrow someone elses kitchen if there was any kind of photographing or filming going on...because my kitchen was small and shall we say...not very photogenic.

I actually designed this kitchen (with my architect friend) with the intent of using it for a possible cooking show but also because I spend a lot of time in my kitchen and I wanted it to be a kitchen that inspires me and one that my family would enjoy being in. I went into extreme debt for this kitchen by the way, and there are days when I actually regret building it, to be honest (only because the debt isn't a monkey on my back--it feels like a big bad APE doing cartwheels.)

But having a kick ass kitchen is just about the only thing Martha and I have in common. My old literary agent usually to call me "a middle class Martha with a microwave"...That pretty much sums it up. I have a microwave and I'm not afraid to use it! But I have to say, I do love to lighten her recipes. They seem to be well tested and well done because I can step in and make them over (to be lighter in calories and fat and using smarter fats and carbs) and they usually work out the first time! This weekend I did a makeover on her Twice Baked Potatoes (I think it was her recipe, I got it from her website). They worked out perfectly! I love when that happens on the first try.

I was reading someone's comment on my post about the potato bar and they said something about how they were relieved that I didn't put the sour cream in a fancy serving dish but just plopped a spoon in the plastic container...the first thing that popped into my head was, "you better believe I just plopped a spoon in the container--I'm no Martha!"

Related Topics: Healthy meals for busy families, Holiday decorating