Aside from my near Thanksgiving mishap is my french toast story.  I know you are thinking...'how can you mess up french toast'.  Well, I did.

I was about 10 years old.  I woke up early and decided to surprise my family with a nice, hot breakfast.  I got out the cookbooks and followed them to a 't'.  Except that I didn't know the abbreiviations yet.  It called for 1/4t. of salt....well, I added 1/4 CUP!  It sure browned up nicely.  My family was anxious to dig in.  The first bite, they all spit out.  You can imagine how salty it must've been.  I never did live that one down!

professional portrait photographer.  When I was about 9 years old, I took over as the family photographer.  My dad was horrible at taking pictures and would always cut everyone's heads off.  So, mom gave me the camera. 

... family get-togethers at my Hungarian grandparents house.  Every Sunday we would have dinner with aunts,uncles and cousins. I loved helping my grandma in the kitchen.  She had a small kitchen.  It amazes me how women of previous generations worked so hard!  In the summers, we would do a Hungarian "bacon fry" in the backyard.

I don't have a lot of free time....but when I do, here's what I enjoy: 

• Visiting with Friends
• Reading
• Playing Games:  Scrabble, Yahtzee
• Playing Texas Hold'em Poker  
• Antique shopping 

Since I love old homes, it would have to be vintage.  My first house was built in the 1800's, my second house was 1915 and my current home was built in 1910. My dream kitchen would be Plain & Fancy Cabinetry:  off white, painted, beaded inset vintage cabinets with exposed hinges and 'furniture feet';  darker stained Walnut Island. Professional range and hood.  Large enough space to have dual islands and multiple work stations;  Baking center (my husband and son love making pancakes, cakes and pies.  This would be their special place);   Indoor grill module;  hutch design for dishes (cabinets down to counter);  Mixture of Countertop Materials:  Quartz & wood or stainless steel.

A light cherry shaker design with Uba Tuba Gold granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.  We bought the house as a fixer upper and planned to sell within 3 years.  If I had known it would end up being our 'forever' home, I would've done my "dream  kitchen', see above! Maybe someday.

• Bruschetta
• Sushi
• Grilled anything
• Crock pot soups (my favorite is Chorizo TortillaSoup)
• Breakfast casseroles
• Homemade Mac and Cheese (Kraft dinners, no way!)
• The perfect steak
• Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners  (I remember my first thanksgiving that I had to cook all by myself.  I was about 32 yrs old.I called my mom, frantic to know which end of the turkey to stuff.  She and my dad couldn't stop laughing. 
  They grew up on farms and couldn't believe that I didn't know this!)

It's like home.  My parents started the company in 1983 and my sister, Tom and I all started there together.  It was tight and cozy in the early years. The five of us shared an office that was 8.5ft x 20ft!  My parent's always wanted the showroom to be comfortable and homey for our customers and we have worked to maintain that through the years.  Our displays are designed and accessorized to have
the feel of a home, not just cabinets on a wall.  I remember one display we had in the window in the late 80s.  We bought accessories to look like a birthday party.  The little kids LOVED it!  We knew we had done our job when kids would walk in and point to it right away, "Look mom, it's a party!"   I remember one child about 4 years old once said, "This place is just like home!" as he looked around, all wide-eyed.   So, I just like being here....it's a family business and it's my home away from home.