My childhood and teen years were spent growing up in a wonderful small desert town, going  barefoot and drinking contaminated water (remember the Erin Brockovich story?).   Not foreseeing much of a future, i joined the military at the age of 17.  Now, twenty years later i am retired (only from the service of course!) and have an awesome wife and two great boys.  Although I've had the opportunity to live in or visit 14 countries and tried so many different foods, my simple tastes always bring me back to the dishes i grew up with....not withstanding some wonderful snitchels in Germany, whatever that stuff was i ate in the middle east (it was really good), and i fell in love with steak and kidney pie in Britain.

Sooooo, even with as much time as i spend in the kitchen cooking, and even more time thinking of cooking, I do not consider myself an advanced cook simply because I concentrate mostly on everyday foods, nothing fancy...those are what the family prefers anyway.  I grew up on a ranch so i watched and helped my mom cook meat, meat, and more meat.  Not a lot of variety other than lunch time soups.   I did learn at an early age the art of smoking (meat), and it is probably one of my biggest passions today.  Oddly enough though, I enjoy doing it more than eating it.  And love to do it for others.  In the kitchen, I have gotten fairly decent with soups and of course, meats.   I also make my own sausages and jerkys, they have become somewhat a hit around here.  You won't see me attempting any gourmet dishes however, and I don't go to gourmet restaurants...the portions are way too small.

Pinto beans...any which way they come!  In chili, soups, refried, or my favorite...my wife's big pot of them!  Flavors that I think may have come from heaven.....avocado, brunschweiger, and sharp cheddar cheese; with smoked oysters and sauerkraut running a close second.