About me

Author and cook from "so this brunette walks into a kitchen..."
Hi! I'm Victoria, and the food lover next to me is my love, Kevin. Since I met him, I knew he shared my passion for food. I do the cooking, and he does the eating! Keeping up with his appetite can be exhausting, but I would say he lucked out with someone who is obsessed with tackling every recipe I see. We are both complete goofballs (hence my tongue-in-cheek blog title) and I am pretty sure cracking up with Kev keeps me in shape. I've been told I have a appetite of a 200 pound man, and I'm ok with that. I live to eat, don't eat to live. That's what gyms are far...we workout so we can enjoy our meals. Put a Sicilian girl and Portuguese boy together, and that is one big mouth to feed!

Kevin will pretty much eat anything I put in front of him, and I love him for that. I am convinced we would make a great reality show because our daily life is pretty darn hysterical. When we are not laughing, we are eating. My biggest challenge in life may be keeping my vulture boyfriend away from the food long enough to photograph it and post it on here for you to see.

I really think living in Connecticut and the changing seasons has a lot to do with my love of food. That and the fact I grew up in the kitchen. My Italian family treated everyday like a holiday. And my father does not know how to cook for 4 people. My mom is always baking. You would think we were having the entire neighborhood over for a holiday meal. In the summer we live off our fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden. In fall and winter we have warm soups and chicken cacciatore. And, no surprise here, my family is hysterical, too. Laughing is the best workout.

I love being Italian...I know...typical of my kind. But I really do. The food, culture. I take pride in being a domestic person. I love being home more than I love going out, although I can tear up a dance floor like none other. Every recipe I make must have some Mediterranean flare. If not Italian, I need a Greek influence, or Portuguese. Thai is another favorite.

I also have a lot of other passions. I am an elementary school teacher, and am starting my masters this month in Special Education. It takes a certain personality and sense of humor to work with children all day. Rather than reward kids with cupcakes and candy, I have been know to motivate tougher, hard-to-reach students with homemade Fettuccine Alfredo...really...I'm not kidding. When I was a special education tutor my first year, I worked with a boy who would ask for cooking time as his reward. I am an avid scrapbooker, and make homemade invitations and cards in my free time. I love taking pictures and photography, although I admit I am not very good at it. I think I need a new camera. One of my goals for 2011 is to learn more about food photography and treat myself to a good camera. I love my family and our dog, Ella. She is crazy, but I love her. Aside from Kev, she is my favorite snacking buddy.

Many of the stories shared on this blog may be "had to be there" moments, but give it a chance. The more you read, you just may get it! Thanks for reading, and here's to food!

Cooking Influences

my parents

Giada De Laurentiis

Julia Child

Candice Kumai

Ina Garten

Gina and Pat Neeley