My Mom moved to heaven a few years ago. She left me hundreds of little recipe cards from my childhood, when we used to cooked together. Each and every card has a little love note she wrote to me as if she always knew they would be mine someday. I cherish those cards. They take me back to a childhood that was full of love and warmth. I am transported back to that old kitchen filled with that wonderful aroma of something homemade on the stove and biscuits or cornbread in the oven. I can still picture that delicious cake or pie on the counter and a beautiful table set with fresh flowers from her garden. I close my eyes and I can still see those white linen napkins she embroidered herself.

But the thing I remember most was her anticipation and excitement when everything was ready, and we took off our aprons and waited in the kitchen for that exact moment she loved most. She would stand up straight, brush back her hair and squeeze my hand as my Dad would open the front door and announce, "Honey, I'm home for dinner." Now I want to share some of those dinners with you.

Home For Dinner is a book filled with wonderful recipes from my childhood. It is a collection of my Mom's favorite dinner recipes...foods I will never forget. Cooking has a way of transporting you back in time to the foods you loved as a child and memories of your Mother or grandmother in the kitchen preparing them with love.

I hope after reading my book, you will make some memories of your own and start cooking with your children. It is never to late to start, and those memories will last forever.

Proceeds from the sale of my books go to support the NO KILL Advocacy Center and Defenders of Animal Rights, Inc., in their efforts to save the lives of dogs and cats in this country who are killed unnecessarily while waiting in shelters for their forever home. Over 6 million dogs and cats were killed last year because no one adopted them in time. We can change that.

~Marty