One of the blessings that I received while growing up was sitting at the kitchen counter, visiting with my mom while she cooked. Watching her and helping her in the kitchen was great preparation for my future. Over the past 24 years of marriage, I have spent countless hours in the kitchen. Unlike some women who consider preparing meals a necessary evil, I enjoy cooking for my family. Fortunately, I learned to cook “from scratch” years ago, under the tutelage of my mother. I hardly realized then that these skills would be put to use …