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Mom started me off at a young age! I knew her chocolate chip cookie recipe by heart by age 10!

Great remembrance, thanks for sharing! My maternal grandma took a liking to Filet-O-Fish sandwiches in her later years as well, which I never could understand, given her usual avoidance of fattening foods!

Chana masala or grilled veggie kabobs, especially if they include eggplant!

For me, "sweet" means fresh fruit and homemade granola with a drizzle of honey.

@lokomotion, I totally go for the peanut butter and banana combo for breakfast!

In How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman has a great, simple recipe for soft fruit sorbet that I love. I usually make it with fresh strawberries, but I'm sure any fruit would be lovely:

2 C. any soft, ripe fruit (cherries, berries, mangoes, melons, etc., picked over, pitted, peeled, washed, etc.)

About 1 C. superfine sugar (I use regular and it's fine ... and usually only about 3/4 C.)

About 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Step 1: Puree fruit in blender with most of the sugar and a bit of lemon juice. Taste and adjust as needed.

Step 2: Remove seeds (if necessary) using a sieve.

Step 3: Refrigerate until cool, then churn in ice cream maker according to instructions.

I love learning background information on topics like this. Thanks for such a detailed article, Katie!

I shamelessly use it as a condiment for almost anything - pretzels, celery (ants on a log, anyone?), carrot sticks, banana slices, or a spoonful in oatmeal. I also love using it in baked goods, especially frosting for chocolate cupcakes.

An electric contraption called "The Short Order Cook" that looked a bit like a waffle iron and had two football-shaped pockets where you could cook omelets, sandwiches, etc. The best part was the cartoon chef insignia on the front - he was wearing a white undershirt, a paper cook's hat, and had a five o'clock shadow. He really was a short order cook!

Chili, made with plenty of potatoes, beans, assorted veggies and freshly roasted green chiles from my favorite local grower/roaster in New Mexico.

I second the vote for Fry Street. Lots of good, cheap places with a good college town vibe.

In the town square, check out Beth Marie's for ice cream and Jupiter House for coffee. Just off the square is Hannah's (http://www.hannahsoffthesquare.com/), which is great for any meal, but I especially like their Sunday brunch. Also check out the Greenhouse (http://www.greenhouserestaurantdenton.com/).

Have fun in Denton! It's a quirky and fun city!