After a difficult pregnancy, being in the kitchen turned out to be exactly what I needed.

How the simple act of gathering for dinner with friends transformed one family's life.

Weather is not a dull subject in the North Country of New York, which often gets more than 200 inches of snow per winter. But when a blizzard howls and my 200-year-old house creaks in response, cabin fever kicks in, so that's when I get serious about grilling.