Hi, All: What was the first thing you learned to cook as a kid?

I was 12 years old when my mother called me into the kitchen one day and she taught me to cook cornbread. She said it "was time" because she was pregnant with my baby sister and there were already nine of us kids. Mom mixed the ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, an egg, buttermilk and melted shortening). Placed into a large, rectangular baking pan and the rest of the melted shortening went on top of the mixture in the pan. Baked at 350 degrees until golden brown.

From then on it was my job to make the cornbread when we had it for dinner. My older brother, Roy, already had the job of cutting up a whole chicken if it was for dinner. Otherwise, we both helped wash and pick greens or beans.

My kids squawked when told to sweep the kitchen floor while another washed dishes. They couldn't believe that at age 10, my siblings and I took turns cleaning up the entire kitchen...ALONE.

Georgia Walker-Adams