Lizthechef

Since September 2009, Lizthechef (at right in the photo above) has graced food52 with homegrown, honest recipes and advice inspired (and passed down) by her mother, grandmothers, and great-grandmother, whose collections of recipes she inherited in 2007 -- which must seem like yesterday after over 100 years of culinary history between them.

And did those talented women ever teach her well. From Lizthechef's kitchen come such crowd pleasers as her refreshing Impromptu Winter Salad (the perfect winter palate pick-me-up!), comforting Caramelized Onion Pudding (your roast's new best friend), contest-winning Creamy Cucumber "Side", and, lovingly passed down, Mama's Mango Chutney. We're big fans of her father-daughter favorite Dad's Day Turkey Tetrazinni, too.

For more of Lizthechef's delicious recipes, see her profile page and fan her here.  Also, be sure to check out her blog, which she was inspired to start as a result of last year's Mother's Day-themed contest on food52.

Read Lizthechef's profile Q&A below:

What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
Mystery stew in Marrakech

What do you cook when home alone?
Pasta and anything spicy - my husband thinks black pepper is HOT

Your most treasured kitchen possession:
My Great-grandma Norcross's bean pot. I use it to store utensils on the counter.

Your ideal meal:
Seafood cooked at home

Something you'd like a chance to eat or cook:
Truffles - the real thing, with a "coach" to help me in the kitchen.

The number of bottles of wine you own:
About a case

The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
6

Kitchen pet peeve:
Guests chatting with me as I try to "pull it together" last minute before sitting down.

Your favorite cookbook:
Favorite "go-to" is the Barefoot Contessa series. Sentimental favorites, my 1969 Alice's Restaurant Cookbook and the 1972 edition of Fanny Farmer that my Mom gave me when I left home.