Hey, Can You Cook?! 4

Hey, guys, it's me, Donna Ranucci! I was born and raised in Coventry, Rhode Island, and still live there today with a great guy, my husband Michael and my daughter Angela. We have two dogs, Romeo our pit bull, and Bella, our pug. I am blessed with a beautiful family and have wonderful friends, and with their love and support they have encouraged me to enter "Hey, Can You Cook?! 4."

My earliest memory of cooking was on the "Easy Bake Oven" my mom and dad bought for me when I was about five years old. Since then, my love for cooking has turned into my passion. I spent quality time with my mom in the kitchen and she taught me how to create dishes that are quick, hearty, healthy and most importantly, inexpensive. Most of her recipes were created from her Portuguese culture, and combined with having an Italian father, I learned some Italian dishes as well. Put them together and you get my style, "Port-Talian."

When my cooking is done and my family is fed, I love hiking, swimming, playing softball, and gardening. I love to create as many meals as I can, using a main ingredient. Not only does that save time and money but energy as well. I love being a stay-at-home mom and passing on all that my parents have taught me. Now that they have passed away, it's important to keep their traditions and recipes alive. "Cook quick! Cook simple! Cook inexpensive!" From my family to yours, "Mangia-Bom" -- eat well (Port–Talian)!