Who are you?   My name is Beth, and I am 25 years old.  I currently live in a suburb outside Philadelphia, where I was also born & raised.

Getting ready for a trip to Michigan 2007

Did you go to college?  I graduated from Penn State University in 2008 with a degree in Communications (Film/Video).  Being a Penn State alum is something I’m most proud of, as most other PSU alum can relate to.  I am a fanatic PSU football fan and try to visit as often as possible.

What do you enjoy besides being the cook?  Aside from PSU football, I am also a Phillies fan.  Baseball is my favorite sport to watch, and have even obsessed over a few seasons of my own fantasy team in the past.  Having studied film & video in college, you’d be right to guess that I love movies!  You can call me grandma, but I’m happy to admit that I needlepoint.  It is a great way for me to be creative and also I find it very relaxing while I am watching one of my many TV shows.

Dave and I Spring 2011

Are you single?  Sorry boys!  I have a wonderful boyfriend, Dave (we call him Dahv) and we have been dating for over 4 years!  We grew up living 5 minutes away from each other and both went to Penn State, but somehow did not meet until after college.  The Dahv is my favorite go-to recipe taste-tester and is very supportive of my new blog, although he is most excited to have more free time for the Flyers, Phillies, and of course any televised NFL or even College football game.

Stelly outside on Mother’s Day 2011

Do you have any pets?  I am 100% dog person.  My entire life can be categorized by which dog we currently owned at the time.  Sherlock, Watson, Hershey, Garcia, Roux… and now Sushi and the princess of them all, STELLA!  Sushi is my family dog, a 8 year-old German Shepherd mix.  Stella- or more properly “Stella-May”, sometimes Stelly-Bear, Mooshie, Pooper-Scooper, Pumpkin-Bread, Ruffer, Muffintop, etc, etc.  is a 4 year-old Bichon-Poodle mix.  She also happens to be my dog, and is the most adorable thing alive.

How do you eat all this delicious food and not gain 100s of lbs?  Although I’m not currently at my desired weight, I try hard to eat well and exercise as much as I can.  About 2 years ago, I lost 12 lbs on Weight Watchers.  In most of my everyday recipes, I replace as many items as possible with lower-fat / calorie substitutions.  I also think exercise is very important for anyone, but especially us foodies!  I try to go to the gym at least 3-4 times per week.  I have recently discovered spinning which has been a great addition to my routine.

10/11/12 Update:

This past summer in 2012, I started back up on Weight Watchers.  I also began consulting with a dietitian who gave me more direction and helped me lose almost 15lbs!  I have 5 more pounds to go to reach my goal weight.  It’s hard to keep up with a diet making all of this delicious food but adding some new exercise classes such as a Total Toning and Kickboxing class have kept things fresh and interesting.

Can I re-post your recipes?  I would be honored if anyone would like to try and share my recipes.  Many of my recipes have been inspired by or modified from others, so please be respectful as I am and mention that the recipes are from Beth at It’s Good To Be The Cook, along with the link.  I would appreciate an email and also would enjoy seeing a link to your page!  Thank you

How can I contact you?  Easy!  Choose one of the following ways:

Email:  itsgoodtobethecook@gmail.com

Twitter:  @Goodtobethecook