About Me

 
Hi, my name is Joy but I have been called Joybee most of my life.  The story is that my sisters started calling me Joybee when I was a baby.  When my mom asked them why they said it was short for Joy baby (they were only 2 years older).  Since then my sisters still call me Joybee and my friends and husband picked it up as well.  So I'm Joybee.

I am originally from North Carolina but since college and marriage I have lived in Houston, TX, Minneapolis, MN, and now I live in Honolulu, HI.  From each place I've lived I took away something food related.

Growing up in North Carolina gave me a love for pork barbeque and hush puppies. And was where I first became interested in cooking and baking.  In Houston I worked as a bartender so I know how to mix a cocktail.  I learned more about Mexican cuisine and I had my first Vietnamese, Thai, and even Ethiopian food. In Minnesota I learned to call a casserole a hot dish, learned about organic and vegan foods, Swedish meatballs and lefse, and even learned about Indian food. Now in Hawaii I'm learning about local foods, Chinese foods, fish, and tropical fruits and vegetables. Hopefully all of these will be reflected in my blog.

About 5 years ago I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).  Basically I tell people that I have short circuits in my brain so my body doesn't always obey me.  MS symptoms are different for everyone but for me I have problems with balance and walking.  I have to use a walker to get around my house and I use a mobility scooter for longer distances.  This doesn't make it impossible to cook, but it has changed my methods.   I sit at a table to do all of my prep work and I have to sit at my stove while cooking.  I prep my food a while before cooking so that I have everything ready to go when I start.  I am a bit slower than most people and much slower than I used to be but I have adapted and I focus on what I can do, and sometimes I have to ask my husband to lift a heavy lasagna in and out of the oven.  Sometimes I spend all day cooking (taking breaks along the way) but it is always rewarding to have a delicious result.

Well that's me I hope you enjoy the blog.

12/25/16 Update:

As you can probably see, I have stopped posting new recipes.  I still enjoy cooking and creating/trying new recipes I'm just taking a break from my blog.  I may start up again, but right now I just visit occasionally to use my favorite recipes.  I try to update my featured post to match what I'm cooking so keep an eye out.  Thanks for your interest.