Cook of the Year: Pat Potter of Carol Stream

Two months after we met Pat Potter, the "gutsy" cook who says "grocery shopping ranks right up there with clothes shopping," she retired after 14 years in the registrar's office at Glenbard North High School in Glen Ellyn.

About the same time her daughter, son-in-law and "two granddogs" moved in for nine months with her and husband Gary.

"I cooked more than I have in the last 5 years," she says. "I loved it. We all gained weight, us and the dogs."

Best meal I cooked in 2008: Always Thanksgiving. It is such a wonderful meal to prepare, and visually it's one of the best all year. It is "memory cooking." The smells of the Thanksgiving feast generate memories of all the past gatherings.

Culinary goal 2009: To finish my cookbook.

Culinary dream: To cook for Gordon Ramsay (famously demanding star of Fox Network's "Hell's Kitchen") and have him love it! I love his attitude.

Favorite kitchen tool: Good sharp knives in various sizes without pieces of me on them!

Funniest/worst cooking experience 2008: My husband decided to try his hand in the kitchen; this is never good. His drink mixture exploded, leaving grape soda and protein powder over everything, including the dogs!

Best new recipe source: "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." It's amazing how the short-order cooks have such originality.

Best restaurant meal: Seafood Newburg at the Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. I'm still trying to figure out the recipe; it twanged my buds.

About my recipe: Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup, developed in 1994. It is definitely a food hug. Soups always are a comfort to the body and feed the soul.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Recipe</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=260999">Creamy Chicken Orzo Soup </a></li> </ul> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=14&type=video&item=28">Pat Potter preparing creamy chicken orzo soup</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>