Dorothea hails from Maryland, which she attributes her love of seasfood to.  Her grandmother was from the South and she learned to cook by watching her work her magic in the kitchen.

Now that she moved to California to help her daughter take care of her children, Dorothea loves being the grandmother showing her grandkids how to cook. Her grandson is truly a picky eater but her favorite compliments are from him when he ends up licking the plate clean after eating. 

Dorothea wasn't on a budget until she got divorced from her first husband that ended up leaving her as a single mother to two daughters. Her children had no idea that money was tight because she was still able to put hot, delicious meals on the table.

Since she has had quite a few years under her belt when it comes to cooking on a budget, one of Dorothea's favorite budget hacks is substituting oysters on the half shell for oyster mushrooms. She loves to make po' boy sandwiches and says that you can't even tell the difference that she isn't using real oysters.

Now semi-retired, Dorothea still cooks on a budget because of her limited income. She loves to cook for her family as well as host all holiday get-togethers. Even though she has a champagne taste on a beer budget, Dorothea always finds a way to make her dollar stretch.