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About

Valerie in Ragu kitchen

Hello and welcome!

About Me

My name is Valerie. That’s me in the picture above, which was taken in one of the Ragu kitchens. Online I’m frequently recognized as valmg, which is a combination of my first and last name.

I’m mother of two boys, a 27 year old and a 24 year old with Down Syndrome.

I have two wonderful parents who go above and beyond.

I am a Jersey girl. I was born here and have lived here at the Jersey Shore all of my life except for two years spent living in hell New Hampshire.

I HATE the misuse of the word retarded. I take it personally and find it very offensive.

I spent more than ten years in sales in a call center for an international mail order computer products company. I haven’t been in that field for a good number of years now and I don’t miss it at all. I also spent several years as a medical biller, another job that I do not miss.

I spent a number of years as an office administrator, which I enjoyed quite a bit. During this time I also became certified in Microsoft Office.

I have spent time in recent years as an adult instructor, teaching basic computer skills and how to use the Office suite, as well as leading creative cooking classes on how to use an electric pressure cooker or air fryer.

These are a few of my favorite things.

Coffee. I LOVE coffee. Not many things beat the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I also love French Vanilla cappuccino.

Bagels. Love em! Freshly baked NY style please. Everything (with salt please) flagel (flat bagel) is my favorite kind. Should a flagel not be available an everything bagel works, I will gut it myself. Cream cheese is preferred, and definitely more than just a schmear.

Cheese. I love cheese! My favorite is mozzarella, I also really enjoy cheddar and jack. We always have sliced American deli cheese in the house.

Favorite desserts – Do I have to pick just one? NY style cheesecake, brownies, ice cream.

Favorite sides – I do love my carbs and have had a longtime love affair with pasta, rice and potatoes.

Favorite potato – While potatoes in general make me happy, there is no form of potato that make me more “comfy” than mashed potatoes.

Favorite vegetable – Corn is my favorite vegetable. In season I prefer corn on the cob but will usually be equally happy if the corn is off of the cob.

Favorite cuisine – I am not sure I have just one so want to say “American” because I think that covers a lot.  If I had to choose just one it would be Italian.

Favorite comfort food – Soup. I love soup! While I like many different kinds, the rich and creamy ones tend to be my go-to for comfort.

Favorite small appliance – Definitely my electric pressure cooker and air fryer oven.

I’m a cat lover. Especially seal point Himalayan cats and Siamese cats. My avatar on many sites is a pair of Himalayan cats I had a while back.

I love music. Lots of different stuff, but mainly rock. My favorite bands are Bullet For My Valentine, Papa Roach, and Hinder. Other favorites include Motley Crue, AC/DC, and Oleander.

I love to read. Some favorite authors are JK Rowling, Piers Anthony, Jonathan Kellerman, Faye Kellerman, Patricia Cornwall and VC Andrews. I got my love of reading from my Mom, who shares many books with me to this day.

I love to drive. I love cars, something I got from my Dad. Ever since I was a young girl we would drive through lots looking at cars, as well as sharing in the wonder of seeing certain antiques and classics on the road now.

What do I share on this site?

As a busy mom of 2 boys, I appreciate things that save me time, effort or money. I appreciate them even more when they save me more than one of those things. My favorite thing to share is recipes, foods and cooking products that let you create a tasty meal without tons of time or special knowledge. I also enjoy new finds for the family, ranging from that backpack you can’t kill to the tech you can’t live without and everywhere in between. I love to try new things.

I am thrilled to have worked with many companies including Hellmann’s, Ragu, Johnsonville Sausage, Sara Lee, Oscar Mayer, Betty Crocker, Wonder, Tyson, Rubbermaid and more.

Disclosure. I will disclose if product and/or compensation has been received in order to facilitate a post. The fact that I may have been compensated does not impact what I write. What you read is my real opinion. My opinion cannot be bought.

I hope you enjoy the site.

Contact Me

For questions about this blog, please email me at valmg2 AT gmail DOT com.

PR and Marketing companies and reps, Publishers – I’d love to hear from you too! Please visit my Work With Me page.

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