I grew up in New York City, and both my parents worked. On weekends, we'd go out to the country, and on Sunday nights we'd come back. Sometimes we were a little cranky - it was a long drive. But we could always look forward to one thing: my mother's ziti and meat sauce.

My husband and I have a deal, which has worked out well: He cooks one Sunday, I cook the next. The kids set the table, and we eat in the dining room together, just as I used to do as a kid.

My kids won't eat all whole-wheat pasta, so my trick is to mix some in with white pasta. Cook the whole-wheat for about a minute and a half before you add the white pasta.

I love Goody's Spin Pins. They're super cheap and look like corkscrews. You just gather your hair and screw them into a bun.