One of the first things my father taught me was that the library was made for and available to me. It's a place where you not only learn from books but you learn responsibility - how to borrow, take care of, and give back.

I love Europe, but we are still struggling with that kind of development. First of all, we don't have a smart conversation about the difference between an immigrant and a refugee. A refugee can't go back. An immigrant is someone - I chose to move to America. And I also have the option of saying hey, didn't work out, I can move back. That's a completely different story than someone who is locked in.

We can all agree that government cant solve the obesity crisis alone. Its an ongoing issue that will require a collaborative effort across private and public sectors if we want to see some long-term success.

But one of the things I have learned during the time I have spent in the United States is an old African American saying: Each one, teach one. I want to believe that I am here to teach one and, more, that there is one here who is meant to teach me. And if we each one teach one, we will make a difference.

I feel very fortunate that I was raised in a multicultural family, and it came through food.

If you're cooking for someone important - whether it's your boss or a date - never try a new recipe and a new ingredient at the same time.

While I hold my own views, it's important not to get too wrapped up in individual candidates and personalities, but instead to focus on the real issues