I am 25 years old and I've been living in Japan for a little over a year. I've been married for five years and I am currently in the military (Active Duty). I have two dogs, a four year old Kishu-Inu named Pongo (or "Mr. Yang" as we call him) and an eight month old Sheltie named Kamikaze (he's earned the nicknames "Kazmi-nut" and "Destructo Dog"). I love cooking Italian food (I'm half Italian) and after my husband had a few tours in the Middle East he's been a fan of Middle Eastern food ever since. I like Greek food as well and I'm trying to venture into German foods (had a pretty successful jaeger schnitzel thanks to allrecipes). I absolutely love Japanese food. I've made yakisoba and ramen a few times and I'm hoping to get a sushi/sashimi kit soon because those are two of my very favorite foods. Well we really don't have any "passed down" recipes other than what my Mom has collected over the years. Italian dishes are a family favorite (naturally) and we all make the same dishes with a personal touch. Everyone I've fed my quesadillas to has really liked them, so if I'm having guests over and I'm not feeling adventurous I'll make those. I made some really good stuffed peppers, stuffed mushrooms and Armenian Shish Kabobs. Those are a few I'd definitely list as a triumph (thanks to the recipes from this site). Don't ask me how... but I managed to screw up INSTANT mashed potatoes once! I must've horribly misread the directions because they tasted like a salt lick. My husband still teases me about that to this day. Oh, and I've learned to take my time-- nothing ruins a meal more than turning up the heat to save time. You end up with nothing but burnt chicken and dry steaks.