I certainly have my own distinct style in the kitchen. The longer I have been in the kitchen the more I believe less is more. My cooking has been compared to grandma's. And my friends like to call me "mom" when I'm by a stove. I have always loved to cook, but it wasn't until the last 10 years or so that I became serious about wanting to be a great cook for the people I love. I love to travel, and eating and cooking international cuisine is a passion of mine. I have especially been interested in German, French and Asian cuisine because we have relatives living in these areas. Of course I also love foods from Central and South America. I have a friend form Colombia who has been teaching me tricks from her mother. As far as international eating goes, I always say "even if it doesn't look good try it anyway, you might like it". I am a firm believer in giving to the community. I have spent the last few years volunteering at an elementary, and before that a food shelf. I love to cook a sit down dinner every night for my family, especially when my husband joins me in the kitchen. It is so special after a long day to sit quietly with the people you care about and enjoy a hot dish of food together. Probably my favorite thing to make in the kitchen at the moment is anything with dough. I love the mixing, kneading, rising, and all that goes with doughs. I have especially been enjoying baking German and French breads after spending 2 months there this past summer. Baking would probably top my list of traditions. I like to bake a cake for major holidays and birthdays for the people I love. Each Christmas my kids and I bake dozens and dozens of cookies and give them away as gifts to the people we love. After a little experimentation about 3 years ago, I created my own version of the red velvet cake as a gift for my husband. Now several times a year I bake it for him. It's my love cake to him. I was watching a cooking show, and did not write anything down, just tried to remember it. Later that night I tried to "recreate it" it was so awful my family could not even choke it down! We had to toss it and eat cereal.