I am a widow with 6 children ages 24 down to 13. I enjoy baking alot and love to put on a great presentation for holidays. My husband left me his business so I don't have as much time to spend in the kitchen as I used to but still manage to work it in. We have many family traditions that we treasure but it is fun to create new ones. After all these years, it's hard to fit them all in. I cook for my church a lot since they are a captive audience. I use them to experiment. My mother is a great cook and she taught ne the basics when I was growing up. I don't have a favorite thing to cook but whatever I make I like to make a pretty presentation. I love planning and executing larger holiday events down to the last detail. Cookies at Christmas. We make thousands and my kids love requesting and helping to make their personal favorites. We recently held a surprise 50th anniversary party for my parents. My sisters and I cooked the entire meal ourselves rather than have it catered. It was a huge success-appetizers, main course and sides, and desserts-all homemade. The only complaint came from my parents who were so busy talking, they didn't get much to eat. Years ago we were vegetarians and I followed this recipe for bean stroganoff from a vegetarian cookbook. Even planned a family dinner around it. It was horrible! 15 years later and I'm still hearing about it.