I mostly cook for my family and friends. I have only been cooking for a few years on my own but I already have family and friends requesting food for parties and such. I love to be creative when I cook. I am pretty good at making nothing into something when we are low on money! Most of mine and my husband's family is Italian so, of course, I love to cook Italian food! Pastas, Sauces, and italian cookies and desserts are among my most requested recipes. Occasionally I like to dab into some Mexican or Asian inspired foods. I like to just kind of throw things together. People say they love the different ways I make well known foods. Like when I put sausage, spinach, mushrooms and zucchini in my lasagna when alot of people just use hamburger and cheese. Or when I make cookies with whatever ingredients I have lying around. You end up with combos you'd never think of, but they work really well together! My biggest cooking (and everything else) influence was my Grandmother, who showed me lots of Jewish recipes. So when i'm not cooking Italian for family get togethers, I like to make things like Matzo Ball soup and Potato Pancakes (Latkes). My dad says he taught me how to make my husband's favorite apple pie, but I just always figured I made it up! I think he just wants to take credit, LOL! Last year for Christmas I made a basket for each family with pasta, sauce, breadsticks, and biscotti, all homemade. I got a lot of thanks for that one and a couple people even requested the same present this year! There hasn't been too many yet, knock on wood, but I do remember accidently ommiting baking powder when baking cookies. Hockey pucks anyone?