When I first started cooking I had no idea I would start creating my own recipes or modify some that were given to me. Some of the recipes I tried didn’t make sense nor did the combination or quantity of ingredients. I tried the recipe in its original form first before making adjustments. From there I either logged it as a keeper or modified it according to taste. I cook to please the palates of those I cook for. If my dinner guests are pleased so am I. I have been dubbed “Iron Chef Rancho” by those who have witnessed my cooking prowess because I demonstrate techniques I learned from watching the professionals ply their art. Basically, I like to play with food and create original recipes. I won't get hollered at because cooking to me is playing with food. I don’t find it to be drudgery. Recently I was chosen to cook on KCTS 9 Cooks with Cheese and I have several published recipes. Im not sure I have any real favorites I like to cook. Maybe squigs (Long story) or Shrimp & Asparagus with Fettuccine In Mustard Cream Sauce if I were pushed to choose. Other than that I'm all over the board as to what I cook. This question is difficult to answer. Traditions, according to the norm is something you learned how to cook when you were growing up and still cook today.Or it is like Thanksgiving dinner. You have the same things year after year. This could also be a family style of cooking too. I learned many things but have created my own style of cooking with a few exceptions for some of the food I liked growing up. Those dishes are few by comparison to the recipe collection I have created. If that be the case, I really dont know what my traditions are. I may revise this answer later. Wow, cooking triumphs. Where do I go with this question? I guess as far as triumphs go I would say that any meal people devour and you have little or no leftovers is a triumph. As for extending that I would have to say any time I create a new recipe would also fall into that category. I visited my Brother-In-Law when my Sister was out of town and I wanted to do a special dinner for him so I defrosted a couple of really nice dry aged Rib Eye steaks and said I was going to give him a taste treat. Cooking on my Sisters grill was not a good choice. I put the steaks on the grill, closed the lid like I always do and went into the house to finish with the accompaniments. Well, I noticed there was an abnormal amount of smoke coming from the grill and I panicked. The grill was a blaze and the steaks were a charred mess. None the less, I scraped the char off and we ate them and the outcome was very disapointing.However, life goes on and so does creating new recipes for friends and family.