I'm a mother of four small children and have a busy husband who works often. I try to juggle my love with experimenting in the kitchen with the practicality of having to get something on the table in a reasonable amount of time. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I don't. I love trying new things. Especially things I'm slightly afraid to attempt to see if I can make it work!! My favorite family cooking tradition is one that has been passed down through generations. It is a simple sage stuffing for a Thanksgiving turkey. The few times I had a Thanksgiving meal without it, I was very sad!!! I couldn't think of celebrating the holiday sans stuffing again! The first time I cooked Thanksgiving dinner was for 17 people. I was still in my early 20s, and was scared to death. It came off beautifully and I have been doing it ever since. That's when I really began to see myself as a competent cook. Thankfully, I have not had any full-blown tragedies. Things don't always turn out well, but I have yet to encounter a real disaster