I am the oldest in a family of seven kids (I still can't figure out how to cook for two!), and have two sons. Ok fine, one is actually my husband but sometimes it seems like he's my first kid! I was raised with a strong sense of family and my Italian heritage, although I am also Irish and German, and this has definitely influenced my cooking preferences. Since I was a girl I have been notorious for choosing cookbooks as my casual reading. I always enjoyed looking up new recipes, unique foods, and different cooking methods, but it wasn't until I got married that I finally had the time and space to really flex my wooden spoon (so to speak). Jeez, I'll try nearly anything once. I love trying new things, especially if they present a challenge. I'm always proud of anything I've made from scratch and since my husband has a somewhat restrictive diet I do alot of scratch cooking. If I were to pick a more specific food though, I would have to say holiday goodies are my favorite. Fall/Christmas is my favorite time of the year and the food is one of the best parts! Hmm, not too many food traditions, although I'm working on starting some. There are a few Christmas cookie recipes that are sacred to me and you would seriously have to kiss my bum to get them! Bread. For some reason I have always been terrified by the thought of yeast breads, certain that I would have the water too hot or too cold and kill the yeast. I was so proud of my self when I took a deep breath and gave it a shot and it turned out so well. There's little that can compare to the smell of a simple loaf of crusty white bread. I once ruined jello. I was so impatient for *instant* jello to set that I stuck it in the freezer... and forgot all about it. I don't suggest anyone try that. I also seemingly refuse to learn the lesson that you should never try a new recipe for guests, no matter how often my mother told me! I'll never forget the shame of seeing an older relative take two respectful bites of gritty ricotta cheesecake and promptly ignore the plate. Thank God for allrecipes and their reviews! They make my stubborn refusal to make "safe food" alot less painful!