I am a food addict and don't plan on recovering any time soon! I truly enjoy cooking and baking, although I still have much to learn. In addition to kitchen time, reading is one of my favorite hobbies. Also, I am the oldest of seven children, and my husband and I spend a lot of time with both of our families, because our parents and siblings live close. Finally, I am very excited to be accepted into the Allrecipes Brand Ambassador program for 2013. I enjoy trying new foods, but I often cook chicken dishes, because they are fairly easy and cheap. I really enjoy baking, but my husband does not like many sweets (much to my chagrin!) So, I often volunteer to bake a dessert whenever we spend time with other people or attend a church activity. My favorite cooking/baking traditions are those that occur the days before holidays. My mother and I sometimes stay up all night baking together (usually Greek & Jewish recipes handed down from my grandmothers), and it is really a bonding time. Most of the recipes from Allrecipes lead to cooking success stories. Thank you to all the members of AR that have contributed recipes and reviews. They have been quite helpful! When I first began cooking, I had several poor attempts at using the broiler, most of which ended in a fire! I am happy to report that I have finally learned how to use it, after several tries. :)