Family Dinner

Family, food and music is everything to the Ponce Family in Queens, NY. When Andrew joins them for dinner, they hand-roll tortillas, make fresh salsas and share rib-eye tacos straight off the grill while enjoying authentic Mariachi music.

In Stowe, Vermont, the von Trapp family, known from the movie "The Sound of Music," shares with Andrew the ways they honor their Austrian heritage through their dinner traditions.

The Brundidge motto is, "Happiness is a choice," and it is a choice they try to make every day. Shawn loves cooking up childhood staples and New Orleans classics that help the family make new memories around the dinner table.

The Biegels have been growing cranberries on their marsh in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, for five generations. Caring for cranberries keeps them busy year-round, but they always make time for family meals on Sundays.

New Jersey sisters Sarah and Kaitlin Leung missed their childhood meals when their parents moved to Beijing in 2013. Together, they started a food blog featuring traditional Chinese recipes to keep the family connected.

Helen and Al Arends of Willmar, MN, love feeding people and with eight kids, they have a crowd before anyone else shows up. When work on their family farm ends on Friday, everyone makes a point to be home for favorites like Helen's Russian pelmeni.

Generations of Cataldos have grown up in their family pork store in Massapequa, NY. Now that Emily and Sam's kids have moved to New York, everyone comes home on Mondays to catch up, let the kids play together and enjoy a traditional family dinner.

The Steffans are a blended family in Galena, IL, and food is the bond that ties them together in good and bad times. Every recipe is named for the family member who made it famous, and even the serving bowls hold special memories.

The Leon family works together at their Cuban restaurant in Miami, serving up dishes out of the family cookbook. They also gather several times a week for meals and always share with whoever drops in from the neighborhood.

The Terrys are members of the Ho-Chunk Nation -- a Native American tribe that, according to oral history, has lived in Wisconsin prior to two ice ages. They believe that food nourishes the body and reconnects them with their land and their ancestors.

There is a feeling of nostalgia behind every African dish the Adeniyi-Taiwo family cooks and eats together. Every Sunday means family dinner at Melody and Hakim's house, and to them, sharing their food and culture is sharing love.

The Zuber family has roots dating back to the founding of Amana Colonies in Iowa by German immigrants. Everyone is family in Amana and Andrew quickly learns that though many residents leave, they always find their way home.

For the DiBernardo family in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, dinner together is an institution as three generations carry on traditions established in their Sicilian grandparents' home. Their legendary dishes include Grandma's pork red sauce and handmade pasta.

Family meals are a source of strength and pride for Laura Rodriguez, a mom who sacrificed everything to make a better life for her family in the United States. Every dish they make, including birria and handmade tortillas, is a nod to their Mexican roots.

For the Beevas family of Minneapolis, food is healing in every way, and they're known for serving and sharing food with the people in their community. Every meal Tomme Beevas makes shows his Caribbean influence and is a nod to his Jamaican roots.

When family isn't nearby, quality time with friends becomes extra important. Minneapolis couple Jon and Laurel have friends who work in the food industry, so their shared meals are top-notch and big enough for all who drop by.

The Palmer family shares their love for all things maple at their family sugar shack in Shelburne, Vermont, much like Grandma Palmer did in the 1940s. From hot dogs to desserts, every recipe includes a little maple syrup.

Jerome Smallwood and his wife, Brianna, share a passion for cooking soul food at their home in Cedar Rapids, IA. Jerome learned the majority of the recipes he makes from his mom, Vivian, who taught her kids the importance of cooking for themselves.

The Petrillo family landed in Florida after a family vacation from New York and never left. The passionate family has an appreciation for southern Italian cooking, love sharing old and new recipes and entertaining their friends in the Miami heat.

The Pinheiros are a large Portuguese and Brazilian family who gather most weekends to cook traditional dishes like picanha and octopus. Then, they enjoy a "loud" dinner in the basement, the only place they all can fit, and end the day with a dance party.