After many years of box cooking. I am appreciating cooking/baking without the aid of "the box". Learning what goes good with what, the science behind the food. I'm still figuring that out! Mom baked cookies and cakes. Her claim to fame was her spaghetti. My son has picked up on this baking tradition. He makes a great pound cake. Lasagna. I have had dinner parties and 20 years later, I am still asked, do you make that great lasagna. The best my daughter now can make it. Years ago I stuffed some manacotti, leaving it on the counter to run a few errands, my then brother in law tried some. He said it wasn't too bad, but a bit crunchy. I started laughing so hard, and he just stared. I told him it was not cooked yet. He didn't think it was that funny!