I have figured out the advantages to cooking -- cheaper than eating out; not waiting to be seated or served; control over the menu; my family's appreciation; justifiable reason to have someone else clean up after the meal. The "I-don't-cook" people are becoming tiresome to me. Most people cook not because they have always loved to do it, but because they had to be practical. Then your successes become reinforcing. There are so many resouces and feedback to give people assistance now -- loving ALL RECIPES! In today's times it's important to realize that even the simplest things are special when nicely served. We just had over friends coming to play cards (Spades) and had just as nice a time serving soup and salad than some expensive cut of meat. You can evaluate a recipe for its cost based on the ingredients and the yield, just as you would for evaluate for taste or fat content. Once, years ago, I took a recipe card to the store to shop for the ingredients, lost it, and couldn't duplicate the recipe. I determined to keep the "winners" you knew you'd want again in a spiral bound notebook so I could keep them together. Originally, it had a yellow cover (the yellow recipe book). Now it's the 'previously known as the yellow covered recipe book', that is - it's falling apart. Time for a redo. Its always good to come back to old favorites, and be able to put your hands on them when you want them!! Then they can be shared with the kids. And, just maybe, I have a few things to pass on. Love when my mom has asked for a recipe which has just floored her because she had pegged my sister as "the cook" in the family because she had expressed early interest in cooking. I was pegged for my musical interests or studies. So, it's just amazing to her when I do something outside of those preconceptions. Go figure! Rushing to fix a birthday cake before a child's birthday party. You can't rush a frosted layer cake. It was still warm and the frosted layers kind of slid. Well, that's a lie, they slid all right. There's the advantage to sheet cakes!