I will try nearly any recipes if the ingredient list sounds interesting to me. Sometimes, it's terrific. Once, I threw the recipe away after the third bite. I like to experiment & challenge myself a little bit. I expect perfection but my husband reminds me that not every dish will be a gourmet feast. He'd be happy with the same favorites every week but no matter what I cook, he always eats it & rarely complains. Even when I want to toss it & have a peanut butter sandwich, he's happy to eat whatever I've made. Being raised in the North has given me a different perspective on just how wonderful Southern cooking is. The first time I had a slaw dog, I was mad. I'd been eating hot dogs without cole slaw for 29 years & I had obviously missed out on a wonderful food experience. One of our all-time favorite meals is ribeyes or strip steaks on the grill. The sad part is that no matter how great the steak is, we always have to throw a couple pounds of hotdogs on the grill to enjoy the next day. At least we say it's for the next day but we usually have a hot dog on the plate with our steak. I try to maintain the same basic holiday dishes I grew up with but like to alter them slightly. The standard green bean casserole has been changed to frozen green beans sauted in bacon drippings. The dressing has been reworked several times. The corn casserole switches between two favorite family recipes. It's my own twist on the great family holiday meals I remember. I have received rave reviews for this ganache glazed chocolate cake I found online. It has become a family favorite and has been requested for weddings, showers and birthdays. It's divine & when people enjoy it, my ego puffs up a bit. I also have a chicken salad recipe that has developed a cult following. It's been requested for many office lunches & has grown to involve 5 lbs of chicken. This year, I gave it as Christmas gifts to 3 friends at work & they actually squealed with delight & high fived each other when they opened the packages. I've cried over sausage gravy. Took a lot of years & just as much patience but I finally got it. Some say stubborn...I prefer persistant.