I love growing things to eat. But having a garden is like having a pet. When I've harvested something that I've tended patiently it feels like such a success. I love it when I make something up and it actually tastes good! But sometimes, I can't remember how to repeat creating a dish. My heritage is mostly meat and potatoes. So it's taken me a while to get to know and enjoy cook seafood or using exotic spices veggies. Most of it has been trial and error. I try to not let my kids know that most of the things I serve them, I would have never eaten as a kid! All the birthday cakes I've made for the kids. I can't believe they come out as good as they do...my husband usually swoops in the lends a hand when I'm at a breaking point. I attempted to display my newlywed cooking skills to an old high school girlfriend who was visiting from out of state. I made blackened steak but ended up smoking up the apartment and setting off the smoke alarm. There was so much spicy smoke in the air, that our eyes were watering.