How I became a "Coincidental Cook"

Let's be honest here.  When I was younger, I was a terrible cook.  Let's go way back to the college years.  Fancy for me was instant Fettichuni Alfredo out of a bag.  You know, the kind you add a cup of water to and cook on the stovetop for 15 minutes.  
The first time my husband and I cooked together, I burned the hell out of his frozen pizza.  Then I dropped it on the floor.  I thought everything needed to be cooked on HIGH.
It's not that I wasn't interested in cooking.  I was just lacking in the basic skills and equipment.
Sure, I took home ec in high school.  I remember foundly sewing my marron and yellow sweatshirt and making a cake out of a box mix.
We wern't really a cooking family.  My mom had a few dishes I really loved.  But it was basically meat and potatoes.
Plus, my parents were busy.  They were both college students themselves.  So a lot of nights, it was "fiend for yourself" as my mom liked to call it.  So the standbys were mac and cheese, frozen pizza, and reconstituated potatoes.  I was actually ahead of a lot of my friends.  If it came in a box or freezer bag, I could cook it.
For some reason, I was a wierdly picky eater.  At one point, I would eat only carrots.  I ate so many of them I turned orange.  It's a real medical condition, I am not making that up.
I really started to become interested in food when I met my husband.  Well, actually when I met my mother-in-law.  She could do things with brocolli that blew my mind.  She was a solid 50's type mom.  She had a five course meal on the table at five, and trouble would be had if there was not at least one thing GREEN on the table.
For me, it blew my away my previous worldview.  Meat could taste delicious.  Bacon wasn't just a main dish.  I had never heard of pan sauces or gravy before.  Eating a simple dinner at their house, at the table, all together taught me to appreciate food in a way I had never had before. 
From my mom, I learned a love of baking.  She would make the most fabulous breads.  I loved to watch her knead the bread, pushing and manipulating the dough under her capable hands.  Yeast was like magic to me, and the wonderful smell of rising and baking bread permeated my childhood. 
As I've gotten older and started messing about in the kitchen,  I learned that I like simple cooking the best.  A great red sauce with meatballs, a savory meatloaf in the oven, or meat and veggies on the grill.    I also like to dabble in the unexpected.  Dishes like Yorkshire pudding, Moroccan chicken, Thai soup.  Things that anyone with a recipe can make, but just don't think to. 
Some of my influences and loves are:  Anthony Bourdain, Alton Brown, Jamie Oliver, Julia Child, Pioneer Woman, Good Ole' Betty Crocker, America's Test Kitchen, and my all-time favorite recipe site: Allrecipes.com.
So occasionally I will post some of my favorite recipes here.  I hope you find the posts entertaining.  I hope you find them informative, and I hope they make you hungry!