I don't view 'cooking' as a challenge anymore. Most little boys (and some girls) used to make those little model airplanes and tanks and boats that came in pieces in a box that had to be glued together in the right order and painted and finished. They always came with a set of instructions with the sequence from A to Z.
Recipe books are the same, a set of instructions. You just need to add all the components. However, when you have made enough different dishes, you start to play with the ingredients and create your own new ones. Learning the basics, then applying it in different ways.
I bake my own bread, I make fresh pasta, I love sauces...
Cooking is now a creative process for me and is very therapeutic. I do it to relax!
Dinner at The Baskervillas is always an adventure!
Knight