I grew up in the kitchen too. By the time I was 9 or 10 I was doing most of the cooking for our family of 7. Mom taught me the basics starting with how to peel potatoes and then the rest came with it. Meat and potatoes for most meals. I was handling a pressure cooker by the time I was 12. Home Ec. was fun in junior high school and then high school it widened my scope of cooking. I was already good a baking too by the age of 12 since my dad was a big canner and so pies it was and biscuits and fruit cobblers. I can make a pineapple upside down cake with out a recipe by doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that.. So as I got older I kept expanding my cooking skills. I can follow a recipe and can cook plain ole regular daily meals. My DH says I am a great cook and he has not a single complaint. I taught my girls to cook. I didn't think they were paying attention but apparently they were because they have both become good cooks. One is better than the other though. I figure there is alway something new to learn.