I second this. For years I thought recipes were secret inalterable incantations. Once I realized that there were basic patterns (soup, casserole, curry, etc) I

I second this. For years I thought recipes were secret inalterable incantations. Once I realized that there were basic patterns (soup, casserole, curry, etc) I found joy in "hacking" food. It then became a challenge to use the contents of my fridge in the tastiest way.