Scott wrote:

> You hit the nail right on the head...but I'm starting to gain confidence.
> I really admire people who can just 'whip' up a dish and know what and
> how much spices and herbs to use in a dish. What hurts me is I'm not the
> adventurous type...I like to play it safe.

Why? What exactly is lost if you stray from a recipe? A few dollars at
most if it is a *total* flop, which it rarely is? What you'll gain in
experience and understanding of food far outweighs the risks to me.