MyDarkSide wrote:
One thing that's funny is when your mom cooks for you, making certain things specifically well, then at some point, you try to make them yourself. Just not the same. My mom makes killer turkey burgers, but when I try.....ehhhh! Also makes this interesting 'mexican' dish with chunks of chicken, onions, tomatoes/sauce, corn chips and lots of cheese. Another dish called Mohican Reds which has chicken, onions, and lettuce (of all things) wrapped into tortillas, covered in a mexican sauce and cheese, then baked.

Also, doesn't nearly everyone's mom make the best fried chicken and natural cut fries?
Part of the thing is that when you mix those ingredients by yourself, you remember them, and the result isn't quite so magical.  "Yeah, cheese, tomatoes, beef, peppers . . . big deal."  I'm sure that I could duplicate stuff that I get at restaurants, but it isn't the same as getting the dish all at once and digging in.

Now, I was trained in chemistry, and I can follow a recipe as well as anybody, to the letter.  However, anything prepared by my grandma, my mom or my wife (or someone else's gramdma etc.) is always better than anything I could ever cook.  "Yeah!  Beef, tomatoes, cheese and . . .  what is that?  Yum!"

It probably explains why hot dogs can be so good.