Food

Food always seems to taste better the more time and effort you put into it.  You know the old phrase "Blood, sweat, and tears?"  I once had a roommate tell me she thought there was some credit in that.  Sometimes you can have a recipe that is the exact same as your mother's/grandmother's/friend's, and it never seems to turn out the same.  She used to say it was because you put a bit of yourself into the recipe and it added a specific flavor and texture to the food.  At the time I thought it was pretty gross, but now I'm thinking she has a point.  Oh, and I also think that cooking with love (you know, from grandma or mom), makes things taste better as well.  ;)
The same goes for boxed dinners/desserts.  It may look delicious on the box, but turns out disappointing in the long run.  I've made better dinners by just throwing stuff together and calling it a casserole than by using the boxed dinners that you get from the grocery store.  More filling and less fattening too.  We had a caramel apple boxed dessert last night, and I must say I'm rather sad at the outcome.  *sigh*  I suppose I'll have to use my google skills and find a REAL recipe for that kind of thing.