Hell's Kitchen or Iron Chef??

EnJ, I am making tator tot hotdish again!!! I have bought all of the "correct" ingredients, I learned my lesson last year, ha!! At any rate, Casa de Veggie smells great. As long as this turns out better than the chili debacle from a week ago or so. Anyone ever burn chili? Ever second guess how hot a gas stove will get when you return to the office during lunch to let your supper simmer? Anyone ever get a little pissy because you no longer own a crock pot, and kick yourself for walking by them at Target and thinking "humm...I should get one, BUT when would I ever use it" Needless to say, I think I will be getting a crock pot for Christmas, I have recently lost my microwave as well....hint hint. The microwave disappearance of 2009 has actually been a GREAT for me. It has caused me to cook meals and not just warm up left overs all the time. I regress back to the "Great Chili Cook-off" As my elder brother would do, I laid out all of the "stuff" to make sure I didn't get half way through and need to run to the store, remember I am doing this during my lunch hour, AND its interrupting my nap time. I get everything going and it smells good. I know walking into the house after work to the smell of chili on a what was a cold wet crumby day out, was going to be exactly what I needed. Alas, I walked into a stench, much like foot...but with a burnt odor, as I entered the house. Now, for those that have never burnt any tomato based soups, sauces, etc I would recommend against it. Not only did I damn near ruin a stock pot, I had to toss my supper in the garbage. Thankfully I had frozen pizza and beer to fall back on. Now I like to cook. Its relaxing, calming, peaceful and I love all of the smells that I can generate from a pinch of this and a dash of that. But I am suddenly second guessing my ability to cook. Perhaps it was all of the Ironman training this past summer that got me out of my groove to cook.,,,,Qdoba called the other day and wondered if I was still breathing. I hadn't been in for a few weeks to get my usual 2 chicken burritos and chips/cheese order. I was apparently the result of their economic downturn.
I have yet to remake chili...I have eaten 3/4's of a pot of Kater's...which is fantastic. Perhaps I am gun shy and not sure if I can cook. Perhaps I should return to Qdoba? Maybe go to Lets Dish and do the frozen meals? Maybe I'll just start eating McDonald's and muster up that great McMusk smell you get from eating it. Now these are random thoughts, maybe I'll go through with them, more than likely not. Why you ask? Because I am neither Hells Kitchen nor the Iron Chef, but I can cook, and I love to do it!!!