Step 1 - Take Control. Stand in the middle of your kitchen and declare, "I can cook. This isn't rocket science." Ignore the snickering from your family.

Step 2 - Revive Your Spices. Look to see if your spice jar contents are caked or harboring fugitive insects. Open the jar and sniff the spice. If you can't detect a flavor, neither will your taste buds. Finally, taste a small amount of the seasoning. If the dust from the stereo cabinet tastes better, toss the jar out.

Step 3 - Take Small Steps. When making dinner, don't just rip open a mix, stir, and serve. Think how you can use your newly-revived spices in what you already make. Perhaps that chili mix will taste better with more cumin. Add some parsley and garlic to your potatoes au gratin mix. Little by little, you'll learn how to use your spices.

Step 4 - Going Solo. Eventually you'll be able to branch out and create your own seasoning mixes from scratch. Read the ingredients label of your favorite stir-and-serve meal. Use that as a starting point for your own creations. Developing your own recipe isn't as hard as it sounds. Here's one I created for Roasted Potato Wedges just by reading the packet at the store.

2 pounds potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder