Tough Love

The only way you're going to develop your own cooking style is to cook in your own kitchen. Many people have different ideas about what works best for them, including, yours truly. And I will say that what works sometimes does not work other times. Given certain factors like ingredients being available inexpensively, time available and my own capabilities in the kitchen. I once climbed  my girlfriends house to stand on her roof to get oranges and made 10 jars of orange marmalade - and it was worth every ounce of elbow grease to have homemade jam for myself and for gifts. These kinds of opportunities don't come along every day - grab them and get every good thing you can from it when something like this comes your way!
My first winter in Idaho, I had two jars of marmalade left and they were like gold to me. That kind of appreciation can't be bought.
When home cooking is a priority to you, you become more resourceful in your surroundings. Look, see and become a part of it by using things - possibly differently than you're used to. Think about using an ingredient differently, then try it. The only way you're going to know if it's good or if you like it is try it. To reap the rewards of cooking yourself, your hands are going to get dirty, your kitchen is going to be a mess and sometimes it's not going to be that great. But think of it this way, you can adjust your cooking if something is not quite right, you can do something to it to make it more pleasant. And next time, hopefully, it will turn out right from the start.
I made some rice and beans the other day that were just eh, you know nothing special. I was wondering what in the world I was going to do with this huge pot of rice and beans so some went into a container and I made 5 burritos for lunch. Into the tortilla went the rice and beans, a little cheese, salsa and sour cream, wrapped tightly in wax paper and when I took it to work it was amazing - absolutely delicious. Some canned tomatoes and some chili powder added to the other container will 'refresh' it and liven it up a bit and make it tasty.
There is nothing as satisfying as doing something yourself and learning from your own mistakes!