Being a proper southern boy, I had mama teach me how to make two things before I moved out of the house almost 40 years ago:
1. biscuits and gravy
2. soup beans and cornbread
I figured any fella could survive on his own if he could cook those two properly.
I work from home a lot these days, so...
I still get a kick out of cooking a few times a week; I probably do about half the supper cooking and I dig doing all manner of Chinese stir fry especially. No cheating - I use both the "real" soys and such from China and have a big ol' wok like they use in restaurants.
I do most of the breakfasts on the weekends, too. Yep, cleaning behind myself as I go, short order cook style.
I've learned a proper way to do steak as well (in a proper pan on the stove), after using nothing but a grill for decades. You get that right, that sucker isn't dry anymore and melts in your freakin' mouth.
My wife is from a big Italian family up north, so she's got all that style covered. She mostly hates veggies, too, so I'm on my own with corn and taters and such.