What a brilliant comparison: recipes and poetry.  As a poet, this really resonated with me, especially since there is something very satisfying to me about finding a really good recipe, following it, and eating (and sharing) the delicious results.  But after years of trying to "fit" in a TDC prevalent community, I found that recipes didn't cut it for my spiritual life.  The first poem I wrote as (what I consider) a poet, was about why I hated poetry.  It was, looking back, more about why I was scared of poetry.  But I finally embraced that poetry, and eventually the tools of an NDC, and I'm so glad I did.  I still enjoy a good recipe, though.  ;)

This reminds me: did I ever give you a copy of my self-published poetry chapbook last year? This seems like an appropriate forum to ask.