My Mom made the best garlic bread ever. She mixed butter and garlic paste from a jar and slathered loaves of French bread sliced lengthwise. It was never mushy in the middle and too hard on the edges the way it turns out for me.
I have NEVER been able to duplicate her potato salad even though I remember the ingredients she used. And I won't even attempt her perfect melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter cookies.