You Can Cook

Put down that box of macaroni and cheese and pay attention.  You can cook something that will taste better and be better for you in just about as much time as it will take to mix in the fluorescent orange powder with the spongy pasta.  Honestly, it's not that hard, and you'll be happy with the results.

So how do you start cooking?  First you need ingredients.  You don't need the materials for any specific meals when you start cooking for yourself, but you're going to need some basic ingredients.  Pasta and rice always serve as good bases for your meals, as do starches like potatoes.  You'll want plenty of fresh vegetables, the more the merrier.  If you're just starting to make meals that don't consist of Top Ramen or feed-in-a-box, you'll also want some spices to liven up your dishes.  Though you'll eventually want to build up your collection, basil, garlic, and oregano serve as good bases that will do well complimenting many flavors.  Pick up some flour, sugar, butter, and milk if you don't have them already, plus anything else that strikes your fancy.  One of the best guides is simply to buy ingredients you like, maybe your mom made a lasagna with sausage that you loved or your ex concocted pasta of onions and garlic.  Whatever the ingredients, you can probably find a way to toss them together.

Once you've unpacked your finds, two schools of thought diverge when deciding what to do with your ingredients.  The first says go for it!  Toss together what sounds tasty and see where your tongue takes you.  You'll usually want something filling like pasta or rice as a base along with something flavorful, vegetables and spices, to serve as a topping.  Too much base and you've got bland food, too much topping and your meal is confused and your flavors blend together.

The other school of thought supports recipes, lots of them.  Cookbooks are great, but don't forget that the internet is one of the best utensils to use if you're learning to cook, as you can search for simple recipes that use the ingredients you have to put together a meal you'll love.  There's no reason to be afraid of them either; recipes are just instructions which walk you through the process of preparing a meal.  A little chopping, a little boiling, and a little baking will have you cooking in no time.  If putting together an entire meal is a little too daunting, consider preparing your main dish and pulling side dishes from boxes or freezer bags; there's no need to jump into everything at once.