Not going to offer recipes because other people have done that and there's millions of recipes available online but I'll offer two tips that others have missed:
1. Mise en place: everything put in its place. Before you start cooking anything, cut up all vegetables (invest in some tiny glass bowls for vegetables, even smaller ceramic bowls for sauce and spices), steak (for example) out of the fridge, seasoning and olive oil next to it, kettle on (if boiling water). Once you think you have everything, review and check. Then, turn the heat on and start. If you're a total beginner, take mise en place to a ridiculous degree and have everything ready to go. Once you're more confident, you can begin to multitask and dice the onion while you're browning the meat.
2. If your recipe calls for your food to simmer for x amount of time, or meat needs to cook for seven minutes each side, or you have to rest your meat, this is the time to clean. Have a sink full of hot, soapy water (added benefit, you can quickly wash your hands as you go) and most dishes, if you get to them quick enough only need a quick wipe in the water. If you do this right you'll only be left with the dishes used for eating and the serving dish and it makes cleaning a breeze. Never leave a dish on the bench as the residue will harden and leave you having to scrub dishes. If you have to leave a dish (eg pot with bolognese leftovers) divide leftovers into containers (my gf is obsessed with Tupperware but Chinese takeaway containers are great) and soak pot in water.
These two tips mean there is no stress in cooking and no huge mess to clean at the end meaning you're more likely to cook again.
Gordon Ramsay also has some excellent basic cooking tutorials on YouTube. He'll help you nail a couple of basic recipes to perfection and Jamie Oliver is useful for learning matching flavour combinations and little tips and tricks (eg, when crumbing a schnitzel or prepping meat, use baking paper instead of a plate, fold the baking paper over and use a rolling pin to flatten and tenderise. Zero mess)
1. Mise en place: everything put in its place. Before you start cooking anything, cut up all vegetables (invest in some tiny glass bowls for vegetables, even smaller ceramic bowls for sauce and spices), steak (for example) out of the fridge, seasoning and olive oil next to it, kettle on (if boiling water). Once you think you have everything, review and check. Then, turn the heat on and start. If you're a total beginner, take mise en place to a ridiculous degree and have everything ready to go. Once you're more confident, you can begin to multitask and dice the onion while you're browning the meat.
2. If your recipe calls for your food to simmer for x amount of time, or meat needs to cook for seven minutes each side, or you have to rest your meat, this is the time to clean. Have a sink full of hot, soapy water (added benefit, you can quickly wash your hands as you go) and most dishes, if you get to them quick enough only need a quick wipe in the water. If you do this right you'll only be left with the dishes used for eating and the serving dish and it makes cleaning a breeze. Never leave a dish on the bench as the residue will harden and leave you having to scrub dishes. If you have to leave a dish (eg pot with bolognese leftovers) divide leftovers into containers (my gf is obsessed with Tupperware but Chinese takeaway containers are great) and soak pot in water.
These two tips mean there is no stress in cooking and no huge mess to clean at the end meaning you're more likely to cook again.
Gordon Ramsay also has some excellent basic cooking tutorials on YouTube. He'll help you nail a couple of basic recipes to perfection and Jamie Oliver is useful for learning matching flavour combinations and little tips and tricks (eg, when crumbing a schnitzel or prepping meat, use baking paper instead of a plate, fold the baking paper over and use a rolling pin to flatten and tenderise. Zero mess)
