Is it time to learn to cook?

We all need to learn to cook at some point in our lives. As children, we tend to rely on someone else to put food on the table for us. But as we grow up, and strike out on our own, it becomes necessary to turn everyday ingredients into tasty meals, first for ourselves and perhaps later, for a partner or even a family.

The shops are full of cookbooks, but if you haven't cooked before it can be difficult to know which recipes are easy enough for a new cook to tackle. They often use terms that you have not come across before, which you are expected to understand. They might even miss out vital information, assuming that you know it already!

Preparing and cooking a single meal can be difficult enough for the beginner cook, but planning ahead, so that you have all the ingredients for a week's menu can be a nightmare without a little help. You will need to learn how long different foods will keep fresh for, and how to prepare them.

With the right information cooking need not be difficult, but many young people are put off after trying to tackle recipes with too many steps or expensive ingredients, and failing. With the help of this web site you won't be one of them! You will start with the basics and with each successful, tasty meal under your belt your confidence will grow.

Is this you?

Perhaps you have just left home and set up by yourself? Or you may be off to university?

Maybe you have lost your job, while your partner has held on to theirs, so your roles have turned around leaving you at home to care for the family?

Or you could have a failed relationship behind you and your ex partner used to do all the cooking...leaving you now surviving on unhealthy take-away meals and snacks?

Whatever the reason, with the help of this site you should be up and running quickly, and able to cook good, tasty meals that won't break the budget.

Starting with the basics you will learn how to cook all sorts of everyday foods. Then how to put them together to create inexpensive meals. You will even discover what to do with the leftovers!

Easy to use recipes

As reading recipes can be difficult for beginner cooks (all those unfamiliar terms), I will explain all the steps in detail so they are easy to understand.

If a recipe calls for part of something, such as half an onion, I will make suggestions for other uses for the remainder, so you don't end up with a fridge full of odds and ends.

Most of the recipes will be for one or two servings, you can always double up if you are feeding a family or guests.

Cooking more than you need, and freezing the rest, can save you time. So I will give instructions, where appropriate, for how to package and store your cooking in the freezer, and how to reheat it safely, later.

Many of us prefer to cut down on meat nowadays, whether due to our own morals or just the cost, so many of the meals and recipes included will be suitable for vegetarians. Just look for the "V" symbol.

What equipment will you need?

Stocking a kitchen with the necessary tools, equipment and gadgets can prove expensive. I will talk you through the must haves, nice to haves and the can-do-withouts.. After all, if money is tight you don't want to waste it on gadgets that are used once and then pushed to the back of the cupboard never to be seen again!

I will help you build up a well stocked pantry or store cupboard, so that all the essential ingredients are to hand. You will even learn where to put different foods in your fridge to keep them safe and uncontaminated.

Depending on where you live in the world, you may use a different measuring system to me. Not to worry. The conversion charts will help you follow the recipes, whatever form of measurement you use.

As the Web site grows we might even add an interactive area where you can talk to other visitors, ask for help and share your own experiences as you learn to cook.

So what are you waiting for? Let's learn to cook!