what results are you having that cause things to not be right?

Get some good recipes and learn them first (I like allrecipes.com). Follow them to the letter. After you're sure you made it the way it's supposed to be, you can start tinkering a bit with the recipe and figuring out how to make it even better.

Don't turn the heat up too high. Cooking things on high heat causes things to burn on the outside before they cook properly in the middle.

Be careful of your ingredients and the order in which you use them. Fresh ingredients are always better than the pre-packaged/dried kind.

You could start out with something simple and that can last a few meals, so you have to cook less!

If you like Italian food, you could perhaps try this simple, fool-proof pasta salad. It should be eaten cold, so you can take your time and fix it in advance. You can also cook enough to last you for a couple of meals, so you can cook once and eat twice or three times!

Ingredients for 2 abundant plates:

- 5 oz penne pasta (Barilla is the best brand - also available as "whole grain");
- 1 zucchini;
- 2 oz. cherry tomatoes;
- 1 mozzarella cheese [1/2 is actually enough, but I love mozzarella!];
- A handful of black olives (sliced or whole);
- 2 cloves of garlic (or garlic powder if you are in a hurry);
- 3 large basil leaves (or dried basil if you are in a hurry);
- Olive oil (extra virgin for more flavour);
- Salt (sea salt if possible).

Tools & equipment:

- An electric grill (George Foreman-style) or a large skillet;
- A large pot;
- A pasta strainer;
- A wooden or plastic cooking spoon;
- A large serving bowl;
- A cutting board;
- A kitchen knife.

How to cook pasta "correctly" (i.e. "the Italian way"):

1) Fill 2/3 of your large pot with cold water (for 5 oz. of pasta, make sure to use at least 6-7 cups of water).
2) Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Do NOT add any oil or butter to the water: If there is enough water, the pasta will not stick anyway.
3) When the water starts boiling, salt it (use a tablespoon of coarse sea salt for best results).
4) Toss the penne and stir them immediately with a wooden spoon. Stir again every few minutes.
5) Cook for 11 minutes (if you are using Barilla's penne) or until "al dente";
6) Strain well, but do NOT run cold water over the pasta.

How to make the salad

a) Before you cook the pasta:

1) Cut the zucchini squash into medium-thick (1/8") round slices, then grill them on an electric grill (approx. 3 min. per side). If you do not own such a grill, sauté them in a large skillet with a little olive oil until golden and soft.

b) While the pasta is cooking:

2) Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. If the olives are whole, do the same.
3) Crush and chop the garlic. Cut the basil leaves into fine, thin strips. If you are using garlic powder / dried basil, skip this step.
4) Dice the mozzarella cheese to form medium-large cubes (1/2" thick).
5) In a large serving bowl, mix the garlic, the tomatoes, the cheese, the basil and the olives. Add 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil and mix well.

c) After straining the pasta:

6) Mix the pasta with the other ingredients in the bowl and salt to taste.
7) Refrigerate until cold.
Serve cold or at room temperature.

PS: This is much easier than it sounds, I assure you! Besides, it is a very refreshing and healthy summer dish. :-) Good luck! :-)