I started serious cooking at ate 16 when my mom went to work and she didn't want to start making dinner at 6 PM after getting home, so she made me a deal. I would cook dinner all but 1 day of the week and that would be part of my allowance. That was 28 years ago and I've been at it ever since. I say if you can read and follow instructions you can cook!!! Main dishes, BBQ (Marinates Rib Eyes topped with sauteed mushrooms and sweet onions), Casseroles, Soups (THICK Cream style) I ALWAYS cook the entire Thanksgiving meal except the vegetable which is my wifes job. I do the Turkey, Stuffing (NOT Boxed!), Potatoes, Deviled Eggs, Dips, Etc... I found out EARLY that the things I thought would be FANCY and HARD were quite EASY if you FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS. Turkey, Rib Roast, Quiche, Etc... I invited my pastor and his wife over for dinner and I was making Lasagna for the first time (NO Problem, I was following the instructions)I learned that after I boiled the noodles in the GLASS pot that if you pour out ALL the water and leave the noodles in the GLASS pot that they will stick to that pot and will not come out unless you scrub them out!! Needless to say I went immediatly to the grocery store for some more noodles. Next time I poured them quickly into a collander with good results. The rest of the prep went smooth.