An important part of cooking is learning how to using a recipe. You see something on television or the internet and you want to give it a try. So what do you do first?

Step One is always this: READ THE ENTIRE RECIPE. Seriously, you would not believe how often people skip that step. You may have to prepare something in advance so that it has time to chill. There may be multiple intermediate steps which means you can’t make it on a week night. The ingredients list may be missing something. It may require a technique that you need to learn first. It may require a piece of equipment you don’t have, shouldn’t buy, and can’t borrow. If you don’t read the recipe before you start, you get a nasty surprise when it’s too late.

Step Two is to make sure that you have all of the ingredients on hand. If things need to be washed, measured, chopped, or toasted, please do that all in advance. You don’t want to be trying to stir while you’re chopping – unless you have a culinary octopus at home, in which case, I want pictures.

Step Three is to follow the recipe exactly – at least the first time. You can try little changes after you’ve made it once, but do the recipe as is the first time. That way, if there’s a problem, you know it was more likely with the recipe itself than with the change you made. (And, yes, sometimes recipes are just bad. I remember making a dip exactly according to instructions. There was way too much garlic for anyone who was not actively repelling a vampire invasion.)

Step Four is to evaluate the recipe. Was it easy or hard? Did it need more or less time to cook than the instructions indicate? Did it taste good? Are there variations you’d like to try? When is the best time to make this (a busy work night? a lazy Sunday? for guests? for a party?)? If you printed out the recipe or it’s in a book, just write your comments right on the page.

Just remember, if you don’t like a recipe, you never have to make it again. Just mark it “fail “ and move on.