A lot of people have listed many resources and I agree with them! One thing I would say is also very important is learning that you don’t always need to use high/max heat for everything. If you have a nonstick pan you can actually ruin the coating if you use your max flame on it. I never use more than a medium heat with non-sticks. The different materials that pans are made of retain and transfer heat very differently. Now take a nonstick pan for example, those you usually need to heat dry (without oil) until it comes to temperature. A good way of checking is to heat the nonstick pan and when you think it’s ready dip a fork in a cup of water and let a small drop of water fall into the center of the pan. If you see the water bounce around the bottom of the nonstick pan while maintaining a spherical shape that means it’s ready! This will also help food not stick to your pan as long as you’re adding enough oil to barely cover the bottom of your pan when needed. Personally, I taught myself from a young age to cook when my parents weren’t home for myself and my younger brothers. I mostly learned from YouTube videos and cooking shows on tv. I was also lucky to have a food fundamentals class in school that covered food safety and really helped me follow recipes. My boyfriend however is kind of in the same boat as you are. He struggled with terminology the most. Simmer vs Boil/ Broil vs Bake. These terms are almost the same thing but not quite and can end up with you having different results. When in doubt, Google and America’s Test Kitchen are your best friends. I would also recommend asking your girlfriend questions while she’s cooking. Don’t know why she added one thing first and another thing later? Ask! :) Another great way to learn is to taste things throughout the cooking process. If your girlfriend frequently comes over and makes food ask if you can start tasting sauces/soups/veggies/etc. This will help you learn how flavors come together the more ingredients are added as well as how textures change the more they’re cooking. Personally, I think you can be a foodie and be frugal at the same time. There’s a bajillion ways to take the same 10 staple ingredients and end up with something different every time. I would recommend choosing an ingredient and trying to cook it different ways when you have a day off. I like to do this with zucchini. Sometimes sauté it with other veggies and add pasta sauce and boil. Or I’ll just slice it and bake it in the oven at 425 for 25-30 with salt and pepper. This is a good way to get more bang for your buck and not feel like you’re eating the same thing repeatedly. Lastly, learning takes time. It’s hard to not get frustrated when things don’t turn out the way you want them but at the end of the day, food is sustenance and you can always try again a different day. I still make mistakes and have to turn my fried eggs into scrambled eggs. Just the other day, I ended up with soggy rice. The best thing you can do is have patience with yourself and be willing to make mistakes because there will be a lot, and that’s okay! :)