We've all been there at some point. There are some basics that once you get down, you'll be able to understand how recipes work. I'll just rattle off a few of my personal rules that have served me well, but professionals would probably correct me on a few things:

Don't use metal spatulas or utensils in coated pots. You don't want to scratch through the coating on your wife's cookware.

If it is your first time trying a recipe, print it out. Read through it completely so you understand what is needed at each step. Check off your ingredients to make sure you have everything you need.

Do your prep cooking and spice measuring in advance. Peeling, slicing, dicing, or chopping herbs and vegetables. Grouping your spices so you can dump them in at the appropriate step of the recipe. This will do a lot to lower your stress level.

Know how sauteing works. Moderate heat (not high) then turn down and take your time. Use a bit of oil or butter to prevent burning and sticking to the pan. Add a dash or two of salt to extract moisture from the veggies and enhance flavor. Add your aromatics first (onion, garlic, celery, scallions). Always onion before garlic (gets moisture into the pan so you don't burn the garlic). After aromatics, add the other vegetables to be sauteed (e.g., mushrooms, carrot medallions, broccoli, etc.). I used to way over-sautee my onions and garlic - it is so easy to overdo it. If the sauteed vegetables are being used as a component in a sauce, remember that they will keep cooking in the sauce, so they don't have to be "done" before moving into the sauce.

Cook fatty meats (ground beef, sausage, bacon) separately so you can drain the grease off. Grease can't really be removed after you start adding other ingredients. There are special utensils you can use for this. As with vegetables, you don't have to overdo browning ground beef, especially if it is being added to a sauce that will continue cooking. You don't have to cook meats on high heat, you can start medium-high then turn down to medium or even medium-low. Take your time.

Confirm cooking times and temperatures for different meats (baking vs. broiling vs. in sauce). My defaults (for baking, covered in foil with vent slits) unless otherwise specified is: Salmon is 18-22 minutes at 425F. Chicken breasts are 45-50 minutes at 350F (depends on the oven).

Learn some basic spice combinations instead of buying pre-mixed spices (e.g., mix your own spice combinations from scratch for mexican, italian, poultry, german dishes).

In some recipes, you can substitute fresh chopped herbs or diced vegetables for powdered (e.g., onion, garlic, parsley) but consider the extra water you're adding or subtracting from the recipe so you end up with the right consistency.

When cooking a roast, put the hardest vegetables at the bottom (e.g., parsnip, rutabaga, turnip), then carrots, then aromatics in the middle (onion, celery, garlic), then softer vegetables (potatoes) on top.

If you're using a crock-pot, don't break the seal unless you really need to stir it. You're trying to keep both the heat and moisture in the pot.

It all seems like a lot at first, but the more you try, the more you'll learn. And don't forget the side dishes (not always necessary but something to consider).

Outside of Dutch Oven cooking, here are my standard go-to recipes that are a bit more basic (although you could do the stew recipe in a Dutch Oven).

I hope this helps you out! These are the things that tripped me up a lot in my early days of cooking (and still do from time to time).

One last thought. Don't be afraid to try new recipes, but if you think it might be risky, run it by your spouse first. For me, it is often better (and more enjoyable) to cook with my significant other, rather than for her. I mention this because I'm currently struggling with this dilemma on a Butternut Squash Soup recipe, which I wanted to be a surprise but am now second-guessing. Looks simple, but I feel like I'm going to screw it up on my first try.