Start off simple and expand from there, it's amazing what you can do with a normal-stocked-cupboard and 5 or soo ingrediants.
I know that [show with the red/green team and Ainsley Harriot] cheat a bit, and always come up with stuff that nobody will have in their average cupboard, but you can get some good ideas from that. For example, one of my favorite regular meals I make just as Pasta, Garlic, Sundried Tomartoes, a drop of oil and crab-sticks (or prawns, doesn't matter if cooked or not). 5 things, takes as long as it takes to boil up some pasta, and is better than anything you can get in a microwave packet.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:17, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I'd like to be able to do that
but everything I make comes out wrong, so I stick to the simplest things
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:25, Reply)

I just get bored
and can't be bothered to make something just for me. If someone else is there, I don't want to in case I poison them

I once made fishfinger sweet and sour
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:29, Reply)

I did a Christmas dinner once
not exactly cutting-edge cuisine however
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:31, Reply)

That's where the sharing online with what I make comes in, it's sad and pathetic, but it works for me.

( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:43, Reply)

OK
I think I'm going to do my shopping in the next 15 minutes - what shall I buy in order to make a tasty meal for myself tomorrow?
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:35, Reply)

Shit, sorry, I dashed off.
Try these: blog.90nz0.com/tags/food/

Pick a type of fish or meat, then a country, and build from there. That pasta I mentioned above is a cheap'n'easy lush one.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:39, Reply)

does the garlic need something done to it, like frying or something?
also: prawns from a shop, do they need cooking?
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:43, Reply)

Seporate 2-3 big bulbs of garlic from the head.
1) Boil a kettle, in the mean time....
2) Get a knife, and on the flat side of it (eg, held horizontally), place that on top of the bulb and apply pressure, this'll help you remove the 'skin'. Chop it up fine. Best way to do this is to do a 'cross chop', where you slice it roughly and then put your hand over the top of the knife and rock it back'n'forth until you get a rough dice.
3) Slice the sun dried tomarto into 3 or soo.
4) Kettle's boiled, pour in saucepan, add a sprinking of salt and oil, get it boiling again, when it's simmering, add the pasta.
5) Fry up some oil on a medium heat, add the sundried tomartos, let them chrisp up a bit, but not black, takes about 3 minutes, stir them every minute or so soo the other side gets done.
6) Add the garlic, a bit more oil if you need it (can use the oil from the sundried tomarto jar if you want, don't want a lot of oil, but remember it's supposed to coat the pasta). When the garlic starts browning (not black, black is burnt and bitter, brown is nice and sweet).
7) If the prawns are cooked (they'll be pink), add them now, they only need heating up, not cooking. If the prawns aren't cook (translucent/gray), fry them 'till they're pink on the outside and split one in half to make sure it's not translucent, if one's done, the rest will be.
8) Pasta should be done, drain the pasta and add to the sauce pan.
9) Mix it all up and serve.

Tip Top Tip: When it comes to pasta, fill your serving bowl between 1/2 and 2/3, the pasta will be the right quantity for your dish =)

I sometimes prefer using crab sticks cut into 3 instead of prawns, but both work.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 20:54, Reply)

thank you!
will report back tomorrow

thanks to you I just bought the most middle class basket of food, ever. had to buy Asda own brand fish fingers to make up for it
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Wed 11 Aug 2010, 22:03, Reply)