A recipe is simply a set of written directions that describes the way to make or prepare something, specifically a dish. These are found in books, periodicals, and online on various cooking sites or even in some cookbooks. In fact, it has been very common for one to have some knowledge of a recipe but be completely lost when it comes to following it to the letter. Recipes can be very easy or very difficult to follow, depending on how exact a description is as well as how concise it is.

The first thing you should be aware of when learning how to cook recipes is that most recipes are not exactly the same for each dish. This is especially true with larger recipes, which often call for measurements such as cups and teaspoons. For example, a recipe for an unbaked pie should not be exactly the same with one that is baked in a convection oven because both require approximately the same amount of cooking time but slightly different amounts of ingredients. If you find that the measurements used in the recipe do not look the same or are too unusual compared to other recipes, you may want to consider altering them to make them suit your needs.

It is also important to take note of the ingredients listed in the recipe. If the ingredients are unfamiliar to you, perhaps look up similar ingredients in a cookbook or online. If necessary, also check the volume of the ingredients to make sure you are getting the right amounts. If the recipe calls for ingredients such as eggs being cut into 1 inch pieces to measure the volume, then using a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon may give you a better result.