Cook Wanted

There is a running joke in my house that has been ongoing for nine years now...I can't cook.  Okay, it's truth not a joke.  Maybe a sad joke.  It seems the harder I try, the results are always the same.  Bland sometimes BAD food.  I think the culprit might be that I rush through whatever the recipe is.

I've seen Julie & Julia before and today I noticed it was on.  Of course with three kids there was no time to watch a 3 hour movie.  Seriously, 3 hours?  How many commercials are there?  I do remember the plot though, she made a new Julia Childs' recipe everyday for 365 days.  Now that got me to thinking, I so need a challenge like that but NO WHERE NEAR THAT LEVEL.  I need like a, "Cooking for Dummies" challenge.  I mean surely you would think I would get better?

I have these friends that I absolutely love and they love to cook.  I mean they have us over we talk and nibble while they unfold a beautiful feast every time.  When they come over, I serve chicken tenders.  Can you understand why we mostly go over their house for dinner?  I do have hope.  I believe I can get better.  I'm just gonna have to work really hard.  Here lately I've been trying to compile an arsenal of recipes my family absolutely loves and I can cook.  But really, how many times can you fix spaghetti?

Okay, this is where you come in.  What cookbooks or blogs or shows can I watch that can help me, the BEGINNER cook?