Take a project-based approach. Pick a dish or cuisine you enjoy and find yourself eating frequently, and attempt to replicate that dish. Try to understand the t

Take a project-based approach. Pick a dish or cuisine you enjoy and find yourself eating frequently, and attempt to replicate that dish. Try to understand the techniques used to achieve the results you like, often this requires doing some extra research. Pick one or two things and try to make it every week and improve upon it, or add in slight variations. Look at the processed food you buy and see if you can come up with tastier and healthier homecooked versions. Since you said you already know how to boil pasta, learning how to make your own tomato sauce or pesto is satisfying and easy. Borrow cookbooks from the library and read them. Since Mark Bittman was mentioned, his "How to Cook Everything" is a good general reference, and he's also a good writer. It also helps to have the ingredients with a longer shelf life on hand, such as spices and other staples, so you have everything you need. There isn't a bad place to start when you don't know much. I recommend against starting with the "technique-first" approach unless it appeals to you personally, at least until you get some experience. You really want to do something that captures your interest so you stick with it.