Why did Yahoo Answers delete this question?

I would start with one soup (then variations), one casserole (then variations), one sauce (then variations, one veggie, one dessert, you get the idea. I wouldn't concentrate much on baking at this point, too technical. Sit down with her and ask her what SHE likes to eat. That may be hard if she has grown up eating fast food, but just talk with her and see what comes out. I would teach her how to use a crock pot. So handy, as you know. I know there are millions of online sites, but help her find a good, but simple cookbook.

Good luck to you and to her. Can she take a cooking class at school, too?

Well it's a great idea to teach her the dishes she chooses - things she wants to learn - as it'll keep her motivated.

Teach her how to prepare and steam vegetables, and how to roast them too - teach her you can use the same methods for virtually any vegetable to serve as a side dish. I think a lot of modern people lack this basic knowledge and are apprehensive about cooking new veg, so giving her that confidence will go a long way.

Teach her how to make a basic tomato pasta sauce and then all the different ways you can make it: serve plain, add veggies, make bolognese, lasagne, make chilli etc. That was pretty much how I learned to cook; knowing how one basic principle could be adapted in so many ways is really empowering and gives you confidence to try new things.

Everyone needs to know how to cook pasta and rice!

You should teach her some meat and fish basics as well; how to cook it, how you know when it's done, good hygiene etc.

You know, I think a lot of healthy cooking is just about being familiar with lots of real natural ingredients. Once you know what things taste like and how they are good prepared, you have the power to improvise. If you use a variety of common ingredients, she'll absorb a whole wealth of knowledge without you even trying. Heck, I'd even take her on a trip to a good fruit and veg market, see what she liked the look of and have a tasting session!

Good luck, anyway - cooking's a great life tool that everyone should have, so whatever she learns from you, it's really gonna help her.

I bought a wonderful cookbook for my kids when they were younger, and they loved it. Its a cookbook for kids.... Its using the crock pot, its called Fix-It and Forget-It Kids’ Cookbook: 50 Favorite Recipes to Make in a Slow Cooker, you can also get books from this group as well that has 5 ingredients or less as well... My daughter is now out on her own and didn't really know how to cook, but this allows her to make good and healthy meals without messing up on a recipes. She calls it her "Bible to cooking".

here is a little description of what the book is about:

Fix-It and Forget-It Kids’ Cookbook includes Fruity Waffle Topping, Cheesy Egg and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole, Big Juicy Burgers, Super Spaghetti Sauce, and Chocolate Covered Pretzels. Plus 44 more “may-I-have-another-helping” favorites.

Good Luck

That's very nice of you to help out. Start out with the gift of the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. It's not just recipes, but tips and tricks, substitutions, nutrition and all. Let her pick a recipe that sounds good to her and help her make it together. I mean, I wouldn't throw her to the wolves with a souffle or gravy to start out. Just think baby steps. Even if some of it is pre-packaged, she'll learn how to put together a meal, then she can move on to making it from scratch. Try to keep your "Don't"s to a minimum and keep it positive and say "Do it this way, it's much easier."

We all started at the beginning, and it seems like she has the willingness to learn. Make sure also to teach her about proper temps and food safety as you go.

I would start with one genre of food. Like baking or sauces first. Don't try to throw a whole meal at her at once.

I started with chocolate with my daughter. I made one batch of ganache with butter and one with margerine while she helped.

I showed her that the margerine made the ganache seize because it has water in it and water and oil don't mix. Plus it gave her a lesson on using quality ingredients.

Make sure you show her the right way and what happens if you do it the wrong way. You'll have to throw a lot of food away, but it's a lesson that she will always remember.

PS. I have no idea why yahoo deleted this question. My guess is that some "troll" flagged it for fun and they just automatically deleted it.

I would start with easy things like hamburgers, spaghetti with jarred meat sauce (add your own crumbled hamburger or italian sausage), hot dogs, french toast, scrambled eggs, then build up to making simple box meals like Hamburg*r Helper, Mac and Cheese, box cake recipes. This will give them the idea of following directions measuring ingredients, etc. The rest will be learning by experience, they will screw up a few things but the idea is to learn from mistakes and get better by doing it. This is how my young adult children are learning. I am no gourmet cook but can cook edibly.

Many teaching positions require years of experience and training.

When your friend's kids cooking turns out to be not as delicious as expected, make no mistake. You earned it.

(Annoying, isn't it?)

I think it was deleted because it is too chatty. Yahoo is not a chat room!

Will you please share our joy of cooking with this young lady is a question far too vague.

The question should be more specific. Cook what? How to hard boil an egg? How to make toast? How to stuff a turkey?

It wasn't deleted. I gave you a detailed answer on baking meat, boiling pasta, and steaming veggies. You and she can go from there. Good luck!