how....?

First of all start with simple recipes that have only a few ingredients and follow the recipe as it is written. Don't be afraid to try. Perhaps a friend or relative with cooking talent can guide you should you have questions about certain recipes. Remember dry and liquid measures are not the same. That's why the measuring cups are different.

There are a few basic rules: Know how long a dish takes to cook so you don't overcook it. Don't cook or bake at a temperature higher than the recipe states or the food will dry out. Don't make substitutes with ingredients until/unless you're very familiar with it. If you can follow a recipe, you can cook reasonably well. You won't be a chef by any means, but people have cooked for thousands of years so it's not anything unnatural or something that's even difficult to learn.