Real Simple posted its 7 Common Cooking Mistakes. The tips are pretty sound: read the recipe, control the heat, use enough water and oil. We humbly suggest a couple more that in our experience really make a difference:

• Add more salt. A “pinch” of table salt is 1/8 teaspoon. A pinch of kosher is 1/4 teaspoon. Measure it in your hands. It’s kind of a lot! It may be sacrilege, but we use salted butter in all our recipes to hedge our bets.
• Preheat the oven for a long time, like 10 or 15 minutes. Shove the food in quickly and avoid opening the door. You can also invest in a $10 oven thermometer if you think it’s too hot or too cold.
• Balance your dish. On you head? No! We mean balance the acids, sweets, fats and bitters. Get them all singing and harmonizing. Like, if your dish has lots of wine and tomatoes and vinegar, try a pinch of sugar or a spoon of honey. It won’t taste sweet, but rather balanced (and better). Cut oily, greasy sauce with a little lemon juice; a pat of butter can bring a sauce together.
• Have fun! Nothing’s worse than eating a meal made by someone who didn’t want to make it. You can tell. It’s bitter. Order pizza instead.