No matter if you're making something for the first time or the fifth time, it's always a good idea to read the recipe completely, so when it comes time for cooking, you know what you're doing.

Read it before you even go to the grocery store, that way you know what you're getting yourself into, and you won't be in the middle of cooking only to find out that you're missing a vital ingredient or need to let something marinate for a few hours.