We now pronounce you ready to cook

A core set of recipes lets newlyweds use wedding gifts to make special meals any day of the week

Broiled pork tenderloin with honey-chipotle glaze and garlic-smashed potatoes. (Food styling/Tony Rosenfeld; Wendy Maeda/Globe Staff)

Everyone who has ever been on the dating circuit knows that a relationship only gets serious when somebody dares to cook dinner. If you follow this logic, then newlyweds truly cross the marital threshold when they engage in those meal preparations that mark everyday life - quick weeknight dinners, an evening entertaining friends, or a cheerful Sunday morning brunch.

In my mom's generation, mothers or mothers-in-law helped young brides navigate the mysteries of the kitchen with family recipe compilations or a dog-eared "Joy of Cooking." Even if the brides weren't interested, some pushy mothers-in-law didn't let up.

These days, kitchen responsibilities rightly cross gender lines, though there hasn't been as much progress with the cooking instruction. Few families have written down their cherished recipes (that's what a late night call to mom is for) and today's introductory cookbooks often lack the simplicity or utility of their predecessors. Newlyweds need not despair. All those glamorous pots and pans from the bridal registry can be put to good use. Unwrap the ribbons and paper, give them a good rinse, and you're halfway there. Here is a newlyweds' repertoire, a core group of recipes that will take you from a harried weeknight to a special occasion, and something for lazy Sundays too. Like a foreign language, good kitchen habits are best learned early, before couples get set in their (takeout) ways.

Weeknight dinners are, by definition, the most demanding. These preparations should taste better than takeout, take only marginally longer to prepare, and feel slightly celebratory. After all, it's important to break up the stress of a work week and regroup at night. As the local summer harvest comes in, pasta with fresh tomatoes is plenty festive. Saute some native tomatoes - plums will hold up nicely in a sauce - with good olive oil, garlic, basil, and crushed red pepper. Toss this instant sauce with penne, and you've got the most simple and satisfying of Italian standbys.

All cooking newbies should know how to grill chicken, but you need a few twists. Sprinkle boneless breasts with fresh thyme and grill them along with a medley of summery vegetables, then serve the lean poultry on a bed of zucchini and red peppers drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Fill out the meal with a crusty baguette and you've outflanked your favorite bistro.

Cooking for guests can be more nerve-wracking. A thick steak is easy to make and always available (buy New York strip if you can afford it, otherwise use a London broil). Use the restaurant technique of sear-roasting the steaks first on the stovetop, then sprinkle with fresh rosemary and finish them in the oven so the beef coasts gently to a medium-rare doneness. Pats of butter baste the meat and enhance the richness.

Probably the most underutilized knob on the stove is the broiler. Turn it on and "grill" pork tenderloins, which are thin, cylindrical cuts of lean meat. They brown quickly under the oven's hot glare, and when brushed with a glaze of honey, ketchup, and smoky chipotle chilies, the meat is a worthy company centerpiece. Add a side of garlicky smashed red potatoes. This new classic begins with red potatoes, which are simmered with garlic cloves, then mashed with butter and creme fraiche or sour cream. In fact, they go perfectly with most grilled or broiled meats and fish.

There are all sorts of other events to cook for - like brunch and cocktail parties. For these occasions, a colorful frittata, Italy's take on the omelet, is a dish you can serve at room temperature in wedges with hot coffee in the morning, or cut into smaller pieces and speared with toothpicks to accompany an aperitif. Many vegetables can be added to a frittata, but red peppers and spinach offer bright color. If you want a hot frittata, reheat it in the oven or microwave for a couple of minutes.

These dishes are just a beginning, so think of them as a base for your expanding repertoire. And while you're in the kitchen, if you need to flush out a menu, find a friendly dessert, or tell if the meat is cooked, your answer is just a phone call away. Dial mom.