Mollie Katzen writes very nice cookbooks as well. The directions are complete and thorough; she always tells you exactly what to do, and frequently why, and she gives little illustrations for any technique more obscure than chopping, peeling, or stirring. She also gives a very nice glossary of ingredients instead of expecting you to know what tahini and miso are.

Pillsbury and Better Homes and Gardens also make very nice basic cookbooks. The recipes are usually very simple and have decent directions.

^_^