Go to Bed Bath & Beyond and get a meat thermometer. You can get one that is constantly in the meat/ food and has the little read out outside the stove.
Second, here is a chart of proper meat temps.
http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/blroast.htm
Third, don't be so scared. Campbells Soups has a great website, really good for beginners, easy, quick, and somewhat good for you too.
There is a show on Food Network as well called Homemade Simple, or something similar. She cooks, but with shortcuts--making it easier for the beginner as well.
When you cook, you have to accept the percentage of failures here and there--it happens to the best of us! Having a good backup like hot dogs or hamburgers (which are hard to undercook) is a good plan to keep in the freezer. Be willing to experiment here and there, and know some nights your rice may be a little crunchy but that is OK.
Cooking is not an exact science. The best cooks out there use their palms and fingers to measure most of the time. It is a trial and error thing; but the more you do it the more comfortable you will feel.
I say avoid the class--you have google, dive in with some simple recipes you mix together and pop in the oven. You may be amazed at your cooking ability after all! Try Campbells cheesy chicken and rice casserole--takes 5 minutes to throw together and pop in the oven. The only change I make is to slice the boneless chicken breasts into strips.
As far as handling meats. You need 4 things. A dishwasher friendly cutting board--and you never cross beef and chicken or whatever other mix without sticking that board through the dishwasher. Avoid a wooden cutting board--they absorb juices. So not use the board for anything other than meats. Second, a good antibacterial soap--I use the dishsoap--wash your hands immediately after touching meat. Third, disinfectant spray to spray any area of your counters that could have touched meat and fourth, paper towels to clean up the spray. I suppose you could use the disinfecting wipes too, but they are too thin for my personal tastes in cleaning up juices. I tend to wash my hands even if I did not actually touch the meat--a just in case thing.
Also, when you store meat in your fridge, either keep it in a ziploc or in a tupperware container--that way, if the packaging leaks it won't leak all over your fridge. Cleanup is a bunch easier that way.
Good luck!
