Hi MrsMac,
You came to the right place. If you are just composting your kitchen scarps, I suggest you consider these options.
If you are composting a small amount each day a couple of 5 gal. buckets with lids might be all you need.In the bottom of the bucket drill about 8 - 1/2'' holes in the bottom and the top. the first bucket would be the one called the finish bucket. You will add daily your scarps and if you can collect a few hands full of leaves, or grass from neighbors you should add that in layers. The optimum compost has green and brown waste. Green cooks brown covers. In order for your compost to cook you will need to water it from time to time.Just water it lightly to keep it moist. Your top layer should be a cover layer to help hold in the heat. Set you cooking bucket in a sunny spot. If you have wildlife that might get in the bucket, hang it in a tree. I have seen them hanging from rope about 4 feet off the ground.If you are hanging it, you might want to invest in a cup of worms, a bait shop should have what you need. If the bucket is on the ground...the worms will come Once the 1st bucket becomes full that is your finish bucket. It will settle as it cooks down so You may want to add a little more brown stuff as it settles. When it begins to settle then you should "roll" the bucket. No need to open the lid, just roll the bucket for about 5 minutes to get things stirred up. (it is good exercise too) Now you can begin a new bucket that will be your working bucket.
If you need more than that, graduate to plastic garbage cans or as Lyn does, you can make a wire cage. I use wooden pallets and make 4x4x4x4 cubes. That is large scale but no matter what the size the principle is the same. This is a thread started a while back. You might get info by reading back through this. Let us know if you have any questions http://www.gardenforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20