I wish I could think of a place to send you for a one-stop shop advice that I like, but I haven't seen much that I'd recommend.
A few questions to start:
-What is your goal in recording (are you recording just yourself, or a full band)?
-What is your budget?
In general the cliche axiom "your chain is only as strong as your weakest link" definitely applies to recording. And when you begin, the weakest link will likely be your experience in recording and mixing. So it doesn't pay to overspend on equipment. That said, you'll want to invest in pieces that will grow with you. The typical example of this is the Shure SM57. It's not an expensive mic, but you'll find bunches of them in almost every high end studio.
Another thing to remember when starting out is that as with many things there's a spectrum of ease of use versus flexibility. For instance, think of the basic signal chain when recording to PC:
artist > instrument > microphone > preamp > outboard gear (compressor/EQ etc) > analog to digital converter > soundcard > computer
To stay as flexible as possible, each of the steps would usually require their own dedicated piece of gear, so you could mix and match different elements as needed. But for ease of use you'll often find these elements combined.
I'd recommend a piece of gear that combines the preamp, converter and soundcard. The RME Fireface line is pricey but excellent, the MOTU 8pre is a good value. Be careful of some of the cheaper options, as several of them have poorly written drivers or extensive compatablitiy problems.
Stepping back up the chain to microphones, the variations here are just about endless. What sounds good on one voice or guitar won't sound good on another one. And choosing mics can be as personal as choosing a guitar, and just as affected by budget too. The SM57, AKG C414, or Neumann U47fet (okay u87 realistically) are all industry standards that get recommend at different price points.
If you're interested, I'll write more later, but don't forget about monitors and room treatment.