The things I was advised to avoid were:
nuts
honey (until 12 months)
anything salty
soft boiled eggs
If you give cows milk, it should be full fat.
Since she got the hang of chewing, dd gets pretty much what we have - I figure the sooner she gets used to what we eat, the better. There can't be too many babies out there getting fillet steak and duck (mushed) . I mush it, but I'm gradually leaving bigger lumps in things for her to chew. She also loves slices of fruit: nectarines are her favourite. At first she just squidged them around in her hands (be prepared for mess), but now more goes in her than down her front. It's up to you whether you want to spoon feed or let her self feed everything. I spoon feed dd, but I give her something at each meal she can feed herself with.
Some folk will probably lynch me for saying this, but jars of baby food for the appopriate age can be useful, especially when you're out and about (no worries about keeping things cold until you want them!), so if you want to used those, don't feel guilty about it. But they do all taste the same imo, so offer a limited range of new tastes.
I'm a first time mum too, so it has been a bit of learning curve! At the end of the day, trust your instincts.