cook up
1. Literally, to prepare food by cooking it. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cook" and "up." Are you hungry? I can cook something up for you.
2. To devise something. In this usage, the phrase often has a negative connotation. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cook" and "up." What ridiculous scheme has Sam cooked up now?
3. To plan to do something with someone. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cook" and "up." Have you been able to cook anything up with the boss yet? We really need to meet about this issue soon.
cooked up
Forced, artificial, or contrived. The phrase is hyphenated when used before a noun. The dog ate your homework, huh? Now there's cooked-up excuse!