[Galaxy Note GT-N7000 Android Development] Zhuinden:
Chill mate, it's not that hard, these steps here are needed if you've never used a custom ROM before and so you don't have CWM:

(PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A GUIDE FOR GT-N7000 GALAXY NOTE 1)

0.) make sure you backup your data, application data works with Titanium Backup (don't backup system, just apps - although you need root for that which means you need to have done at least step 8, but possibly step 12), and I used Super Backup to back up my contacts, contact logs, messages, call logs, etc.

1.) find a version of Philz Touch that you can install on your device so you would have a version of CWM: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1901191 even an older version is fine as I personally could not install the new version with the stock recovery (and so I used the << 03.06.2013 - PhilZ-cwm6 v5.06.1 with CWM 6.0.3.2 based recovery >> one for DDLSC - DXLSE - JPLSB - XXLT6 - ZSLO2 Fixed for bootloop) and put it on your SD Card (I had an XXLT6 phone)

2.) also download a kernel that supports kitkat ROMs, for example Raw Kernel from here http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2397000 use r6 for KK 4.4 , or use Forest from http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2739044 (for this particular ROM, you would need the Slim version, which is http://www.mediafire.com/download/gj641w6fobvpro7/Forest-CM11-V5-SLIM.zip ); and put it on your SD Card

3.) download the latest Philz Touch Advanced Edition recovery from https://goo.im/devs/philz_touch/CWM_Advanced_Edition/n7000/ the ZIP file (and the zip.md5 just to be safe) and put it on your SD Card

4.) download the custom ROM that you want to put on your phone, and put its ZIP on the SD Card

5.) download the necessary Google Apps from http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2397942 , make sure the version is correct or it will cause crashes (for example 4.4.4 for 4.4.4) and put it on your SD Card

6.) if you are installing OmniROM for example or something without root management app like SuperUser or SuperSU, then download SuperSU from http://download.chainfire.eu/452/SuperSU/UPDATE-SuperSU-v2.02.zip and put it on your SD Card

And then it is time to get cracking:

7.) go to recovery mode by holding volume up + home button + power

8.) install the old version of philz touch if the latest one doesn't work, so that you will have a version of CWM

9.) reboot to recovery

10.) you now have Philz Touch with a version of CWM. Now you need to install the raw kernel from ZIP

11.) reboot to recovery

12.) install the latest version of Philz Touch

13.) reboot to recovery

14.) make a Nandroid backup if you have enough space on your SD Card for it. You probably do, I didn't so I just went with it :D

15.) format /system

16.) format /data

17.) format /preload

18.) wipe dalvik cache

19.) install new Custom ROM from ZIP

20.) install Google Apps from ZIP

21.) if the custom ROM doesn't have it, install SuperSU from ZIP

22.) reboot device to system

23.) enjoy

Please note that I think I added a few extra steps just to be safe so you won't end up running into status code 7 after deleting your system and stuff. You don't need ODIN to make this work at all, luckily.

You can also check out http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2780703 for a guide with possibly less steps.