What variety of thermocouple are you interested in using? Types K and J are most common.
An Op amp is usually used to amplify the voltage created by the junction, with cold junction compensation from either a temperature reference IC like the MAX6610 or a second thermocouple in a precision reference medium like icewater.
Some A/D chips specifically designed for themocouples have a built in amplifier, but and OpAmp like an LTC1050 in conjunction with an A/D might be used.
I'm surprised you haven't found application notes on the various Maxim and Linear Technologies products. A visit to their websites will land you all the information you need for a thermcouple circuit.