You bought the shrimp or the ground beef or the chocolate bits. Now you have to do something with it. The internet has so many uses yet many forget it is a treasure trove of recipe ideas. Whether you want to try a new twist on an old recipe or experiment with something new, there are wonderful websites waiting for you to click on them. Your family will love you for it too. From country cooking, to fabulous desserts, to meals with an international flair, from simple to challenging, these sites will make a chef out of you. With or without the black hat.





1) COOKS.COM - This is my favorite recipe site because it offers simple recipes. You don't have to run to a store and search for exotic ingredients. Many of the recipes here are submitted by the readers themselves and they do encourage you to share some of your own. User-friendly, you will want to come back again and again.

http://www.cooks.com/





2) COOKEATSHARE.COM - CookEatShare is great because it is so diverse. It combines access to the world's highest rated recipes with recipe sharing. Here you can join a group featuring your favorite foods or connect with world class chefs and subscribe to their recipes. CookEatShare is a friendly site packed full of ideas and handy tips. Joining "the world's largest kitchen" is free and well worth the effort.

http://cookeatshare.com/





3) COOKINGCACHE.COM - Cooking cache is the place for people who love to cook. Not only are there over 7000 recipes to explore, but there are forums and discussion groups to help or share your kitchen experiences. Another friendly community especially around the holidays.

http://keeprecipes.com/brand/cookingcache.com





4) COOKSMARTS.COM - Cook Smarts strives to inspire and educate the ordinary cook. It offers video cooking lessons and easy-to-follow guides. Their meal plans take the stress out of preparing dinner. Its founder, Jess Dang, believes cooking simply should be a healthy and happy experience.

http://www.cooksmarts.com/





5) MYRECIPES.COM - My Recipes has the best food photos - vivid enough to make you hungry right away. This site not only offers holiday specific and other food ideas, it helps you count calories and eat right. You can subscribe to their newsletter and take advantage of their healthy diet suggestions.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/





6) ALLRECIPES.COM - All Recipes likes their readers to review their recipes and rate them. They make it easy for you to save and file your favorites. Easy to use and lots of fun, this is the place to find refreshing food suggestions like "cucumber lemonade" or "strawberry pie". Makes me hungry.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Main.aspx





7) EPICURIOUS.COM - Epicurious calls itself the site for people who love to eat. This is a classy place that appreciates fine food and wine. They offer sweepstakes. They are partnered with Gourmet and bon appetit magazines.

http://www.epicurious.com/





8) RACHAELRAY.COM - Who doesn't love Rachael Ray? Her website is similar to her TV program - simple ways to cook on a budget. But that's not all. Besides useful everyday recipes, there are cocktail ideas, party planning, travel and so much more. A fun and informative cooking site with the Rachael Ray style.

http://www.rachaelray.com/





9) FOODNETWORK.COM - This is the place to visit with all your favorite TV chefs. There's a section for cooking what's in season now, a healthy eating section, and links to the shows. Lots of quick and easy recipes for summer entertaining here too. Drop-down menus will take you anywhere you want to go.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/





10) RECIPELAND.COM - Recipe Land leans toward international cuisine. A great site that let's you create your own cookbook and menus. It also specializes in the use of herbs in cooking. It has news and opinion pieces on personal wellness and food for thought. Recipe Land is uniques and interesting.

http://www.recipeland.com/





There you have it. Get out Mom's old apron and show your family and friends what you can do. Whether you're a novice or queen of the kitchen, these websites are full of fun and tips every one of us can use.























