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Remember that massive set of encyclopedias in your family bookcase? With the advance of the internet age, it was transformed from a staple of learning into an artifact, serving only as eye candy and a reminder of "the good ol' days." Two steps behind the extinct encyclopedias, and well on it's way to "bookshelf deco," you'll find the cookbook. No longer do we pull out the cookbook, skim through it to find the familiar recipe, and spill ingredients on it's pages as we cook up a surprise. Instead, we browse recipe websites, having not only a choice of what to prepare, but a virtually unlimited number of choices of how to prepare it!

It is recipe heaven for those who love to test the boundaries of their culinary expertise. It is efficient for those caught up in a busy lifestyle. It is a necessary tool for those who need specialized recipes. Do you need to bake a sugar-free, low-fat, irresistibly rich tasting chocolate cake? No problem my friend - just search for the words, and you'll find the recipe. Do you need a super quick appetizer to take to that dinner party tonight? You'll find a gazillion to suit your fancy. Are you trying to expand your menu, or learn to cook new and exciting things? The internet drops the opportunity right into your lap, or desktop, I should say.

There are several recipe websites that have made this evolving trend what it is today. One of my all time favorites is AllRecipes.com. This website is home to over 40,000 recipes all neatly categorized and complete with cooking tips and nutritional information. Once you prepare that sugar-free, low-fat, irresistibly rich tasting chocolate cake you can, in most cases, provide the number of calories, grams of fat, carbohydrates, and more to those who wish to indulge in it. Not only do you get the recipe, but you can scale up or down the amount of ingredients you need based on the number of servings you want with one click of a button. If you are unsure whether or not this recipe is a good one, fear not - just check out the many reviews that are provided by other users have already tested and tried the recipe for you. Finally, if you felt like this recipe was a keeper, you can store it in your online recipe box, provided free of charge when you register as a member of the site. What's more, if you want to provide the recipe to your mother who may not be as internet savvy, AllRecipes.com will provide you a printer friendly version by which you can print your own recipe card in different sizes.

Sure, we all love the look of the bookshelves lined with cookbooks. For that reason, hang on to the ones you have, and grab one here and there to liven up the look of your collection. For those who are ready to have thousands of recipes at their disposal, tips on the best ways to prepare them, and many other features of organization and convenience, internet recipes are the only way to go.

Learn more about this author, Lana Sain.
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