For those of us who claim to have zero talent in the kitchen whatsoever, a cookbook is a gift from the heavens. It gives us foolproof recipes to make our favorite dishes easily, and doesn’t leave us as anxious about triggering the smoke alarm the next time we plan on cooking.
But even though a cookbook is filled with recipes just waiting to be made, we can’t all guarantee we have one lying around. If this is the case, and you’re still in need of a step-by-step recipe so you don’t burn down the kitchen, then check out these other items and websites for trouble-free cooking instructions.
1. Mix Boxes
While a brownie or cake mix is already something to bake on its own, the box will sometimes have another recipe, which requires a couple more ingredients than your basic mix, water, and eggs.
2. Magazines
Most people flip through magazines like People or Star for the latest celebrity news and gossip, but if you go to the back of the mag—making sure none of the pages are stuck together, of course—you’re bound to find a few recipes courtesy of your favorite celeb chefs.
3. Mugs
Baking desserts (and even pasta!) in a mug have become pretty popular as of late, so is it really that surprising to find a mug with a recipe on it?
4. Tumblers
When life gives you a tumbler, why just pour the lemonade in when you can follow the recipe printed on the glass?
5. Tote Bags
These totes are the perfect accessories for the fashionable foodie, and can carry all the ingredients for the recipes written on them.
6. Magnets
Before you open the fridge to see what ingredients you have, look over one of your trusty recipe magnets for a list of everything you need (plus their exact measurements).
7. Pinterest
If you haven’t searched on Pinterest for recipes before then you’re definitely missing out. The site is filled with simple-to-make dishes for every occasion, and best of all, lets you set up recipe boards for your own cooking bucket list.
8. YouTube
Not only is YouTube filled with videos of ridiculous food challenges and foreign candy taste tests, but there are also plenty of recipe vids that show you step by step how to cook your favorite foods.
9. Spoon University
Last but not least, let’s not forget the site you’re reading this article on. Besides the inside scoop on unicorn chocolate and tips on how to brew the perfect cup of tea, Spoon U is chock-full of recipes—especially for first-timers in the kitchen.