If you love cooking in the kitchen, but occasionally need an ingredient for your favorite recipe that you don't have on hand, the Cook's Thesaurus is a handy Web site that lists substitutions for those items.

Say that recipe calls for mushrooms, but you used the last of them yesterday. Key in the word "mushrooms" and the mushrooms page, not only lists the many varieties, it also includes substitutes (tempeh, eggplant, bell peppers and zucchini).

Although the site is not completely exhaustive, it lists about 90 percent of the ingredients you'll likely encounter, including many exotic ones, usually with helpful photos and a short summary of its origin.

The Cook's Thesaurus is especially great for specialty recipes with wacky ingredients you can't find at your local grocer. This is a must-bookmark for cooks out there. Besides, it's a handy site for patients that can help them make the time to cook their own meals too.