For many of us, the kitchen is the mystery place. It's where we go to grab food out of the fridge and throw things in the microwave. You can also go there to get a plate and fork for your Chinese take-out.

It's time to stop dreaming about cooking shows and become a chef for yourself. Before you get started, there's a few handy tips you need to know. Then get cooking!

1. A Guide to Using Spices

You know that cupboard full of spices? It's time to use them. Here's a handy guide to help you spice up your meals.

2. Important! Oils and Their Smoking Points

Did you know that cooking certain oils at high temperatures can release toxic chemicals? Keep your food safe and edible by choosing the right oil for your recipe.

3. How Long Vegetables Stay Fresh

Veggies go bad fast, so here's a handy chart to let you know how long they last and which ones you can store in the fridge or freezer for longer life.

4. How Long to Hard-Boil an Egg

When hard-boiling an egg, you want to get it just right. If you're making deviled eggs, you'll need both the white and the yolk nice and firm. Follow this guide to boil eggs for just the right amount of time.

5. Pick the Right Mixer Attachment

Your stand mixer probably came with a bunch of attachments and you have no idea what they're used for. What's a dough hook, anyways? Find out what it's all for in this easy guide.

6. Perfect Meat-Cooking

Do you want to be a master of the BBQ this summer? You've got to know your meat! Check out the 5 stages of well-done to rare steak. If you like rare steak, you'll want to carefully follow the guide to prevent serving under-cooked meat.

7. Vegan Substitutes Chart

Whether you're vegan or just want to cut back on the cholesterol, this is a handy chart to use for egg substitutions. Each one of these preforms the same tasks in the baking process, and some of them taste even better than using eggs!  

8. How Much Cake You Need for the Party

I never know how much cake I'll need for a birthday party. Is 2 slab cakes enough if I have 50 people over? If you're having guests over, here's an approximation of how big the cakes need to be. Nobody wants to run out of cake. It's almost as bad as running out of wine.

9. What Type of Onion to Use

We have a love-hate relationship with onions. They make us cry, but they're so good to eat! If you're confused about the many varieties of onion, you're not alone. Pick the right type for your recipe by following this simple chart.

10. Basic Measurements Conversion Chart

It's no fun to run into a metric-measured recipe. Instead of having to Google every little thing, follow this guide to convert grams, milliliters, and ounces to their cup and teaspoon equivalents.

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