I love organizing and strive for organizational utopia, but I must admit that my recipes are the exception. I have an abundance of clipped recipes collected in assorted ways (shoved in a recipe box on my counter, pasted in journals, tucked in drawers). I also have a bunch of recipes that can be found in various cookbooks which I keep on shelves in my kitchen. I even discovered the other day that I have managed to lose a favorite cookbook! I mean, how does one lose a cookbook, exactly? I can't even imagine how that happened.
Where my recipes are concerned, *I* can put my hands on what I need pretty easily... usually... but no one else who entered my kitchen ever could. For this reason, I thought this article was very interesting:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/508/story/297439.html
Perhaps it will inspire someone out there! I think it sounds like a great new year's resolution! (I am not naive enough to think that I am going to tackle that project in the midst of all the holiday hubbub that will soon be upon us!) But it's good to dream!
4 comments:
Hello Marybeth!
Here is my method for recipe organization that works for those clipped from magazines, printed off the computer & recipe cards:
1-sort recipes (categorize and toss)
2-get a few of those standard-sized photo books (photos go into the sleeve back to back; each page is the size of one photo)--usually available at the dollar store
3-title the books (desserts, soups, salads, pasta...)
4-recipe cards and/or small clippings should bet he proper size to fit into photo pockets...for larger sized recipes, fold your page so the title is showing
5-slip into the photo pockets
Viola! No re-typing, re-writing, or re-sizing. Simple is the name of the game, right?
Thanks for your blog and your articles with TOS! ;-)
Blessings,
Darlene
MaryBeth,
I started a system a few years ago that I think you should consider because you have a few kids like me. It started when I inherited all my Mom's recipes (she was the clip it or jot it down and stuff it in a drawer type). So I had quite a stack of reciped in addition to my cards and books. So when I sat down each week to plan meals, I would sift through and pick a few new ones along with my tried and true. Then I would immediately type those I chose up in a word document. From there it is easy to print out ingredients to take with to the store. After doing this for a few years, I now have a 45 page document in word. It is so easy to use the Find button to look for recipes based on an ingredient or a key word. I can cut and paste a menu for the week from it so . It has also been so easy to cut and paste a recipe to share with someone when they ask. And most inportantly, it will be a breeze to duplicate when each child leaves to create a home for themselves.
I have to recommend the photo album system as well! I had a 4x6 index card recipe box and it was driving me crazy. When it broke I took all the cards (some of which were printed in word and the card run through the printer, some handwritten) and put them into a photo album. I made tabbed sections using a label punch (stampin up). Photos are protected, movable and sorted! I like your blog!
I have a lot of recipes, too, and I don't cook all that much! I just love visual things so when I would see a picture associated with the recipe, I'd clip it or print it. My recipes were a mess! But I finally got them organized. It took me a few weeks, but I did it! And it's such a good feeling. In fact, last night I made macaroni and cheese for my friend and her two boys instead of going out to eat. And I knew right where the recipe was! No flipping through a pile of papers. I just flipped open the Pasta section of my recipe book, and there it was!
http://jbaker65.blogspot.com/2008/10/recipes-organized.html
~Jada
Post a Comment