How do you file your recipes?

[sparkles]

I have a growing collection. Either handed down from previous generations, emailed to me from friends, written on paper or written on the "notes" on my iphone.

Just wondering what method of filing everyone uses. I''m thinking about typing them onto cards, plastic heat sealing them and alphabetizing them in a plastic box.

 

[dragonfly411]

I ended up converting this little journal of mine into a recipe book for now. I actually plan to change over to something bigger though, and am also working on a computer database so I can perfect as I go.

 

[sctsbride09]

I keep mine in binders, seperated by item type, ie baked goods, soups, salads, pies, etc. I used to have a huge binder I kept them all in, but I would get lazy and just throw the recipe anywhere in said binder, and not be able to find it the next time i needed the darn thing.

 

[monarch64]

I have several cookbooks in which I make notes if I''ve added or omitted something, and other than that I keep a folder in my laptop with recipes I''ve found online. I have never used a recipe box and wouldn''t know where to put one. Things left out in the kitchen seem to collect grease and dust, and there is never room for stuff like that in my cabinets.

 

[Haven]

I put all of my frequently used recipes onto 3 x 5 note cards and keep them in one of those cute recipe holder boxes in my kitchen. Everything else goes into a file in my filing cabinet in our office.

 

[pinkstars]

Most of my recipes come from online, so I have a huge section of my bookmarks dedicated to recipes. It''s pretty easy to organize that, but when I actually need a recipe from online, I typically write the recipe down into a notebook, and then use it that way. I think I need to modify how I do this though, I''ll probably try to print out my recipes onto something and organize it into a binder. I also like knowing where the recipe came from in case I want to refer back to it, or look up modifications of it online.

 

[Ninna]

I keep printouts/shared notes in cheap folders: Veggies, Entretaining, Meats & Desserts, not very organized, since they are 'To be Tested'.
Also write adaptations/changes in my cookbooks, tend to keep them clean by using open clear binders on while cooking.
Family Favorites are stored on the computer [Computer Cuisine] since it keeps things fairly tiddy, also add pictures to for all in the house to find.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

All of mine are loose right now, so I definitely need to get them into a binder with protective covering (I''m messy when I cook). For some reason when I''m using a recipe that my mom, grandma or close friend gave me, it makes me really happy to see their handwriting on the recipe.

 

[stephbolt]

DH and I use Big Oven. It''s great for pulling recipes off of websites, which is where we get the majority of our recipes. I''ve hand-entered in others from magazines or family. The best feature for us, since we plan our meals a week in advance, is that it lets you pull the recipes you want to cook that week onto a shopping list that you can print out.

 

[princesss]

I fold mine in half and put them in my wooden recipe box. Except for my secret recipe. That''s hidden.

 

[packrat]

A couple Christmases ago a coworker who has yummy recipes gave me a photo album w/4 picture slots on each side that she had put cards into of all her recipes. She typed them on the computer and then printed them onto recipe cards.

 

[artdecogirl]

I have a recipe card box and then also a photo album that I put the bigger stuff in, If someone has written a recipe down for me I leave it as it is, I have some my great grandma wrote and I love that it was written by her own hand.

 

[Jennifer W]

Oh dear. I open the door of the designated kitchen cupboard and hurl it in.

When I want to locate a particular recipe, I haul them all out and rummage through books, slips of paper, magazine cuttings and stuff printed off the web. Then snarl at DH to put them back in some sort of order. He opens the door of the designated kitchen cupboard and hurls them in...

Maybe some order would be a good thing.

It''s one of these things that''s been on my to-do list for most of my adult life.

Jen

 

[Allison D.]

Ok, so it seems I''m the only geek in the group.

I got tired of searching random emails and folders for recipes, so I moved to electronic organization.

Each recipe is saved as a Word Document in a "Cookbook" folder, and that folder also holds the master spreadsheet (i.e. my cookbook) to catalog the recipes. I use the name of recipe field to insert a hyperlink to the recipe document, so when I click on the name in the spreadsheet, it opens the recipe for me like the one shown below.

I have a Y/N column for things I have made/haven''t made so it''s easy to identify new things to try when I''m feeling bored or adventurous. I also add categories and subcategories....i.e. Entree; Beef, which helps me find ways to use up things I have on hand.

I also keep a column for where I found it and another for notes to myself (i.e Holiday 2007 means I used it in my 2007 Holiday menu plan.) By doing it this way, I can search for something like "shrimp" in the spreadsheet and easily find all the shrimp ones. I can also easily send recipies to my iphone or hub''s ipad for use in the kitchen instead of recipe cards or random papers.

I wasn''t sure at the onset that this would really work for me, but it''s been amazing. Not only can I find things when I''m looking for them, but it''s easy to share recipes when friends like something you''ve made - you can either print it out or email it to them with no extra fuss.

(retreating back into the dork corner now

)

 

[megumic]

Mine are shoved in a pile in a binder meant to keep my recipes organized. I've never cared to take the time to actually organize them. But at least they're all in one place!

 

[sparkles]

Thankyou ladies.

I also menu plan a week in advance.

I have my recipes very close the the gas cooktop when cooking. I''m lucky I don''t set them alight! Don''t think anything electronic would work as I am very clumsy!

Will have to go the old fashioned route and get myself a box thingy.

 

[kimchi]

Drat! Now I''m going to have to search the whole house to find that recepie!

 

[dragonfly411]

Date: 6/22/2010 10:40:01 PM
Author: Allison D.

Ok, so it seems I''m the only geek in the group.

I got tired of searching random emails and folders for recipes, so I moved to electronic organization.

Each recipe is saved as a Word Document in a ''Cookbook'' folder, and that folder also holds the master spreadsheet (i.e. my cookbook) to catalog the recipes. I use the name of recipe field to insert a hyperlink to the recipe document, so when I click on the name in the spreadsheet, it opens the recipe for me like the one shown below.


I have a Y/N column for things I have made/haven''t made so it''s easy to identify new things to try when I''m feeling bored or adventurous. I also add categories and subcategories....i.e. Entree; Beef, which helps me find ways to use up things I have on hand.


I also keep a column for where I found it and another for notes to myself (i.e Holiday 2007 means I used it in my 2007 Holiday menu plan.) By doing it this way, I can search for something like ''shrimp'' in the spreadsheet and easily find all the shrimp ones. I can also easily send recipies to my iphone or hub''s ipad for use in the kitchen instead of recipe cards or random papers.


I wasn''t sure at the onset that this would really work for me, but it''s been amazing. Not only can I find things when I''m looking for them, but it''s easy to share recipes when friends like something you''ve made - you can either print it out or email it to them with no extra fuss.


(retreating back into the dork corner now

)

woooooowwwwwww

 

[elrohwen]

If I find a recipe online that I love and will make again, I write it down on a 3x5 index card. My mom has also copied a lot of her favorite recipes onto index cards for me. I also use cookbooks a lot, but I don't bother writing those down since I have the book.

My collection of index cards isn't big enough that I need to file them in a box yet, but I'm keeping my eye out for something appropriate. I try to keep the number of cards down by only copying a recipe that I really love. They currently sit on my bookshelf with the cookbooks.

 

[gardengloves]

with great difficulty. I have scraps of paper notes rubber banded together from favorite cook shows. It''s a mess, but I know what I am looking for

I will have to organize, but I do sift through and use them all

 

[phoenixgirl]

I got this recipe binder set for Christmas: http://www.russellandhazel.com/content/recipe-binder-sets

It works pretty well; my only complaint is that they don't sell sheet protectors, which obviously I could get from an office store, but instead of doing that, I started taping my ripped out recipes from Cooking Light and Eating Well onto their card stock . . . But the binder works really well for recipes I print off the internet. Also, if I am remembering correctly, the categories are alphabetized, so "Cookies and Desserts" comes near the beginning, which makes no sense to me. I would arrange my categories by order of eating, so salads/appetizers would come first and desserts would come last. Obviously, I could rearrange the binder if I wanted to; the only downside would be that the tabs descend in order now.

The thing is, I researched recipe binders before I asked for this one . . . there just aren't that many out there. How hard it is to create what I have in my head, people? But now I'm definitely going to get the inserts and rearrange the order to make it more user-friendly.

 

[sparkles]

That''s beautiful Phoenixgirl.

I just love it when someone gives you something you really useful.

I keep quite a few pictures of the stages and the finished product of the recipe . I find it helps when cooking something new.

Haven''t worked out how that is going onto the cards yet.

 

[pennquaker09]

I have one of these (HP TouchSmart) and it has this software program called recipe box that stores your recipes. It will even read the recipe to you while you''re cooking and links to some of the best recipe sites (Food Network, all recipes, etc).

 

[NCSUchick27]

I keep all of the recipes I have printed off the internet, and liked, in a binder with page protectors.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/22/2010 11:02:27 AM
Author: monarch64
I have several cookbooks in which I make notes if I''ve added or omitted something, and other than that I keep a folder in my laptop with recipes I''ve found online. I have never used a recipe box and wouldn''t know where to put one. Things left out in the kitchen seem to collect grease and dust, and there is never room for stuff like that in my cabinets.

I have a really, really nice wooden box that holds the larger sized cards and I keep it in my living room. It is very handsome.

I would like to know more about what categories people use - that''s where I get hung up. Where does quiche go? Does a chicken pasta salad go with chicken or pasta? I can never decide lol

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/22/2010 12:36:40 PM
Author: pinkstars
Most of my recipes come from online, so I have a huge section of my bookmarks dedicated to recipes. It''s pretty easy to organize that, but when I actually need a recipe from online, I typically write the recipe down into a notebook, and then use it that way. I think I need to modify how I do this though, I''ll probably try to print out my recipes onto something and organize it into a binder. I also like knowing where the recipe came from in case I want to refer back to it, or look up modifications of it online.

for recipes I get online I save the webpage or c&p to a document. I''ve gone to find something and found broken links