For years, I have taped my favorite recipes inside my cupboard doors. I know exactly which door to open to make my zucchini soup or my favorite party punch. This is normally wasted space and the insides of the doors are covered!
I also include handy tips, substitutions - almost anything I am bound to forget. I doubt myself too often not to have the recipe right in front of me. It's also handy for grocery shopping. If I want to make something special, I just glance at the recipe while making out my list so that I don't forget a needed ingredient. This saves time by not digging through my recipe boxes or any cookbooks.
By betty G from San Antonio, TX
I've been an avid cookbook collector for over 40 years with literally hundreds of cookbooks! Because there are special recipes that my family likes in each cookbook, I used to find myself on the floor with piles of cookbooks around me as I tried to find a specific recipe.
What is the best way to organize recipes? Do you think its easier to buy 4x6 index cards and write all the recipes on them or type them on a full size sheet of paper and cut them to fit or maybe they have some software. Please share your method.
By Onesummer
I print most of my recipes from websites. Or if a friend gives me a recipe I type it in my word document. I slide the printed pages in the clear sheet protectors and keep them in a loose leaf binder. I use dividers and place them in each category. I have one entire loose leaf binder for desserts: cookies, pies and cakes.
Whenever I cook or bake I remove the page from the binder and in this way the recipes stay clean from splatters.
I love my method! I bought a 6 qt plastic storage container (rectangular shape) with a lid. I made category dividers out of those you would use to put into a binder, did the labels on my computer and stuck them on each divider i.e., Appetizers, Bread-Yeast, Bread-Sweet, Coffeecake, Dips, etc., then I simply cut out any recipe I want, or copy it onto a card, and place it behind the proper category. My dividers are approximately 4.5 x 6.5, so they are slightly above the 4x6 recipes. Most web sites allow you to print a 4x6 card, which makes it easy to cut them out and file them in my box.
Works great for me. Whenever I need to make something I just sit down with my box and pull out the recipes under "Chicken" or "Candy" or whatever and look through that section for inspiration. I am getting ready to start a second box. I have about 40 categories, and my first box is pretty full. Hope this helps. I use the same method for my coupons with a smaller container.
When I am in the doctor's office or at the hair salon reading a magazine, I always seems to run across a recipe I like. However, when I write it down, I can never find it again. Any advice on how to keep recipes organized in your purse? I like to keep a few recipes in my purse just in case I decide to stop by the grocery store unexpectedly.
By Onesummer
I need to organize my recipes on my PC. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good TNT free cookbook or recipe software? I'd like to be able to import recipes from websites as well as email them and also be able to export to email and print. Is all that possible in any of the free or shareware programs? Thanks for any experiences you have to share.
www.livingcookbook.com/
There is a free demo download. I have ended up purchasing this software for $29.95. I absolutely love it. I seldom if ever buy software, but I did this one.
www.homeplansoftware.com/
The recipe software is wonderful - I have used it exclusivly and now have 362 recipes stored. Easy to use and has all the features you are looking for.
I have been using Homecookin for 6 years on the trial version.
It was easy to enter all my prices from my grocery reciepts into the grocery list. Took about 3 weeks to get almost all teh correct prices in but that was 6 years ago. Now every 6 months or so I just review the prices and fix them as needed.
It prints your grocery list by department so it is very easy to use. It gives you a total for your purchases at the top of the print out, as well as individual prices beside each item. At this point my total and my actual cost never vary by more than 2.00. NOT TO SHABBY in my opinion.
On the trial you can store 100 recipes. Today was the day I said to myself... This software has been the best and easiest out of all I have tried, and I do think I have tried em all... I paid 29.95 for the full version.
I can now import and export, make my grocery list, and a one month meal plan, as well as save I think up to 10,000 recipes.I am spending today importing all my Master cook stuff into my Home cookin.
6 years free... I just think they deserve my 29.95 especially since it is the one software that I just keep returning to time, and time again. Here is the link if you are interested.
Good luck!
Lpfusch
Try http://recipe.gauzza.com its free/easy to use and you can access all your recipes where ever there is an internet connection
I read about a free download for a way or organize recipes on a computer on some list but can't remember where to find it. I am in the progress of changing from webtv to a PC. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Try this program www.treepad.com/
Christy
f-key savers were one of my favorites when i was on webtv !
www.site-fuel.net/
-i used to have a ton of them but here are 3 on that link !
assign 1 of your favorite f-key savers to your f keys - that way - you are getting the most on that key - rather than one page -
also - your sig box (best i remember) can be saved to favorites & from there - in organizing faves- you will find you can assign f-keys !
one last thing for now -
if you work on your page builder - it's really handy to assign it an F key !
here's a cool link -
www.wtv-zone.com/
& don't forget to check alt.discuss groups for html help - audio/video -- just about ANYTHING
last one :
if you deal with gobs of links like i used to -- try this
when you send a mail - paste the url on the subject line - then when you have a gob of them - tell your chums to also past the url on the subject line -- then, when you are ready for a page of all links - to store or whatever - ccp your email with all those links on the subject line to another mail - then you can delete all those mails without loosing one url ! --I also think there is room on the sub. line - to type in the link name - so your not in the dark - as to what the link is !
:)
melody_yesterday@yahoo.com
Better Homes & Gardens has a free thing on there website that allows you to input your recipes (or choice from their wide selection on their site), then you can organize them according to categories (create your own categories or use theirs) and then you can print it if you like or use it online. I did this with my recipes and then printed it and put it in a binder for all my favorite recipes. Also makes a fantastic way to organize family recipes, print, put in a binder (I suggest using plastic protective sleeves to protect them) and use as a great christmas gift for all the cooks in your family.
If you have Microsoft XP, you open your MS Works Task Launcher, then go to Household Management..you will find you can create a Recipe Book. It has some formats, etc....Hope this helps!
I've managed to accumulate a lot of recipes! I'm looking for recommendations on inexpensive (possibly free?) computer software to organize and manage the recipes better. It'd be nice if I could print them out and make a shopping list, too.
My recipe file was too full! I like to collect good recipes. I could not find a larger recipe box so I made a larger box with a big popcorn box.
Here is how I save all of my recipes. I have a folder on my hard drive called Recipes (very original, doncha think? LOL). Under it are sub-folders for categories, like soups, vegan, etc. All recipes are saved here, so if I can just remember that the recipe has tomato in the title,
I used to be an avid collector of recipes and was introduced to the neatest little program called Treepad a long time ago. It's like a flowchart program but it's super user friendly.
I have a series of annually produced hardcover cookbooks (based upon a published periodical) but I was having difficulty in finding the recipes I wanted once I had more than 3 of the books.
