Organizational Techniques for Recipes?

[DrakeMaiden]

So a few years ago, well . . . come to think of it probably about five years ago now . . . I started typing out my favorite recipes and printing them out and putting them into a 3 ring binder. That way, if I want to make a recipe, I can take it out of the binder and post it on my fridge with magnets until I'm done with it. I like the system, but now my binder is ripping and most of my recipes are looseleaf, because I have not gone back and updated . . . . It is one of those fun fall/winter projects I hope to tackle soon. I'm hoping to now include a section for canning and one for sourdough recipes and tips/techniques. I think I also need a detailed measurement conversion table too, because the one I have in one of my cookbooks isn't as thorough as I need sometimes.

How do you all keep your recipes organized?

 

[freemotion]

I used to use index cards, and still have them. But for the last year or two I have been typing and copy/pasting recipes to Word files, and printing them out as I try them. If I like the recipe, I then print it on card stock and put it into a page protector sleeve and into my looseleaf notebook it goes, for the same reason you do it...it goes easily onto a magnet on the fridge.

If I make adjustments, I note them on the first copy, and when I like the recipe, I make the changes in the Word document and then print it on the card stock and put it into my binder. It makes it so easy to share recipes this way, too. And if my computer goes kablooie, I have the notebook.

I have sections for cheese, canning, meals, HBA, and even labels. I like to print out my canning labels. When I have only a few jars to label, I print the extra labels with something I know I will be canning in the future, like catfood or broth. I print the dates on separate labels sometimes.

I like this system because I can use fonts and sizes that work better for my poor eyesight.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Cool. I make notes on what I think needs changing on the first copy of recipes too.

When you buy blank labels . . . are they specific for canning or are they just general labels you would find at an office supply store? This is something I keep meaning to do, but haven't yet.

 

[SKR8PN]

What is this thing you call organized?

 

[freemotion]

Cool. I make notes on what I think needs changing on the first copy of recipes too.

When you buy blank labels . . . are they specific for canning or are they just general labels you would find at an office supply store? This is something I keep meaning to do, but haven't yet.

Yes, I just buy the blank white address labels at Staples, the smaller ones. I like to do one with the item and one with the date. It is fun to play with fonts, too!

 

[freemotion]

What is this thing you call organized?

Unfortunately, I am only organized where it doesn't show. My house is a mess, but my recipes, drawers, and closets are very well organized!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

What is this thing you call organized?

I guess you didn't read the fine print. Right now it is a pile of paper chaos.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Yes, I just buy the blank white address labels at Staples, the smaller ones. I like to do one with the item and one with the date. It is fun to play with fonts, too!

OK, thank you! I hope to do that some day when I am organized.

 

[2dream]

Organized?????

My recipes are on my computer so if it goes "Kaplooie" I will be pretty much SOL. I did start buying some of those USB memory stick things with the idea of transfering them to a couple of those for just in case. But so far I haven't done anything. Other than that my cousin gave me a really nice recipe book years ago. I print out recipes, fold the paper in half and just stuff it in the book. Hows that for organized. LOL

 

[reinbeau]

I use a recipe software program called Living Cookbook. I love it. I've got it on my laptop, if I want to I can set the computer up in the kitchen and make it from there, or I can print it out. I keep it well backed up so I won't lose all of my recipes! It makes it really easy to capture recipes from internet sources, there's a neat extention for Firefox called RecipeFox that makes it even easier.