How do you organize your recpies?

[Traci Reed]

In a perfect world, I would be able to keep up with the computer programs that do this for you because it's so cool, but I can't...LOL

I want to organize my recipes by main ingredient, breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc... but I don't use or like recipe boxes and stuff like that..I was thinking a binder would be good to store all my assorted magazine clippings but I just have no idea where to start...what do you do?

[Emmy]

I have a longaberger recipe box - when a recipe becomes a family favorite or regular item around here, I fill out a card for it. I also have some clipped recipes in there from magazines. Most of the new recipes I try are on my computer because I found them online - those are in a folder called "new recipes" and they live there until they get upgraded status to being a favorite. It's really not that organized...

[Darcy Baldwin]

Traci - I have 2.

I have a recipe box - because it allows me to pull out a recipe card easily, stick it on my hood and cook. I keep segments for: appetizers, drinks, breads, candy, desserts, main dishes (by meat), non meat mains, veg. Then I have a binder of all the ones I print off online to try done the same way. If we use it and like it, it's transferred onto a recipe card for permanent placement and the page is tossed.

I do have a similar system on my PC for things to try, but I find that I am a recipe card in hand person and want them in my 'forever' box once we find that we love the recipe.

For a binder, I would definitely suggest using page protectors so that you can slip in odd sized cut outs, etc. That way they don't get lost.

[melmos75]

I guess I'm no help either cuz I use a recipe box.

[iJenny]

I use a recipe box too. I keep all our "family favorites" recipes in the front and then everything else is categorized by Main Dish, Sides/Salads, Soups, Baked Goods, Desserts, etc.

[Kim]

We use a box too... and its by main ingrediants

[Stacey42]

I have a box too. I like index cards. :)

I keep the print outs from the web or pages from magazines in binders sorted by main ingredient, and type of meal - appetizer, main dish, dessert, veggies, party dishes.

But I have a bunch of cookbooks I use too and recipes on cards from people so I use the box. The box holds the recipe names of the stuff i like from books and the binders. I sort them by main ingredient & instead of the card having the recipe on it it says the book & page # or binder & section, plus lists the major ingredients & then I make notes about it on the card when i cook it, like "not enough garlic" or "don't use elbow noodles use rigatoni".

[mummytothree]

Well I have several thing and none of them are a box :D :D Years ago I bought a cook book with a "stand" on the spine. Like one that is on the back of a picture. It worked wonderfully and I used it often!! It came with it's own cards and you could by refills. I can't find anything like it online but while searching I found a bunch of "neater" ones like this!!

http://www.dvo.com/Pics/binder.jpg

Now a days though I cook from mostly my Betty Crocker Cookbook and my Simple & Delicious Magazines (from the taste of Home line) and I just keep them in a cupboard...they have a whole one dedicated just for them!!!

[Paula]

I've digi scrapped my recipes and printed them out at 4x6 on cardstock. Then I put them in a scrapbook using 4x6 photo slots. I organize them according to types: desserts, appetizers, soups, breads, sides, mains.

[iJenny]

Well I have several thing and none of them are a box :D :D Years ago I bought a cook book with a "stand" on the spine. Like one that is on the back of a picture. It worked wonderfully and I used it often!! It came with it's own cards and you could by refills. I can't find anything like it online but while searching I found a bunch of "neater" ones like this!!

http://www.dvo.com/Pics/binder.jpg

Now a days though I cook from mostly my Betty Crocker Cookbook and my Simple & Delicious Magazines (from the taste of Home line) and I just keep them in a cupboard...they have a whole one dedicated just for them!!!

That red binder thing is really cool! I need to get my recipes printed and laminated because they're always getting nasty while I'm cooking. I'd love to have something like that, but smaller because I don't have a lot of counter space when I'm cooking.

[Nettio]

I just use a binder with page protectors and tabbed dividers. I can't really take credit for it since my mom put it together as a Christmas gift for each of us, but it's great because it's really easy to just add recipes that you've printed since it's already 8.5x11.

I also have a small recipe binder that holds recipe cards but I don't find I use it as much since I don't like to have to rewrite recipes onto the cards. Some of the recipes are in both places and I almost always look at them in the binder instead.

[Traci Reed]

I just use a binder with page protectors and tabbed dividers. I can't really take credit for it since my mom put it together as a Christmas gift for each of us, but it's great because it's really easy to just add recipes that you've printed since it's already 8.5x11.

I also have a small recipe binder that holds recipe cards but I don't find I use it as much since I don't like to have to rewrite recipes onto the cards. Some of the recipes are in both places and I almost always look at them in the binder instead.


Hey take a pic of that binder! LOL

Thanks for your advice ladies...I have a longaberger card thingy too and hate it..hmmm

[WalkersMommy]

i got this awesome binder at costco that is especially for recipes. it has dividers with pockets in it with different categories on them like dinner, dessert, etc. it comes with cute printed paper to print out or write your recipes on, and also cards that match the paper. and the coolest part is that it comes with plastic page holders so that you can spill on it and it wont ruin the paper lol! you should see if costco still has them :D

[robinforman]

I have a binder, too, and have organized it with tabs and page protectors.

For example, I have main dishes as a tab, then I have separate page protectors with different categories written on them in sharpie... pasta, chicken, red meat, pork, seafood, soups, salads... you get the idea. I just stuff the recipes for each category into the page protector.

I have gone through several methods, and am REALLY liking this one because it accommodates all sizes of recipes and is easy to use when you are looking for something in particular, kwim?

Good luck!

[hollyxann]

One of my new projects is making a hybrid recipe book.
I plan on making recipe cards with my digi stuff, printing 4x6 on cardstock.
I bought a small 5x7 scrapbook at Michaels that I plan on covering and putting the cards inside.

[juliemarie]

I couldn't deal with a recipe box because its too much work to keep them organized :)
I have 2 small photo albums, 1 is for meals and 1 is for desserts.

I actually did a cover for one awhile ago:
https://www.sweetshoppecommunity.com/gallery/data/581/2008-08-31-07-53-59_0002.jpg (https://www.sweetshoppecommunity.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=55959&ppuser=416)

[dabittymama]

I have a binder that I rarely use anymore because I get most of my recipes online now. I'll cute and paste them in an email and save them on my gmail. With the gmail search feature it makes it easy to find! :thumbup:

[Angie4b1g]

I got all my friends to send me all their recipes, too, and I typed them all up into a little cookbook and had them bound for all of us. :)

[Angie4b1g]

OH and I ordered a book from Arts Cow with the recipes from the swap here.

If I had time on my hands, I'd make cute layouts of all my faves and have a book made.

[nesser1981]

I just have cookbooks everywhere.

When we have something we like, I take a picture of it and make an 8x10 recipe page that I put in binder.

Otherwise, I have a folder in my documents that has recipe categories and I just throw them in there until I make a page for them.

I also bought a notebook and any clippings i have I just tape in there. But I'll honest, I don't use it alot.

[nesser1981]

Here's mine,
I think I have my categories set up as
Breakfast
Appetizers
Sides
Beef
Chicken
Other, pork, seafood, etc
Crockpot
Sweets
Holidays

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/nesser1981/February-3-2009-18.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/nesser1981/February-3-2009-19.jpg

[DawnMarch]

We have several recipe boxes (almost all our recipes go on 4x6 cards), and organized by type of food etc. I know you don't like recipe boxes, but if you have a LOT of recipes like we do, it's the easiest way. We also have a tabbed binder of miscellaneous stuff that won't fit into the boxes, but I HATE the binder. It's too hard to look through the whole thing and I just don't like the format.

[nesser1981]

Another reason I started doing mine like this was, when I first started cooking for myself and Sean, we were in Japan. My mom sent me recipes, but she didn't measure anything out and I was never sure how it was suppose to look. This way Keira or Cooper know what the food should look like and if anything ever happened to me, Sean would still have all their favorite foods right there for him.


Here's mine,
I think I have my categories set up as
Breakfast
Appetizers
Sides
Beef
Chicken
Other, pork, seafood, etc
Crockpot
Sweets
Holidays

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/nesser1981/February-3-2009-18.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/nesser1981/February-3-2009-19.jpg

[Traci Reed]

If you organize it by chicken, fish, crockpot, etc... What do you do with chicken that goes in the crockpot??? This is my issue, I need subcategories.

[hollyxann]

What about doing it like appetizers, entrees, dessert...then you could do salads, quick & easy, etc..for appetizers subcategories...chicken, beef, fish, pork, sandwiches (could be an appetizer if done small) for entrees subs, and desserts could have subs like cookies, cakes, candy etc..

Look at a regular cookbook and see how they categorize the recipes.

I just thought about another category...drinks!

You could even do special categories for holidays...like halloween recipes, christmas cookies or special recipes for christmas & thanksgiving...and maybe family recipes or favorites family recipes.

*And alphabetize (sp?)

Hope that helps a little.

(Now if I can only remember all these ideas for the cookbook I'm working on...lol)

[nesser1981]

If you organize it by chicken, fish, crockpot, etc... What do you do with chicken that goes in the crockpot??? This is my issue, I need subcategories.

I just leave it in the crockpot section.

[hollyxann]

Here is a link that I think may help:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/course/

Sorry to be a "serial-poster" today...