Those of you who know me well know that not much cooking takes place in my kitchen. I do, however, believe that someday I will get my act together and start preparing delicious, healthy, home cooked meals for my family…and we’ll all sit around the table at 6:00 pm with a prayer and perfect manners discussing the fine points of our day…just enjoying this fantasy a little further. RIIIGHT. Until then – thank goodness for my microwave. Even though I don’t cook, I love to collect recipes and really do hope to use them more in the future. My problem is that I have no clue how to organize all of them. Some are written, some I’ve printed from online, some are in various cookbooks and some I’ve cut from magazines. I need a system – it’s driving me crazy not having one. A system that is easy to continue to add recipes to without a lot of hassle. So my question to all of you cooks out there is this: how do you organize your recipes??? What works for you?
p.s. If you’re reading this, send a comment my way…I use the term “cooks” pretty loosely!
I finally compiled all my recipes into a big book. I had to type or re-type them all up and then put them into a spiral book. Took forever but no more disorganization.:)
I love how Amber and Jen have all of their recipes typed up and in a three ring binder. Have you seen them? It would be a pain to type them all, but great after it was done. Buy a binder that has pockets in it for those that you just clip out. I like magazine recipes becuase they have a picture..to see what it is supposed to look like. So I would want something I could clip and save too.
And I think you are a great little cook….when you have time :)
Love you
So funny you should ask since I just organized mine the other day, or shall I say I had one of my slave children do it for me.
It’s very simple. I just three hole punched them and put them into a binder. I used one that had pockets, like your mom said, so I can slip in things I haven’t punched yet or whatever. And then I just have my cookbooks all set up in the cupboard above my oven.
I have faith in you Erin. I think you’re gonna love cooking someday.
Erin….why? Why not just stick with your lean cuisine recipes???? You could alphabetize them in your freezer and then create a sreadsheet of when to eat them! Ok, I am in a silly mood if you can’t tell. :o) I have recipes everywhere so let me know what you discover!
I’ll bet you already have your Lean Cuisines organized alphabetically don’t you??? Come on…admit it!!!
Erin I want you to know that I think of you everytime I look into my clean organized linen cupboard. Can’t wait till my kids are back in school so I can do more!
You and Ann are such a good influence on me!
I got your picture of your beautiful freezer full of beautifully organized lean cusuines! I’m telling ya, you have a good thing going there since you guys like them! Why start cooking? I was cracking up at the picture!
Sorry sis…this one is way outta my league. I have all our regular take-out joints programmed alphabetically into my blackberry and Shawn and I take turns picking up dinner on our way home from work. Let me know what recipie system you decide on, and instead of incorporating it into my life, I’m going to fly you to SLC to cook for me and my family!
I have to learn from you. I have recipes all over the place and I’m constantly calling friends and my mom for them because I’ve lost my copy! Sounds like the three ring binder might be the best bet. BTW would love to see the picture of your freezer! Your also welcome to come over and organize my pantry and freezer any time ;) !
Sounds like you organize yours like mine. I have them all shoved together in a book. I may not be able to find the one I am looking for, but at least I always know it is in there somewhere!
I do the binder, but that is in constant need of reorganization too! What about online, typing them there, filing them there, leaving them there, for that future fantasy your having? Stick with Ann’ idea. We should have a lean cuisine party!! Well, you should. I should come though!!
Seriously, I haven’t met too many people that can eat Lean Cuisine night after night and actually LOVE them-you have a good thing going there. Pop it in the micro for five minutes. Zero cleanup. Let’s have a LC party like Darci suggested!
btw-i know i am being a bad influence on you. i should be telling you great ways to organize your recipes and to start cooking homemade meals for your beautiful family. sorry, i just couldn’t resist.
Aren’t you on an orgaizing frenzie!
Here’s what my mad cooking self does and I believe it is working. I have scanned and typed out all my recipes and put them on my laptop. They’re organized into folders just like a sectioned cookbook. I like that if someone wants the recipe I can email it to them. I can also just use my laptop to look at the recipe and I don’t have to print it out and also if a recipe falls into more than one catagory I can copy and paste it into several folders. That’s what I do.
From what I read, I guess you have to get off of Lean Cusine first to fuly appreciate your organized recipes.