As simply put as I can, I tend to like to collect recipes. I see a recipe here, tear one out of there, cut it off of this, see a recipe card-maybe lots of 'em at stores--you name it, just about anywhere, and the trouble is, so many sound, interesting, good, easy, fun to do with kids, creative, all kinds of things. TOO GOOD TO PASS UP. Afterall, it may just become a family favorite! Any of you like that?
Have you found a way to file them and store them for when you find a really good deal on something and want to put it in a variety of things for later consumption? Or maybe it's a clever way to get the kids to eat spinach, whereas before they wanted nothing to do with it?
Well, I have a small file cabinet FULL of recipes, and the problem is I put even more that I found from here and there in a box. Now the box is cluttering up and filling up.
No more room in the small file cabinet. What do you all do with your recipes that make them quick and easy to find? You'd think I should stop picking them up when I see good ones, but it's so hard! I pick them up faster than I can try them.
So what can I do? Replacing the small 2 drawer file cabinet with a 4 or 5 drawer one would be helpful for the space, but wouldn't fit so well in our kitchen. The 2 drawer one doesn't really! Any good ideas out there??? And for extra "credit" what about the recipes that have recipes on both sides? I have my files labeled by the various meats, kinds of veggies, type of fruit, grilling tips, etc. (detailed like that)-which helps some, but it's still getting full.
IDEAS, PLEASE!! By the way, I don't know how to anything electronic with them--and wouldn't you have to log on to your computer to do that anyway and have your computer in the kitchen, too, to avoid having to print it out? That's how much I know!
My next question is what all kinds of food prep appliances do some of you have, and how do you keep them from taking up your whole countertops? I have a mixer that sits out, if anybody can relate to that.
Have you thought about scanning them & filing them electronically? Then you could eliminate the paper completely!
I'm like that, so many good recipes and ideas out there!
I would suggest some 3 ring binders with clear pocket pages you can slip the recipes into. Categorize how ever you see fit then just store them on a bookshelf or where ever you have the space.
Best wishes to you!
I use to be the same way..recipes cluttered here and there, binders like you wouldn't belive until I finally forced myself to type them out. Crazy I know but well worth the time and effort! I have them saved on my hard drive as well as on a flash drive, that way if I need a recipe on the front computer, I just take the drive with me.
I have them broken down by meats, seafood, desserts, etc. and used a recipe card template found on Word.
Good luck!
you might want to try flylady, If you have that many recipies then you are probably spending more time fussing with them than you spend actually using them to cook.
like one poster said set a goal to make one new recipie a week. and make a goal to organ ize or toss at least 5 a week. and really if ever one is so fussy, is exerimenting with recipies going to go over well in practical life?
personally i use allrecipies.com I print only one to try at a time, and if it passes the family test, I put it in a clear protector in a ring binder on my kitchen shelf.
If you use an appliance every day,toaster, coffe pot microowave, it stay out other wise it gets put in a cupboard. I also have a limit of 10 pieces of "tupperware" I don'thave any hoards of plastics taking up cupboard space.
Do u have the chance to have the kids help you cook? when i started that mine where more willing to try new foods. That might fun for all of you:)
I used to collect recipes, too, and ran into similar problems. Once I figured out my cooking style (it is all about convenience, minimal ingrdients, quick prep) and what my family likes I was able to toss the recipes I knew I didn't need to keep and I was also better at choosing what new recipes were worth collecting.
I know some people who have 2 recipe file systems that are identical to each other. One is for new recipes that haven't been tried yet. The other is for recipes that have been tried, enjoyed and deemed worth keeping to make again. Maybe a system like that would work for you. Would you be able to make a point of preparing one recipe a week to get your process started?
As far as appliances, I have a toaster, George Forman and crock pot that sit out all the time because I use them often. Other appliances are stored in the pantry.
