5 Simple Tips for getting your recipes together, so you can prepare meals for your family with ease. You will be able to find your favorite recipes in 20 seconds or less and without any frustration!
How many cookbooks do you have? How many of them do you use or even look at? Do you save all your old magazines just for the recipes? Do you reference those magazines? Are you feeling overwhelmed?
You are not alone.
It is fascinating that hundreds of new cookbooks are being published each year. So what do you do with all of theses great recipes??
Here are the TOP 5 Tips on getting your recipes together, so you can prepare meals for your family with little or no ease and easily finding your favorite recipes in 20 seconds or less and without frustration:
#1 Sit down with a nice cup of tea or coffee and pull out all of your recipes and cookbooks, this includes those magazine clippings.
#2 Go through each recipe and ask yourself these 3 questions:
- Would I ever make this dish?
- When was the last time I looked at this cookbook or this recipe?
- If I was going to cook a recipe like this, would I run to my computer and look it up online or would I use this cook book? Be honest!
#3 If you are not loving, using, or making any dishes from your recipes or cookbooks then it is time for them to be passed on.
I recently gave a couple of cookbooks to my nephew who is an aspiring chef. He works and lives in Whistler BC. He enjoys looking at cookbooks more than reading recipes online. Is this true for yourself, please share your answer with me by commenting below.
#4 Do you have an “old fashioned” recipe card file box? You will want to go through this box and toss out all the recipes you NEVER use. Keep your most favorite ones.
I love my recipes on these cards as they usually have a few spilled sauces on them or a dash of sugary syrup. I am kind of an old fashioned gal at heart.
#5 Do you clip recipes from magazines? Many people do as they have the best of intentions to make that dish. Do you ever end up making the recipe? If so, you’ll want a system for keeping these tried and true favorites. You could store these recipes in a binder. Use tabs to separate the different categories. Main dishes, appetizers, desserts, etc. OR you can copy your favorites on your old fashioned recipe cards.
I only keep and file recipes that I have tried and are a family winner. Be honest with yourself. If you have not looked at this pile of torn out recipes then it is time to toss. I know you have the best of intentions to make them, but you now can go online if and when you decide to make that dish. Big piles of paper collect loads of dust. Be cautious of this when it comes to your old magazines and recipes.
We are creatures of habit. Most of us end up cooking our top 5-10 favorite meals.
Know yourself. Trust yourself. Stick to a cooking plan that is working for you.
Are you feeling a bit lost on where to start or need to get your whole kitchen organized (not just the recipes)? With the holidays coming up, now is the perfect time. If you live in the Vancouver area, contact me today for a 30-minute complimentary no-obligation phone consultation.
During the consultation we will discuss your biggest organizing challenge, what is frustrating you most, and changes you can make to ensure you can fly through the holidays with ease, and of course have plenty of time and energy to enjoy them!
Then we will discuss organizing packages and pricing. If we are good fit for one another, we can schedule your first personalized in-home organizing session.
Here’s to your success!
My biggest frustration isn’t the prep time, although finding the recipe can sometimes be a problem, it’s the family attitude when you try something new. I am married to a wonderful man that likes meat and potatoes…what Mama cooked! Venturing out is difficult for him. For the most part, he likes my cooking and is usually a good sport, as long as I don’t push the envelope too far! One of his favorites is breakfast food for the evening meal. Now on that note, I completely agree.
Sounds like you have him figured out. Why not try a special recipe when you have friends coming over and it is a potluck. That way your husband will have other items to pick from.