Instead of recipes tossed into a cardboard box as my mother did, even though it brought back many memories when I found the container years later, there are other more efficient ways to organize yours. One method involves cataloging your recipes along with the family memories associated with them.

Get a loose leaf notebook and make dividers to separate the sections. Start by collecting your recipes, then those from other family members.

You can hand write them on sturdy paper or print them on your computer. With the computer you can experiment with various types of script and fonts. But keep it readable.

On that page, or if there isn't space, use another page, write down something about the recipe, family memories, occasions when it's used, where you obtained it, etc.

You may want to use some pictures...photos of family dining and/or cooking, your own sketches, or clip art from your computer...to add interest to your family recipe collection.

This method of organizing your recipes can be as simple or as decorative as you like. Try colored paper for the dividers, or even the recipe pages. Some of the scrapbooking techniques used for photo albums also can be applied to this project.

By using a three-ring binder with loose leaf pages, you can add to the collection whenever you want. You also can duplicate these recipe books so that you have a collection for other family members who enjoy memorabilia. These recipe/memory books make lovely gifts for relatives.

What Recipes Do You Include?

The recipes you include depend on you. Do you want them simply from your immediate family...current and/or recipes of the past. Do you want to include extended family members or even friends?

Will this project encompass merely recipes or the stories that go along with them and/or perhaps other family tidbits? Personally I find recipes more interesting when I learn the stories accompanying them.

Families Contributing

If other family members to contribute,one person can type them into a computer or recipe program so that the resulting book is standardized. My daughter did this after I collected the recipes for the Allen/McCracken Family Cookbook.

Or someone with very nice handwriting could write or print them in script. However, this is very time consuming and tedious. Many computer programs have nice script fonts which one can use if you want this effect. However, make sure you don't get so fancy that itÂ’s illegible and people aren't sure about the ingredients and amounts.

A Family Recipe

BAKED TACO SALAD - Brown and drain 2 pounds ground beef. Add 1 chopped onion, 2 eight-ounce cans tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder (leave out if you want chili less salad or decrease the amount if you don't want it so hot).

Break 12 hard taco cells apart and spread 6 of the shells on bottom of 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Spread meat mixture on top and add remaining 6 shells.

Combine 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 soup can milk; pour over shells. Top with shredded cheese, about 1/2 cup. Bake covered, 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Serve with lettuce and tomatoes on top of each serving. Use taco sauce if desired.

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