This post has to do with organizing recipes. I promise it won't make you hungry! My son's girlfriend put out a cry for help on Facebook.
"Looking for some yummy dinner suggestions that can be made within 30 minutes to an hour! Any help is appreciated."
She and he have summer internships and I imagine there are many "hangry" moments when they arrive home from work without a plan for dinner. This tense moment often leads to fast food or junk food rather than practicing good nutrition as well as a relationship buzz kill.
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Their friends responded by recommending a lot of Mexican food recipes that involved tacos, burritos etc. She posted that she already had those types of recipes in her repertoire.
So, I got to thinking...I had been wanting to put together recipe books for my kids that contained all of our family favorites from all through their growing up years. I cook so differently for myself now and in the midst of my "Tidying Festival" I had conveniently skipped over sorting out my cookbook shelf because...honestly it's kind of a mess.
That yellow binder has nothing in it and that pile of white papers are actually a large pile of recipes that never found a home.
I decided to carve out some time and create a recipe book for her and my sons. As with most fun projects I dream up, it took on a life of it's own. I'll explain later.
First I went through all my favorite recipes! Many of them are categorized in labeled binders such as Pork, Poultry, Desserts, Salads etc. I had made these years ago to save my sanity cooking for our family on a nightly basis.
I chose those that our family liked and only if they could be cooked in under 30 minutes. I guess I'll have to make another book of recipes for Lasagna, Beef Bourgignon etc.
Then I typed up all the recipes. I know, right? It took some time. Turns out when I counted, there were over 50 recipes in 8 categories! I was excited!
Then I decided to raid my office supply cabinet and found binders, tabbed dividers and clear plastic sleeves. I love when I don't have to buy anything for a project. Don't you?
Finally I labled the tabs with my handy, dandy label maker. If you don't own one, get one! There is also this nifty product available now. Who knew?
Be sure to label the tabs on the front and back. This makes the book more useable.
Then I typed up a Tricks & Tips sheet. These are things that I've learned the hard way that make dinner time a whole lot easier.
For example: On the weekend, pull out 3 dinner recipes. Remember you'll have leftovers! and shop for those ingredients. Then carve out a couple of hours and prep all the food; cook the chicken, rinse, chop all the vegetables, make the rice etc. Store it all in plastic/glass containers in the frig with labels for each recipe. Put a menu on the frig.
Then when you come home from work, pick which recipe, pull out the prepped ingredients and voila, you'll have it ready in 20 to 30 minutes. No thinking required. I know many of you are brain-dead when you come home from work.
I also added a clear plastic sleeve with a note to cover the recipe at hand with it to keep it protected from drips and spills. Messy cooks unite!
Finally, I created a clever cover page and inserted it in the clear sleeve on the front of the binder.
Then I was so proud of my work, I posted it on Facebook. Then things got a little crazy!
My peeps wanted to buy my book!
So, not wanting to disappoint, I made a few more. Who knew this idea would be so popular?
Evidently many people want to spend less time cooking and more time on other pursuits.
After thinking about this concept more, I'd like to offer this as a service. I take your family recipes, type them up, bind them or make a digital book with photos and you get your family history preserved to be used by the generations.
This gets them off the dusty shelf into the hands and mouths of your family!
Who's in?
What's your favorite family recipe?
How do you currently store them?
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