Creating a Family Cookbook

RE: Creating a Family Cookbook Post By (Guest Post) (10/17/2007) I started a family cookbook about 4-5 months ago and it's still a work in progress. I figured 6 months would be a good amount of time to complete the project...boy was I wrong! I would start by allowing a year to complete this huge project. Here's a list of things you may want to consider. -coming up with a title and cover layout -table of contents -an introduction, explaining why the book was created, who it was created for, and maybe a little family history. -stories, pictures, and memories to go with certain recipes- - fun facts and tips to go with recipes - a family tree - holiday memories and pictures - geneology - a few hand written recipes - I added a dvd sleeve and made a slideshow of pictures and favorite songs for every one One thing I learned is get everyone involved. Ask for other family members to contribute their favorite stories, recipes, and pictures that way it's written by the entire family RE: Creating a Family Cookbook Post By JJ (Guest Post) (08/22/2006) I just finished a family cookbook this summer. I started with a plain notebook and on each page put catagories. Like beverages, cakes, muffins, cookies and so on. Then I went through all recipes I had and made a list of the ones i wanted to put in the cookbook. Then once I decided what recipes went in there i went through each catagory and sorted out all duplicates. For example.... in the cakes i ended up with 7 apple cake recipes from 7 different people. I put each ones name with the recipe. Then I downloaded a free office program like "open office" and began typing the recipes. In my documents i organized them by catagory. I'd work every weekend and do three or so pages. Then print them off and just stack them. When that was done, I made 25 cookbooks of 75 pages front and back each. I purchases a machine from an office store, and a box of covers and spines... and put the plastic binder on. It takes a while but well worth it. A friend of mine did hers another way. She purchased 20 nice notebooks with blank front covers which she covered wtih spray adhesive and fabric. Then hand copied two recipes per page and decorated with stickers and ink stamps. She would do one recipe at at time and copied it in each book. She used those little index tabs and divided hers out. Good luck. its really a nice gift to give. RE: Creating a Family Cookbook Post by tkehaulani (2) | (08/21/2006) Contact I started a family cookbook last year and it's a work in progress. The idea was to clear my shelf of all the cookbooks that have only a few recipes I like. Only the recipes that pass the food critics in my house make it into the book. I've typed the recipes and where they're from into my computer. If I have a picture, I glue it to the bottom of the page. The pages go in a sheet protector and then into a binder. I have index dividers to categorize the recipes. I also have a Table of Contents so it's handy to see what's in the book. One day, I will make copies for my kids when they move out on their own. RE: Creating a Family Cookbook Post By (Guest Post) (08/20/2006) I think this is a great idea for Christmas presents when you're on a tight budget.....anyone want to trade recipes maybe? Editor's Note: Please submit them to our TF Recipes newsletter, that way they get posted on the site and everyone can try them. RE: Creating a Family Cookbook Post by sandy63 (289) | (08/20/2006) Profile | Blog! | Contact this is funny. i was up half the night typing in my recipes for a cookbook i am giving as Christmas presents. they are all my favorites. but these are the ones everyone requests all the time. everytime a give a recipe they end up losing it. so i am planning on some kind of book that they will not lose track of the recipe. RE: Creating a Family Cookbook Post by Alan24 (25) | (08/20/2006) Blog! | Contact Maggie Why not go the Scrap Book way and get everyone to write down there favorite recipes? You can then assemble each recipe with perhaps an illustration or some related decoration under the persons name. If you do this useing a loose leaf binder and polythene covers for each recipe it would also be easy to detach each page and work from it in the kitchen. RE: Creating a Family Cookbook Post by Alan24 (25) | (08/20/2006) Blog! | Contact Maggie Why not go the Scrap Book way and get everyone to write down there favorite recipes? You can then assemble each recipe with perhaps an illustration or some related decoration under the persons name. If you do this useing a loose leaf binder and polythene covers for each recipe it would be easy to detach each page and work from it in the kitchen.