Saving treasured recipes, passed from generation to generation is a wonderful tradition. As my parents and grandparents get older, I see the value of the recipes I have enjoyed for many years increasing more and more. Some of their recipes and tips are merely in their minds and need to be captured on paper so they are not lost forever.
A recipe binder is a perfect place to gather tried and true recipes in one place. This should be the most used “cookbook” on your bookshelf. Whether they are printed from your computer or hand-copied from grandma’s recipe box, a recipe binder is a handy way to collect your recipes and keep them in one place.
A recipe binder is another thing I want to pass down to each of my children. It is a perfect shower or wedding gift and becomes a treasure trove of cherished recipes from generations past.
This binder will be referenced a lot and needs to be organized well. How you organize your recipe binder is up to you. It’s your recipe binder, make it your own.
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Decide which format you would like to use for your recipe binder
You can make it as plain or as fancy as you like. Use notebook paper, make it a scrapbook, a journal, an art journal, or you can use recipe cards in a box. Include poems, drawings, stories about the person you received the recipe from, and secret tips for making each recipe perfect.
Make a fun cover for your recipe binder
This can also be as plain or as fancy as you like. Be creative!
Start gathering recipes for your recipe binder
It’s never too soon to start gathering recipes. Ask parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends for their best recipes. If there is a recipe you have tried and loved, ask for it. Get all the details.
Choose categories and make tabs for your recipe binder
Organizing your recipes into categories is the best way to keep track of them and make them easy to find. Decide what categories are best for your recipes and the way you cook and entertain. Make a table of contents and use tabs with the category names on them to divide your recipes.
Here are some common cookbook categories:
Appetizers and Snacks
Soups and Stews
Salads
Main Dishes
Side Dishes
Desserts
Miscellaneous
You can break these cookbook categories down even further by putting them in the order they will be eaten in the day. Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Holiday, etc.
Consider putting your recipes in alphabetical order within your categories.
Here are more categories you might consider using for your Recipe Binder:
Beverages
Breads
Breakfast/Brunch
Salads and Slaws
Salad Dressings and Vinaigrettes
Salsa and Pesto
Pickles, Relish, Chow Chow
Marinades
Sauces and Gravies
Homemade Mixes
Food Preservation
Canning
Jams, Jellies, Preserves
Main Dishes: Beef
Main Dishes: Poultry
Main Dishes: Pork
Main Dishes: Seafood
Main Dishes: Vegetarian
Main Dishes: Other
Casseroles
Crockpot
Soups, Stews, Chili
Dumplings
Side Dishes: Vegetables
Side Dishes: Other
Yeast Breads
Quick Breads
Pies
Cakes and Frosting
Cobbler and Crisps
Cookies and Bars
Doughnuts
Candy Making
Fun with Food
Holidays and Entertaining
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