Recipe Scrapbook Albums Are Fun

What is your family's favorite recipe? Where did you get it? Was it something Grandmother learned when she was a young bride? Was it a sushi recipe that won a prize for Uncle Lyle at the state fair?

A recipe scrapbook album would be a wonderful gift for family members. Imagine giving each one a collection of family recipes, each with its own bit of history, in a recipe scrapbook album.

You can make those recipe scrapbook albums following these steps.

Recipe Scrapbook Album Materials

Prepare to make your recipe scrapbook album by assembling the following minimal materials. You may want other things as well, but these 7 are recommended for a complete recipe scrapbook album.

* Family recipes, as many as possible - neatly written or typed

* Photographs of how the recipe looks when ready to serve

* Photographs of the person credited with creation of the recipe

* Notes of things people always say or remember about the recipe

* Scrapbooking paper (acid-free) reminiscent of cooking

* Food preparation stickers and charms

* Recipe "instruction" tags

Themes for Recipe Scrapbook Albums

Your overall theme is for a recipe scrapbook album will, of course, be recipes. In keeping with that theme, each page or section will have a specific theme in the category of recipes.

Browsing through your recipes and photos, look for natural groupings. If there are several recipes from Grandmother, theme a section of your recipe scrapbook album for those. If Uncle Lyle has more recipes than his singular prize-winning sushi, set aside a section for him in your recipe scrapbook album.

Perhaps you will find it easier to divide your recipe scrapbook album into themes such as appetizers, main courses, side dishes, desserts, and beverages. Each of those could be a page or section theme.

Recipe Scrapbook Album Page Layouts

Once you have your themes, you are ready to lay out the pages of your recipe scrapbook albums. There are many approaches to page layout, and you may have one you have used often. Here is one way of doing it.

1. Select the photo(s) to be used on a 2-page spread or single page. If they are colored photos, select scrapbooking paper to complement them. Be sure you use acid-free paper to protect your memories.

2. Lay out your scrapbooking paper to fit the page. Be creative with your paper. Nostalgic kitchen wallpaper is a good choice for old recipes. Italian recipes might find a home on red and white checkered paper reminiscent of a tablecloth. If your recipe scrapbook album includes a recipe for Fish and Chips, you might want scrapbooking paper on that page to look like an old newspaper.

3. Once you have placed your scrapbooking paper, begin to arrange the recipe and accompanying photos. Typed recipe cards are fine, but if your recipes are hand-written by the person who created them, it will give your recipe scrapbook albums a more personal touch.

4. Frame your photos and recipes after they are placed. You can find a wonderful array of frames in scrapbooking supplies stores. Or use your own creativity. If Grandmother always wore an apron when preparing that delicious chocolate cake, create an apron "pocket" of cloth or cardstock. Tuck into it one or more recipes. Another idea is to make fold-open frames for the recipes in your recipe scrapbook album. Simply cut an appropriate size piece of cardstock and fold it in thirds. Adhere the center third to your scrapbook, top it with the recipe, and fold the other two sides shut over it. You might even make the folded card look like cupboard doors.

5. Once your photos and recipes are framed on the page, add a few lines of journaling that capture the family memories associated with the recipe. In my own files, I have a recipe for cookies served by the host the evening my husband and I first knew we would become more than friends. Personal notes about such memories add immensely to recipe scrapbook albums. My mother's fresh, home-baked bread is remembered as Dad's favorite base for yellow mustard!

6. When each page layout is completed, each element glued firmly in place, you are ready to add stickers and charms - embellishments. You may use commercially made embellishments for your recipe scrapbook albums, and you may add more intimate touches as well. If Grandmother loved lace, and even crocheted her own, adding a touch of lace to her page will help family members remember that. Since Uncle Lyle always used that bright green "sushi grass" (baran) to separate his sushi, be sure you include a piece of it on the sushi recipe page.

Finally, you may want to leave a few blank pages at the end of your recipe scrapbook albums so that future recipes can be added later.

Recipe scrapbook albums can be made during a prolonged family reunion, giving everyone something to do with their hands while catching up on family news.

 

Guide to Standardized Recipe

Standardized Recipe Ideology

A standardized recipe refers to a particular standard-of-use of certain metrics in cooking - Standard sizes, time, temperature, amount, etc. Abiding by this rule creates uniformity in kitchen produce, whether or not it is tangible or intangible.

The idea of a standardized recipe is definitely not alien to many of us anymore. In fact, it has been very widely used around the globe and there are certain metrics to a standardized recipe that we must follow. In the kitchen, a standardized recipe is a crucial part of standardizing dishes, ingredients and elements in a restaurant that might lead to gain or loss during operational hours. Certain restaurants benchmark standardized recipes in their kitchen, some do not. There are pros and cons of using standardized recipes.

Benefits of having a Standardized Recipe
Creates an absolute standard in kitchen produce and cooking activities. Allows smooth transition between different kitchen staffs. Maintains food quality and food standards during kitchen operational hours. Guiding tool for newcomers to the kitchen. Refresh minds of kitchen staff after some time. (Eliminating guesswork) Referral material should there be any disputes. Base for costing when kitchen costs are calculated. Be a great guide to implementing a new menu should there be any need. Planning and costing purposes when a particular event needs accounting/kitchen control auditing. Prevents raw food leftovers (with good Kitchen Control)

Cons of having a Standardized Recipe
Inconvenient - This can be from the Head Chef keeping the list of standardized recipe in his room and had it locked or having three big books of standardized recipe and need kitchen staff to flip over one by one to get everything done. Inconvenience is the number ONE factor that led to kitchen staff not using standardized recipes. Time consuming - This is also one of the reasons why standardized recipe are not followed. During peak hours, a kitchen do not have time to waste, and every second counts. Better variations - Some Chefs prefer to follow their centric of taste, some are just worship their own believes. This could cause a problem when there is no proper training provided and Kitchen Control. Rules are meant to be broken - There are always different people/consumers around your restaurant. What's important, the customers. When standardized recipes are not tested regularly on the restaurant, inaccurate information may be provided in the standardized recipe. Solution: Leave room or space for food/cooking variation. This usually happen when the Head Chef is not properly organized or trained well for his position. A secret no more - Some restaurateurs or Chefs frown on making a book of standardized recipe because they want to protect their food knowledge. This is a classic perception: Someone comes by, takes all the recipe and leave the restaurant after a month. When it's gone, it's really gone - At certain times in a restaurant, a piece of recipe sheet can get lost. When it's lost, there will be a slight havoc in understanding as the Head Chef needs to take action immediately. On another situation, it can also be 'stolen' or 'retrieved' as management of the restaurant changes, and/or someone steals the particular information, or the restaurant faces mishaps like kitchen on fire.

Standardized recipes do not necessarily have certain standards that you need to follow. There are many ways to actually personalize your standardized recipe, keep them into your book and use them for referrals in the future. Alternatively, you can also save them into your computer, and organize them well. Whatever it is, standardized recipes serve good purposes in a kitchen - Take the time to actually follow the steps, and you might just get happier guests/customers.

There are three (3) common ways of writing a recipe:
Paragraph-style recipes List-style recipes Action-style recipes

Paragraph Style Recipes This way of writing a recipe is classic - And they serve their own purpose in writing that way. There are many pros and cons to this kind of writing style, and we'd like to leave it up to you to figure it out. Anyway, here's an example of a paragraph-style written recipe:

Put your skillet on the pan and turn on the heat to low. Now take a bowl, crack 2 fresh eggs inside and add in some salt and pepper. Next, grab a whisk and start beating it until it's mixed or quite fluffy. When your skillet is hot enough, add in 1 tbsp of oil, and swirl the oil around. You'll notice the oil runs faster on hot pans. When your pan and oil is hot enough, turn on the heat to high and pour in your eggs. Leave the heat on high until your eggs (at the side of the pan) forms a solid texture. At this time, reduce your heat to low. When your egg is cooked enough, flip it over and top it off with some ikan kering! Voilá!

Paragraph-style recipes can work at certain extent. Be sure to choose your methods of writing well.

List-style Recipes The list-style writing of recipes is one of the easiest, practical and most common ways of writing a recipe. This method consist of two sections - The header, and footer. Header consist of different elements such as recipe title, temperature, yield, time, etc, while the footer contains methods to use these ingredients. An example of list-style recipes:

-Eggs with Ikan Kering 2 no Eggs
-1 tbsp Oil
-Ikan kering
Heat up your pan in low heat, crack two eggs into a bowl and add seasoning. Whisk well. When your pan is hot enough, add in your oil and wait until it's hot. Pour it in and turn your heat to high, until you see the sides of your eggs are actually solid in texture. Reduce your heat to low, and cook the eggs well. Flip over. Top it off with some crumbled ikan kering and voilá!

Action-style recipes Action style recipes has been known as the killer way of listing recipes, amount, methods and ingredients in a very organized and well-mannered. The first step will usually contain ingredients and methods limited to only a particular food preparation, and the list continues and combines with step two and three. Here's an example:

Action-style recipes can be very directive and you can add in more information to your liking. Choose which is best for you and your audience, then pick the right one and give them value.

Standard Elements in a Standardized Recipe Although we may see certain standard recipe metrics in a standardized recipe that may be both relevant and irrelevant to you, there are certain practical usage to it, and customizing your standardized recipe a good way to go when you need to emphasize certain recipe metrics in a recipe sheet. In a way, always think of your end-users rather than yourself.

Common Recipe Elements in a Standardized Recipe
Ingredients Temperature Equipments & Utensils Needed Amount Method Media (Picture/Video)

These metrics are the basics - But what makes a better Standardized Recipe is to actually explain in detail what is the outcome, what should you avoid, what should you do and not do, etc. While these may be too long to squeeze into your methods area or the miscellaneous box in the action style recipe, you should include a section to it.

Recommended Standard Recipe Elements to Add These recommended standard recipe elements are absolutely optional and should only be included at selected times. Note that most recipes require only the simplest of steps to take, and portrayal of information should be as concise, clear and to the point as possible.
Taste - At what degree should this dish taste like, and how you can stretch its seasoning properties from there. Precautions and Warnings - Precautions while handling these food mix or cooking methods. Tips & Advice - Best way to beef up preparation methods and cook well without the need for practical training. What to do while waiting - Important steps or methods to follow or take while waiting cooking or preparing a food ingredient or food ingredient mixes, etc. Alternatives - Alternatives to this cooking method, or that food ingredient which might not be available in certain areas of the world. Should there be any alternative ways to do it, it should be pointed out. Halal status - Halal status is very important. Certain foods are pre-packed in a non-halal manner, or foods containing pork-based materials used in preparation or alcohol usage. For example, rum flavoring. Comes in halal and non-halal. Garnishing recommendations - This should be included and portrayed after recipe methods. Miscellaneous information - This information should be portrayed at the very bottom of the recipe, stating ways on how to prepare and cut this meat, or measure the intensity of cooking in the meat. This could also serve as a section where you throw in a combination of Taste (No. 1) and Tips & Advice (No. 3).

 

Get Your Recipes Together!

Here a few methods I have found to organize recipes:

PHOTO ALBUMS

Your can place clipped recipes and recipe cards in a any type of photo album (hint: go to the thrift stores and pick up inexpensive albums) although the type of albums that you can add pages to would be best because this will help you organize the album better. You can place tabs on pages to divide the album into categories then simply place your clipped recipes into the appropriate category. This method is a great way to keep all loose recipes together. The plastic protection will help keep your recipes clean.

A RECIPE FILE

Get an accordion-type file to organize clipped recipes and recipe cards. Label each section with a different recipe category then simply file your recipes. This method will at least keep them all together and is quick, but you will have to sort through all the recipes in a certain category when trying to find a particular recipe.

A RECIPE BOX

With a recipe box, you can put different categories onto tabbed dividers and you can buy more dividers if necessary. You can file clipped recipes but it is neater if you write them onto recipe cards which is time consuming. As with the accordion file, you'll have to sort through recipes in a category to find one.

A COMPUTER RECIPE PROGRAM

If you have a little spare time this is a great way to compile all of your favorite recipes--including ones in your recipe books. These programs are pre-formatted so you just fill in the blanks. It can get time consuming entering in all your recipes, but if you stick to entering in 1 or 2 recipes a day, you'll make some progress.

There's a number of benefits using this method, one being that you can easily find recipes and print them out. You can print out recipes and make homemade cookbooks to give to your friends and relatives. The program will figure the nutrition information for your recipes. Some programs offer a menu maker and a shopping list. It's also easy to locate certain recipes with certain ingredients. For example, if I have ground beef on hand, I can do a search for 'ground beef' and the program will bring up all recipes with ground beef in it. Also, these programs come with recipes--so if you don't want to enter your own, you'll still have a great cookbook to use all these features on.

A THREE-RING BINDER

I use the three-ring binder in conjunction with my recipe programs. I have put tabbed page dividers into it and labeled each divider with its own recipe category. Whenever I print out a recipe to use from my recipe programs, I punch holes in it and place it into the appropriate category in the three-ring binder. This eliminates the need for me to re-print the recipe later.
I hope this article gives you some ideas for organizing your recipes. Recipe collecting can be a fun hobby especially if it is organized!

BENEFITS OF RECIPE E-BOOKS:

~ Rather than lugging out a cookbook and turning pages for hours
searching for the perfect recipe, simply click open a recipe e-book
on your computer, do a quick search for an ingredient or key word,
then print your recipe!

~ Get your cookbook dirty & it's ruined; get your printed recipe from
a recipe e-book dirty, simply print a new one!
~ Make your own customized cookbook by filing your
favorite printed recipes in a 3-ring binder with dividers!
~ Print favorite recipes for your friends & family, or even
make them a homemade cookbook!
~ Save all that valuable space those cookbooks are taking
and use recipe e-books instead!

 

Have You Tried Scrapbooking Recipes?

Have you seen the new scrapbooking supplies for recipe albums? Local craft stores are responding to the new trend of scrapbooking recipes. You can find albums with a recipe theme, as well as stickers, paper and embellishments to complement the scrapbook. The main thought behind scrapbooking recipes is the same as using photos and memories. We want to preserve the recipes for future generations. However, recipe albums are very popular as gift items as well. Some scrapbookers are even using them in their kitchens as cookbooks.

To begin designing a recipe scrapbook you need to think about your purpose for creating it. Will this be an album documenting family recipes handed down from generation to generation? Or are you creating an album to give as a gift? If this is a recipe album meant to be used in the kitchen, you also may approach the design differently and choose a scrapbook that will be more durable. Albums come in a variety of sizes including, 4x6, 5x7 and 12x12 inches. Choose the one that will best fit your goal for scrapbooking recipes.

Decide whether or not this will be a gift album. You may not want to use the original recipe card written by your great-grandmother in a gift recipe scrapbook. You still could make the recipes personal by writing the ingredients and instructions in your own handwriting instead of a computer font. Recipe albums make welcome gifts for weddings, graduations, Christmas or housewarming gifts.

Which recipes to choose will depend on your goal for the album. You may want to use quick and easy recipes for a graduation gift. Holiday favorites would be ideal for a Christmas gift. You could also narrow down the recipe choices to just desserts, soups, main dishes or family favorites.

When you begin to design your recipe album decide if you want to keep the same layout format for each page and if you will coordinate the embellishments on each page. You may want to keep the album with an overall uniform look, or have each individual page have a unique look.

You can use recipe cards or journaling blocks for the ingredients and instructions. You may also want to include a photo of the dish or a picture of the person who gave you the recipe. Consider adding comments about why you love the dish or opinions from your family on why it is one of their favorites. Try journaling about the history of the recipe or any special memories you have about it. Making the album personal is what scrapbooking is all about.

Scrapbooking recipes doesn't have to be limited to a recipe album. Think about including recipes in other scrapbooks. Highlight the recipe for witch's brew on a Halloween page layout. Recipes on Thanksgiving pages are an obvious choice. Include your secret recipe for perfect gravy. How about including the recipes for the dinner you made for your husband on your first Valentine's Day? You can also include your grandmother's apple pie recipe on a page all about your memories of her. Food is a big part of our lives, and recipes are a natural page element for scrapbooks. Think about creating a recipe album as craft project or add a recipe to your next page layout. Be a part of latest scrapbooking trend and pull out your recipe cards.

Enhance Recipe Resources Using Software

Cooking and Nutrition have been incredibly hot topics over the past couple of years. Other hot topics such as anti aging and fitness exercise are discussed in correlation with cooking and nutrition on a regular basis. At the same time the rise in Cooking Television Shows has been exponential. This craze has resulted in a cooking channel! A channel devoted to a plethora of cooking shows! These television shows often have associated websites where their recipes are cataloged and made available.

Technology has allowed us access to these websites and recipes at a moments notice but in order to organize and keep your favorites on hand it may be necessary to create a file or use a software package. I have researched and will offer a review of a few software products that I recommend. These products will allow you to import, catalog and print your recipes in a variety of convenient formats.

1. MasterCook Deluxe 9.0 by ValuSoft

Product Features

Meal-planning software with 8,000+ recipes and 100s of international recipes Thorough search capabilities; expert nutritional analysis Professional tips, cooking for a crowd, and essential cooking techniques Enjoy 400 savory baking recipes with step-by-step instructions Print shopping lists for single recipes or entire menus, or download to PDA

2. Cook'n for Every Holiday by DVO Enterprises

This instructional computer software [http://www.thesoftwarespot.com/default.asp?SID=xSUDBN7CQH9W2UP3PGZYM6&S=500&A=F&SearchText=&CategoryID=1695949&NID=6372614] includes 582 recipes, recipe manager, menu planner, and more!

Product Features:

Search thousands of recipes in seconds--just tell it what you have on hand Adjust recipe serving sizes automatically Demonstrate preparation techniques with video clips Display hundreds of full-color food photos Organize your own recipes Print your recipes on decorative 3x5 cards Create weekly menus Make grocery shopping lists Analyze the nutritional value of your recipes
Recipe Manager:

Organizing your family recipe collection in the computer is easy with Cook'n. You already know how to put in your recipes, that's because Cook'n's recipe window looks just like a recipe card. And, "Quick-Fill" editing does much of the typing for you. Cook'n has simple cookbook-like chapters and categories that make it easy to find your recipes fast. Cook'n's Recipe Manager makes entertaining a snap. Simply select the number of guests you will be serving and enter it into your favorite recipe. Cook'n calculates the new ingredient amounts for you.
Menu Planner:

Build your own weekly and monthly menus Drag and drop meals to make your menus Combine recipes and food items to make complete meals. Then, drag and drop meals to make your own weekly or monthly menus.
Grocery Shopping Assistant

Compiles your family's shopping list automatically Organizes shopping list items by aisle Converts to package sizes (e.g., tablespoon tomato paste to 8 oz. cans) Calculates your grocery cost
Personal Home Nutritionist

Analyze the nutritional elements of recipes and menus (even the ones you add!) Choose between brands to satisfy dietary needs Cook'n will analyze the nutritional value of any recipe or menu (even the ones you add!). Easy to read...Cook'n nutrition facts window looks just like the label on a can. Cook'n has nutrition facts from the labels of 10,000 food products. You can choose between different brands to see what the nutritional effect is. Now you can plan menus based on dietary needs and tastes. Prepare one delicious meal for the entire family.
Home Cookin: Recipe Software by Mountain Software

Product Features:

· Easy to Use Interface - Home Cooking uses a simple tabbed interface that is easy to operate while providing all the features you use most. You can create as many chapters as you wish. Home Cookin will keep everything sorted alphabetically so you can quickly browse through your collection, and find your favorites easily.

· Easy Recipe Entry

· Import and Export Capabilities - Thousands of free recipes can be found on web pages, newsgroups, and various mailing lists. You can easily add these to your collection by importing them into Home Cookin. Most standard formats are supported.

· Meal Planning - The meal calendar makes it easy to plan your upcoming meals. Locate your desired recipes, then add them to the calendar. Add personal notes if you plan on eating out, want to indicate a holiday, or to reference recipes in other cookbooks. When you are ready to prepare the meal, you can access the recipe quickly from the meal calendar.

· Grocery Management - The Home Cooking grocery manager will make quick work of preparing your grocery shopping lists. Start a new list, select the items you need, and print. A cost estimate is calculated as you select each item, so you'll know ahead of time how much you'll be spending on your groceries. The printed list is compact and sorted by store and location to make your shopping trip as easy as possible.

Websites provide us with recipes at a moments notice but in order to organize and keep them handy and get the most use of them it may be necessary to create a file or use a software package. I have provided a review of a few software products that I found to be of good quality. These products will allow you to import, analyze, catalog and print your recipes in a variety of convenient formats including a grocery list!

How to Invent Recipes Yourself

Perhaps you think that creating your own recipes and using a recipe search engine do not go together but you might find a recipe search helpful if you want to make recipes up. Most ingredients which taste good together are already combined in other recipes.

You can do a recipe search by cuisine, by ingredient or by course. Perhaps you want inspiration for Indian recipes, Italian recipes, pasta recipes, salad recipes, or appetizers. The beauty of using a recipe search is that you can choose exactly the kind of meal you want to use as your inspiration.

How to Adapt a Recipe

If you are capable of following a recipe, you are capable of creating your own. The best way to start off is by tinkering with an easy recipe that you know you like.

You might have a favorite meat or fish dish. How would that dish taste if you added some Thai spices or served it with pasta and sauce instead of with the baked potatoes or rice you normally use?

You can combine your favorite parts of different recipes to make one new one. For example, if you have a favorite recipe for grilled chicken and a winning white wine sauce recipe, you can use a recipe search to find the perfect vegetable side dish to complete this meal.

Of course, a recipe search engine is not capable of creating brand new recipes itself but you can adapt recipes you find and make them your own.

Tips for Creating Recipes

Do not expect every creation to be amazing. It can happen that you use a flavor in a recipe and find that it just does not work out. If that should happen, just chalk it up to experience and try a new approach the next time.

Rather than create a new spice blend and rub it over a whole chicken, why not make a new spicy sauce and cook the chicken separately. That way, if the spice blend comes out wrong, you have not ruined an entire chicken.

The only things required for inventing recipes yourself is a creative streak and a bit of bravery. You do not need to be a gourmet chef or have extensive food knowledge.

Start simply, rather than attempting to create an elaborate meal from scratch. This might mean you change the kind of cheese in a recipe and a few of the vegetables. It might mean you use Chinese spices in a fish dish instead of the Italian spices in the recipe.

Perhaps you have tried this already. Perhaps you have been partway through a recipe before and suddenly realized you do not have one of the ingredients. Maybe you substituted the ingredient with something you did have. This is a kind of recipe creation because your meal was original and different from the recipe.

Using a recipe search engine is the best way to get started because you can explore different kinds of recipes and do a recipe search by ingredient if you have an idea of what you want to use.

 

Organizing Your Recipes

While many of us enjoy cooking, it isn't always easy to keep track of our impressive recipe collections. In order to make your recipes easier to find (and not to mention giving your patience a break!), we're going to talk about a few ways you can get your recipes organized.

Recipe Book

Instead of storing your recipes in the "haphazard shoebox" fashion, how about converting them into a nice recipe book? If most of your recipes are on index or recipe cards, a photo album with plastic sleeves may work particularly well for you as long as the card fits comfortably in the slot. If you have quite a large collection of recipes, try obtaining a large family photo album that allows eight to twelve slots per sleeve (front and back). The order you put the cards in is totally up to you, as your recipe book should reflect your preference. Some people prefer to sort based on main dishes, desserts, breads/pastries, beverages, etc., while others prefer alphabetical order.

If you don't have your recipes on cards, or if you're like most people, you might have your recipes on papers and cards of all shapes and sizes. If this is the case, you might want to think about typing them all up and printing them off. After all of your recipes are transferred to this new format, the next step is to get a binder (three ring binders work well) and some tabbed dividers. Label each divider by the category you wish (ie: type of meal, alphabetical order, etc.) and get to work punching holes in your recipe sheets to accommodate the binder's rings. If you prefer, you can purchase plastic sleeves to keep your sheets spill-proof-which is highly recommended to counter those splatters of sauce, batter, or grease that always tend to smudge our favorite recipes.

Whether you use a photo album or a binder, don't be afraid to get creative with your recipe book. Get some construction paper and glue or clip clip pictures from magazines. There's nothing wrong with adding a dash of imagination that might even inspire your cooking!

eRecipe Catalog

The Internet is not only a great place to search through millions of recipes, but it's also handy for storing the ones you already have. Sites like WeGottaEat and OneTSP are free to sign up and allow you to add your own recipes by simply typing them up. Yes, this can be quite tedious if you have a lot of recipes, but just imagine how easy it will be to find a recipe by simply typing in a keyword and clicking "search." You can also browse thorough members' recipes and send recipes to friends and family. Online recipe storage sites are very user friendly, so you don't have to be particularly computer savvy to utilize this great feature. Also, by storing your recipes online you can easily include pictures that would otherwise mean added bulk to your recipe collection.

Software

Say you like the idea of easily searching for and pulling up your recipes, but you aren't too keen on relying upon an Internet connection. You might not want to totally rule out the option of a computerized recipe book. There is a wealth of recipe software available for download on the Internet. Many of them are classed as "freeware," which means that you can download and use the software for free. Some cooking software is available online for purchase, but they do throw in some handy "extras" that are worth the money, such as measurement calculators and converters, meal planning and shopping lists, and nutritional value calculators.

These are just a few ways that you can free up that recipe drawer and simplify the entire task of cooking from a recipe. Best of luck in whichever method you choose to organize your recipes-and happy cooking!

 

Copycat Restaurant Recipes For Beginner Cooks

Copycat recipes are something that a lot of people are curious about. Is it really possible to copy that delicious fried chicken recipe that you get in your favorite restaurant? The truth about restaurant copycat recipes is that they can be difficult to find unless you know where to look.

This is mainly because the restaurants do not want you knowing how to recreate that succulent fried chicken at home, else everyone would make it at home instead of going to the restaurants and the restaurant profit margins would fall.

The restaurants make out that their recipes are top secret, complicated and packed with hard-to-find ingredients. Actually the truth is very different. A lot of copycat restaurant recipes are extremely easy to make and do not require much cooking know-how or even many different ingredients. Of course they do not want you to know that!

The Best Copycat Recipes

As well as a restaurant fried chicken recipe, what else could you make? There are copycat recipes for many different dishes and that includes appetizers and desserts as well as beverages and entrees.

The best copycat recipes depend on your personal preferences. Would you rather know how to make juicy fried chicken or a famous French onion soup recipe? Do you want to know how to make a fast food chain style thick shake or a famous pie recipe?

Finding an Easy Recipe for Fried Chicken

If you are new to cooking it goes without saying that easy recipes are what you are looking for. Complicated recipes and beginner cooks do not really mix, which is why it is good that a lot of copycat restaurant recipes are simple to follow. Busy restaurant chefs prefer to make easy recipes than difficult ones, especially if the restaurant is busy and they have a hundred people to feed.

The best copycat restaurant recipes are those which combine ease of preparation with available ingredients and a successful result. One of the best copycat restaurant recipes has to be a fried chicken recipe.

There are lots of different recipes for this type of chicken and every restaurant and fast food chain offering it claims that theirs is the best. If you are a chicken fan you will know which type of fried chicken makes your mouth water more than other varieties of this dish.

If you like KFC style of chicken, for example, you can search for a KFC copycat chicken recipe. If you like another type of fried chicken recipes, search for that one instead.

It is possible to find all the best copycat restaurant recipes online and a lot of them are identical to the originals, or so close that they are almost identical in flavor and texture.

Not everyone knows how or where to find these wonderful recipes however which is why it is handy to find a great website containing all these secret restaurant recipes and more.

 

Find Unique Ground Beef Recipes

There are many people who need new recipes so they can amaze their family and the guests that come up for dinners. If cooking is a passion for you and you love the look on someone's face when they like the dish that you have prepared, then the internet might just become your next personal teacher and guide. There are so many different websites dedicated to all kinds of recipes. You will not only get the right kind of recipes but you will also be able to get the right kind of cooking tips. There are so many people who have even put up video recipes so the viewer with a passion for cooking can have a more hands on experience. You can also find all kinds of ground beef recipes, pasta recipes and even appetizer and desert recipes on so many sites.

Look for a portal that provides free recipes because you really shouldn't have to pay for a good recipe. There are a number of free online websites that make their money not by selling the recipes but actually from the sponsors that come because of the increased traffic. But why would a recipe site have more traffic? Because it has good recipes! The more people love a recipe the more they keep coming back for more. There are also many sites which will provide you a recipe if you will ask for it which is even more interesting. A lot of people go some place for a vacation, to a foreign land and they are served some food that they cannot get back at home. Recipe portals are great to find those exotic foreign recipes too and you can easily cook them at home by getting the right ingredients. But in foreign recipes it is important not to make substitutions and take the recipe as it is.

Try out the recipe on your own first before allowing guests or friends to taste it. Cook the recipe from a small amount of ingredients and see if it really tastes the way it should. If not you can always tweak the recipe a bit or find another recipe completely. You should also check out the comments left by other people below the recipes that you enjoy. There are so many people who try those recipes and they will comment about how their experience was. If they have provided any helpful suggestions or tips you should heed them since they have tried it already. You should also leave your own comments and suggestions about the recipe once you have tried it to help out other people who try out the same recipes. If there are any tips that you want to leave for them you will be doing a great service in return for a free recipe.

If you are looking for BBQ chicken recipes you can find a whole variety of multicultural recipes online and you will be amazed at how much those recipes can be adapted to your own style of cooking.

Restaurant Imitation Recipes - Who, What, Where and Why

Restaurant imitation recipes is simply a phrase that describes recipes that imitate those of a certain restaurant or restaurants. The word, imitation, defines anything that may resemble or copy that of an original or genuine article. To copy or imitate an original source is a testament to the credibility of that source for the quality it provides. If it was not of high quality, no one would even make the effort to imitate or copy it. It has also been said that the imitation of anything is a form of flattery, but not every imitation is exactly flattering.

Food is sort of boring in that the basic forms are the same. There may be certain varieties to some degree and some times highly advertised as an edge to promote it, however, chicken is chicken, beef is beef, broccoli is broccoli and so on right? How these get prepared and put together to be served though, is what truly makes the difference.

Recipes for these foods have been handed down through the generations using the basic forms of preparation from the skillet, ovens and grills, to boiling pots and now microwaves. Keen thought and purpose to introduce new combinations of spices, sauces and marinades to these basic methods help to enhance the flavors of these basic foods. This is, has and will continue to be goal of many people and certainly with restaurants to help set their style and food apart from others.

This may be a silly reflection, but highlights the points mentioned above. When I was growing up, I could not stand the taste of cauliflower. I saw no purpose for this food. To me, it was a useless vegetable that took up space on our planet. I am not joking! Later, when I actually worked in a supper club, one of the appetizers we served was deep fried cauliflower with a side of cheese sauce. Ever since then, cauliflower has become one of my favorite foods and in all of the traditional ways, from raw to steamed and I still love the deep fried method as well. If it were not for that deep fried recipe, I may never have had the pleasure of enjoying this healthy and now tasty food.

I think it is important to recognize Restaurants themselves, whether they be a fast food, independent, mom and pop, big chain type or even 5 star, all bring in millions of people every day across our nation. Their business is simply to serve and sell us as many items from their food and drink menus in an atmosphere where we can relax and enjoy. It is true though that many of these restaurants have worked hard to develop their own signature recipes, techniques and themes to set themselves apart. They spend millions on advertising their uniqueness to keep bringing customers back for more. The restaurant business is a huge business and very competitive.

How big is the restaurant industry in the U.S.?

According to the National Restaurant Association, it is estimated the industry to reach $604 billion dollars in sales for 2011. That is $1.7 billion on a typical day. There are 960,000 locations nationwide that employee approximately 12.8 million people and get this, of the dollars spent on food in the U.S., 49% is shared with the restaurant industry. I don't know about you, but that is some serious cabbage. It is also goes to show why restaurants are certainly a credible authority and why someone may go out of their way to imitate or copy a recipe or two.

If you were to choose any one of your favorite restaurants or even one that may just be starting up, this same basic description will apply. This restaurant will make a discovery of a new method or combination of sauces or seasonings for a new food recipe. I should say, they work at making the discovery, putting in time and effort initially, so this new recipe could be tried and tested over and over until finally reaching the menu. The restaurant may advertise the new release to let the public know it has a great new recipe to come in and try out. Ideally it becomes a success and a featured item on their menu. If the public loves it, the restaurant has another source of new revenue. In the case of a new startup, it could also be a featured recipe that helps them to get noticed to help get them off the ground and running overall.

Believe it or not, restaurants themselves can be considered one of the biggest copy cat artists out there but in a way that doesn't try to make an exact copy, They will proceed in a way that may use the same name of the dish, but pride themselves to make theirs stand out differently by adding their own signature touch and right down to what else may be included in addition to the entree to help set it apart from others.

With the exception of serve your self style of service, restaurants basically copy each other on the overall operating format of how the customers are served and taken care of right down to including "similar" items being listed on the menus. They all keep a watchful eye on each other to see what is working well and may change a menu, method of service, cost or whatever the case may be to accommodate current customers and coax new paying customers to spend money in their establishments. It is a constant see saw battle.

Regardless of these restaurants copying and competing with each other for our dollars, they clearly are the bar to which we compare the taste of our favorite foods to. They continue push each other in developing recipes, techniques and signature menus that keep us coming back for more. We all have our favorite menu items and while one person may prefer one restaurant over another for a particular entree or appetizer, the fact is, they all are a genuine article and clearly worth the effort to imitate.

Just a note, in regard to businesses (especially non-restaurant) some have to take steps and go further and get patents or licenses on their discoveries to help protect them from being copied. With restaurants, it is a little tougher as getting patents and licensing on food is much more difficult and not quite the same as building up a new technological advance like an I-pad. Restaurants may need to have some legal assistance and agreements arranged with their employees to not give up any secrets to their signature ways in effort to keep their secrets in-house should an employee decide to leave. There have been some court cases where a cook or chef leaves and starts a new restaurant using the same signature methods but calling it something else and well... more money spent to get it straightened out.

Over time, there have been many others that have tried to imitate a restaurant recipe from grocery store food suppliers, right down to good ole Mom. Ask them all and most would agree that the task may not be so easy to recreate. There are those that come up with recipes that are similar in general yet lack that signature flavor of a specific restaurant. Have you ever tried to make something just like your favorite restaurant and while it turned out ok, it just didn't quite taste the same as what TGIF or Olive Garden serves? I know I have and it seemed like all the effort was fine, but the result, on a scale of 1 to 10, was maybe a 6 at best. To get a 9 or 10 just seems impossible and you are better off giving up and just go to the restaurant instead.

Well, guess what? As there is with anything worth while, there are those few people who do try to imitate these restaurant recipes to the Nth degree. You could almost refer to them as recipe hackers. They can be moms, dads or professionals and no matter who, these people have a goal and will put in the time and effort to break a recipe down. They want to figure out the details of that signature flavor and replicate it in a fashion that truly does imitate the original flavor. Focus, dedication and the will to succeed is a must for many of these individuals. There are also those who are simply great cooks and through their experience and intuitive nature are able to hone in on the original restaurant recipe. I have some experience cooking and can follow a recipe, but, I certainly am not a restaurant recipe hacker.

If it is a difficult task to try to copy or imitate a succesful genuine article then why do others try to imitate it?

Great question.

It often times can be related to money and someone else wanting to get in on the action. There also those that will do it to see if they can save some money. Some may even look to make improvements on the original. It can be for other reasons like notoriety or personal challenge for pride and maybe even some kicks. Think about this, comedians can get more laughs if they are good at imitating some one else right? If they are really good at it, this helps bring more people to their show.

Just as is done with so many other things that are made, there is always a group of these interested individuals that like to do things themselves. These people will go out of their way to copy favorite recipes from all of these restaurants. I would venture to say that if one were to interview many of these DIY (Do It Yourself) people, it would be primarily in an effort to be able to save money as a main reason initially. Remember earlier I mentioned that 49% of the dollar spent on food is shared in the restaurant industry? That is a lot of dough that one can save!

Money or the spending of it, is actually how and why I began to take note of these restaurant imitation recipes. I have been reviewing our family spending habits and when looking at groceries vs. dining, I was actually pretty shocked. Dining out has become a habit for us and while it is one that we do enjoy, it is also one that has been adding up significantly. This is what started that flickering of the old light bulb for myself and my family.

I consider myself to be in that DIY group of people on a number of things and while I have come to enjoy doing many things myself (Not all of the time mind you.), I realize the impact of learning how to do something yourself can and has saved me a good amount of money. From car repairs to home carpentry, it also has opened my eyes to appreciate what others are doing as a business for their livelihoods. It has helped make a difference in wiser spending as well as saving money even if I do not do something myself.

Knowing that my family has developed this habit of eating out more than eating at home, getting them to eat typical home cooked meals more often is not going to be to easy. The flickering light bulb moment or idea mentioned earlier was to see about getting some recipes from the restaurants that I could cook at home with the idea of saving some money initially. I also began to see how we have lost touch with the skill of cooking. We sure have all become masters of the microwave, but the rest of the kitchen starts to get a little sketchy.

So the journey began in search of restaurant recipes. Most restaurants do not give out their recipes and why would they? They might lose a return customer if they did. I do see some restaurants that are selling some of their menu items in the grocery stores more than before, but sort of limiting it to just a few items. I have also read about a person that would ask the cooks for their recipes and how some might spill the beans once in awhile, but again, fairly limited results.

I remember one time my wife and I were at a Denny's restaurant late one night and how much we enjoyed their marinara sauce used with the mozzarella sticks we had ordered. We asked the waitress about it and she did check with the cooks on that, but they really didn't know much about it and we thank her for trying. When we got the check, we also got an unexpected surprise. She brought out a large vacuum sealed plastic bag of the marinara sauce from what appeared to be directly from their food supplier. We didn't get the recipe but we sure got a large quantity of sauce to bring home. So it does pay to ask and while you may or may not get a recipe directly you never know what might happen I guess.

There are of course a good number of books, many articles online and numerous websites all claiming either access to or having themselves, restaurant secrets and copycats recipes for many favorite American restaurants. Whew, it sort of makes my head spin a bit, but in order to help me achieve this quest of mine it has been worth the effort. Many sites are recommending the same key original sources (recipe hackers) of the imitation or copycats recipes and in my experience this is usually a good hint as a reasonable place to start.

Why?

There is always someone who highlights their experience and discovery of things that have had impact on their life with how and why they did it. Many times they get even further into it and begin marketing their efforts to generate some additional income. It may be the result of a friend or family member that cheers them on, but if it is done well and the quality is there, it often times catches enough attention to make it worth the while. Plus, there are always others that have like interests. It really becomes a win-win for everyone and can spur on even more ideas and experiences from others who are interested.

As with anything, one has to dip their toes in and get a feel for it of course. I have been trying out some of these imitation restaurant recipes sources and have been truly impressed. I have been learning a lot more than first thought and it has been a lot of fun to top it off. The people who have created these copycat recipes have really done a fantastic job. My quest is to save some money of course, but making some of these recipes is also a great way to learn how to cook. Think about it for a second, one can actually learn how to cook an appetizer, entre or dessert that they know is good at their favorite restaurant and get great results for their effort right out of the gate. I don't know about you, but I get a great sense of accomplishment when taking time to learn something and it works out.

Should you get the urge to try these imitation or secret recipes of the restaurants, I think you will be more than pleasantly surprised. I know I have been. If you want to save some money, learn how to cook or simply to get a hold of one of your favorite restaurant recipes, you won't regret it.

I have not tried any of the "700 FREE restaurant recipes" type of sources online. They may be alright too, however, it has been my experience that if something is really worth while, there should be some cost associated for the effort of making it available. They certainly don't have to be expensive either. Most cost about the same as a nice dinner for two and can include extra information from making wine to growing your own herbs if you are in to that. It is really pretty incredible what some have included along with the recipe books they are promoting.

As with anything, do take some time to review before making any purchase of course, but once you do get your feet wet have some fun and be prepared to be amazed with the results.

 

The Purpose of a Recipe - A Chef's Perspective

Among the many tools which a chef has at his disposal a standard recipe template is among the most important. The importance of a recipe to a professional chef is both practical and theoretical. It is meant to include the technical aspects of a dish while also teaching the artistic combination of flavor and texture. A recipe communicates the ingredients and procedures the chef uses to make his creations. It is this tool which allows the chef to train and replicate his skill to his staff.

The Recipe: a Guide for Success

A chef who keeps all of his recipes in his head must do all the cooking himself in order to make the recipes correctly. He will not be able to get consistency from other employees unless he puts it into recipe form to give to his staff. If the chef scribbles all of his recipes on scraps of paper, again he will have difficulty maintaining a positive guest experience from his food. Of course, a recipe is not perfect, and the kitchen crew still needs to learn how to make final adjustments on seasoning and consistency in order to match the chef's palate. In this sense a recipe is a guideline, a way for the chef to point his crew in the proper direction. But in the end, cooks need to know the palate and expectations of the chef in order to reproduce the recipe to his standards.

Recipe Template as an Artistic Tool

Ultimately a recipe is a template by which a chef educates his staff to meet his criteria for flavor and technique on any given dish. The goal is that the staff would be able to replicate the taste, texture, and presentation without the chef's help. In practice this means that the cook's palate will be able to recognize if an ingredient's flavor profile has changed and then make the correct adjustments on the recipe in order to still meet the chef's expectation regarding flavor profile and texture.

For instance if a recipe calls for 1 cup of onions or garlic the actual quantity may change depending upon the season as well as the variety of onion or garlic being used. This is because onions and garlic have different intensities of flavor based upon the variety, the season, and the region grown and therefore the recipe will need to be adjusted accordingly. So again the recipe is a guide for the staff to understand the chef's intent.

Choosing a Recipe Template

There are many different programs for recipe templates available for the chef to use. Some use expensive proprietary software which incorporates invoices, inventory and recipes all into one program. Other templates use a Word document, Excel, Publisher or Access. Of the less expensive options my personal preference is Excel because it is such a powerful program and you can accomplish not only writing the recipe, but also costing a recipe. Another benefit of using Excel for your recipe templates is that you can put multiple recipes on each tab. So if your signature plate has a specific starch, a special veg, a unique sauce, a special condiment, and a specific preparation for the signature item itself, you can put each of these recipes on a separate tab in an Excel sheet and yet have them all together in one Excel workbook.

After choosing the program you'll use for your recipe template (Excel, Word, etc.) you'll also have to determine the recipe writing style you will use. Some chefs use a chef's shorthand style of recipe writing which is useful for experienced cooks, especially if they have had culinary training. Other chefs write very detailed instructions for their recipes so that anyone can understand them. Most recipes you read online or in cooking magazines such as Gourmet or Bon Appetit use this second style of recipe writing.

Here is a good example of the difference between the two recipe writing styles: "Place the onions in a pan over medium heat and slowly cook until translucent" is an example of the long way to write a recipe. The shorthand method would simply state "Sweat the onions." Both phrases mean exactly the same thing and experienced cooks will understand exactly what is expected by "sweat the onions", but less experienced cooks would not grasp the concept. The chef's shorthand method is actually more accurate and much faster to read in a professional kitchen. Other common shorthand terms used by professional chefs include: "sear the meat", "chiffonade", "reduce au sec", and "blanch" are but a few expressions. Each of these words or phrases condenses an entire technique into a simple phrase or word.

In the end, the style of recipe writing which you use will depend upon the culinary education of the people you are writing the recipe for. Home cooks and staff lacking a culinary education or high-end restaurant experience will need the "supersized" version of a recipe with complete details of how to execute it properly. Staff who have a culinary education or who have worked in high-end restaurants however will benefit from and prefer the chef's shorthand method of recipe writing.

 

Online Recipes - How to Search for and Find Reliable Recipes

My hobby is cooking. I didn't realize it until I was showing a friend of mine how to prepare and cook a Moroccan Chicken Pie that it hit me. I really enjoy cooking. I will spend days in the kitchen making Indian or Persian or Moroccan dishes and invite my friends to a feast. My husband thinks I'm crazy, my friends think I'm an amazing cook, and I have the best time introducing my friends to new cuisines.

I own 52 cookbooks, and depending on what I'm cooking they are always my first source for recipes and information, especially when cooking ethnic dishes. I used to do online searches, looking for recipes and often I was left totally confused with what I found. There are all sorts of sites that are dedicated to recipes. Some of the larger sites have the ability for members to leave ratings and comments. These types of sites have become very popular over the past few years. There are even forums dedicated to food talk that include links to recipes and member comments.

Here's where the problems arise. Do a simple online search for "Dilled Green Beans". You will see over 270,000 results. These recipes are on all types of cooking sites from large established recipe sites to individual blogs. How to choose? How do you want to invest your time, energy and money? Will you choose the recipe that calls for 4 lbs. of green beans, 16 heads fresh dill, 4 cups vinegar, 9 cloves of garlic or the one that calls for 2 lbs. of green beans, 4 cups vinegar (interesting as this is the same amount of vinegar used for double the amount of green beans in the other recipe), 2 cloves of garlic and 4 heads of dill? (For half the amount of beans this recipe should call for 8 heads of dill and at least 4 cloves of garlic.) Here's another question for you - exactly what are these Dilled Green Beans supposed to taste like? Where can you find a reliable recipe?

Red Velvet Cake is another online recipe search disaster waiting to happen. There are over 750,000 Google results for a search of "Red Velvet Cake Recipe". Now, take a close look at these recipes. You will see Red Velvet Cake recipes that include in their ingredients 2 heaping teaspoons of cocoa to recipes that call for no cocoa at all. The reality is that Red Velvet Cake is, and has always been, a chocolate cake. How can you bake a chocolate cake without using cocoa? Again, how do you decide which recipe to expend your time, energy and money on?

I stay far away from food sites that offer member comments and reviews as some of the reviews are of no help, and actually add to confusion. A few years ago I did an online recipe search for Turkey Mulligatawny Soup. I landed on a well revered food forum. This site also allows for member comments. I was shocked to see some of the comments made about this recipe. People who didn't have the spices called for in the recipe chose to cook the soup leaving them out. Turkey Mulligatawny Soup is a curry-flavored soup. If you leave out the curry and garam masala spices you have no curry flavor. You have no idea how the recipe is supposed to taste. No wonder they didn't like the result.

This food site also reviews a cookbook every month. Some of the members prepare recipes from the cookbooks, changing ingredients, or again, leaving them out altogether, and then declare their efforts unsuccessful. This is not helpful information, and certainly is unfair to a cookbook author.

There is a simple way to ensure that you're going to get a good result when searching for a recipe online. Focus on food sites that use recipes that have come directly from cook books, and make sure the site has given a link, or mentioned the cookbook, or chef, where the recipe originated. The next thing to look for is a site where the recipes have actually been prepared. There are a lot of online food sites that supply recipes, but no indication that they have actually prepared the dish. A valuable online food site will have actually prepared the recipe and will offer helpful cooking tips directly related to the recipe.

Got Healthy Dog Food? The Best Dog Food Uses a Homemade Dog Food Recipe - 3 Reasons to Make Your Own

A Healthy Dog Food Recipe is a Homemade Dog Food Recipe - Reason #1 - Peace of Mind

You've watched the news or you've read the newspaper stories. Pet owners across our nation are up in arms because of the tainted food they are feeding to their pets. This poisonous and sickening dog food has killed hundreds of dogs and caused countless others to become sick. When I feed my pet his food, I want to have the peace of mind that what I am feeding him will not cause him to become sick or worse!

Whether this recent outbreak in tainted dog food is because of the sick and twisted who dwell among us or because of a lack of testing standards among producers, still has not been determined. Could this all be caused by a single individual? Probably not. If these deaths have been caused by unscrupulous people, because it has been so wide spread, it most likely has been perpetrated by at least a small group.

Additionally, the food that most people are giving to their dogs day in and day out are filled with so many preservatives that it's only a matter of time before it sickens your dog. Think about the Hostess Twinkie for a moment. Tastes great, right? Of course it does, but did you know that that Twinkie has a very long shelf life? Why? Because of the preservatives within it. Of course, you wouldn't ever solely go on a Twinkie diet. Why then would you ever put your dog on such a preservative laden diet?

Whatever the case may be, whether caused by a band of renegades or because of a lack of production standards, I want to know that what I am feeding my dog is only the best of what I can offer. Peace of mind, therefore is a huge reason to use a homemade dog food recipe in your search for a healthy dog food recipe.

A Healthy Dog Food Recipe is a Homemade Dog Food Recipe - Reason #2 - Increases Their Life Span

As you search for a healthy dog food recipe, you will end up using a homemade dog food recipe because it is by far the healthiest option. Why? Because you will know exactly what it is that your dog is eating, you will use only the best ingredients. When you choose the best ingredients, you will also be choosing the healthiest ingredients. Studies have shown that dogs that are fed using a healthy dog food recipe, as in a homemade dog food recipe, live longer than those who are fed a mass produced dry or canned food.

Isn't that the whole reason you are even looking into a healthy dog food recipe in the first place? As you realize that a homemade dog food recipe will give you more time with your dog here on earth, the choice to make your own pet food really becomes a non-question...of course we would! But there's one more important reason to use your own homemade dog food recipe.

A Healthy Dog Food Recipe is a Homemade Dog Food Recipe - Reason #3 - It's Cheaper

This may be hard to believe, but it's true. When you choose a healthy dog food recipe, one that is also a homemade dog food recipe, your lifetime costs to maintain your dog will be lower. Using the right recipes, your per serving cost for dog food can actually be lower than if you had used a commercial dog food AND you will have fewer vet bills because your dog will be happier and healthier. The bottom line? You can save a lot of money by giving your dog a healthy dog food recipe, one that is a homemade dog food recipe.

You need to see that using a healthy dog food recipe, one that is also a homemade dog food recipe will save you much in the future. You'll never suffer from a broken heart, as you have a complete peace of mind, knowing you have given your dog the best and healthiest food that you can. As an added bonus, it will save you money too! Show your dog how much you love him...use a homemade dog food recipe!

If you want to know how to easily prepare your dog's next feast, using a healthy dog food recipe, which is also a homemade dog food recipe, help is on the way!

Delicious Barbecued Roast Pork - A Super Food Recipe

Now although I have been a collector of worldwide foods recipes for many years I was presented with the pleasant task of having to host a dinner party for a group of prospective clients. Although the group consisted of several nationalities I decided to prepare a Western type dish "Oven Barbecued Pork Roast". I was quite sure that pork was not likely to offend any of my prospective guests!!

Although I already have thousands of recipes and popular foods recipes ebooks mainly in PDF format, that are these days available for instant download worldwide, I wanted something different.

After various free searches I came across an ebook containing 490 Blue Ribbon Recipes that had the exact recipe I wanted.

Having acquired my recipe I was curious as to how a recipe can get a "Blue Ribbon".

Again I did loads of searches on various combinations of words including "Blue and Ribbon" and was surprised to find that was not an actual definition, maybe I just didn't look in the right places, but my search was pretty thorough.

What I did however discover is that in America the competition for the blue ribbon is extremely competitive.

Basically I learnt that every year there about 80 fairs in the USA with representation from 50 States. Each fair has its own blue ribbon recipe competition. The field of acceptable categories is quite diverse which means there is something available for every taste. I found references to these fairs starting in the 1800's

You will find Blue Ribbon Recipes in categories for appetizers, soups, sandwiches, main dishes, bread, rolls, biscuits, dips, dressings and every dessert you can think of. In fact there is recipe to satisfy every passion and for every occasion in the world of Blue Ribbon Recipes.

Astonishingly the contestants range from hardcore old hands and competitors who tour the whole country entering recipes for big cash rewards, to beginner home cooks enthusiastic to take a chance with Grannies ancient recipes for, say, the good old "Apple pie".

As one hopeful contestant said "I just love entering County and State Fairs and I have been collecting competition recipes and cook books for many,many years".

Inevitably, I suppose, commercialism has crept in to these events. During recent years apparently, sponsorship of recipe contests by national food companies has become popular at fairs across America. The various companies award generous prizes for original recipes featuring their products.

Again notably, some famous food products have originated as a result of state fairs. Way back in 1852 at the first State Fair of Texas, a notable contestant named Gail Borden Jr. submitted a dried "meat biscuit" recipe. His recognition and success came some time later after turning his processed and condensed milk into a "National Brand Name".

If you are looking for a delicious dish to be proud of, let's face it, you can't go wrong with a recipe that has won a state fair competition and even better got that "Blue Ribbon" award!! They obviously do not just give them away lightly!!

Well there we are, just a little information on the significance of "Blue Ribbon Recipes".

Just in case you are interested in the great recipe I discovered, here it is:

Delicious Barbecued Pork Roast Serves 10-12 persons 3 lb / 1.5 kg boneless rolled top loin pork roast joint 3 large garlic cloves sliced 1 teaspoon black coarsely ground pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried sage 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme vegetable oil, approx. 2 tablespoons 1 large onion, sliced (approx 8 oz) 1/4pint (approx 150 ml) chicken stock 8 oz tomato sauce (just over ¼ pint - approx 200ml) 50ml (approx. 4 tablespoons) chili sauce 50ml spicy tomato ketchup 50ml apple cider vinegar 50ml lemon juice 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon red pepper If there is a large amount of fat on joint, trim it off along with strings if the joint has come tied. Using butcher's (or kitchen string), tie at 2" intervals. Cut deep slits in roast & insert garlic slices If desired, lay fat skin side up, sprinkle with salt and roast in a separate tin for those who like crackling. Combine pepper, sage & thyme; rub over surface of roast. Coat a non stick deep frying pan with oil, place over medium high heat until hot. Add pork roast and roll around until brown all over, about 10 - 15 minutes. Take out meat, put on one side. Add onion & sauté until tender. Add chicken stock bring to the boil. Transfer to a dish, then roast the meat uncovered at 350°f / 180°c for 30 minutes. Combine tomato sauce & remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; pour over pork. Roast for an additional 35-45 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center of roast registers 160°c. 325°f. Slice pork, serve with hot sauce, ideal with tender new potatoes, in season vegetables and home made apple chutney/sauce. Please note, I have amended the measurements from the ebook recipe so that they equate internationally.

For the record this recipe took 3rd place at the Illinois State Fair but I can't tell you which year. What I can tell you is that the outcome of my dinner party was a complete success for me and my guests to the point that many of them even asked for the recipe!!
If you are interested in collecting good foods recipes, do yourself a favour and try and get hold of "490 Blue Ribbon Recipes"

Top 10 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes for Holiday Cooking

The holidays always mean family and FOOD! The turkey recipe is key to a good meal. Here are 10 of the top turkey recipes for your holiday meal. These recipes range from traditional to unique and there is even a beginner turkey recipe!

Recipe #1

Traditional Oven Turkey

Kraft Foods© Recipe

1 frozen turkey (12 lb.), thawed

3 Tbsp. oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. fresh or 2 tsp. dried herbs, such as thyme, sage or rosemary

3 cups water

Thaw turkey completely before grilling. To thaw, place turkey on tray in refrigerator. Refrigerate until thawed, allowing 24 hours of thawing time for every 4 pounds of turkey.

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Remove neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse outside of turkey as well as inside the cavity; pat dry with paper towels. Tuck the wings under the back. Place turkey, breast side up, on roasting rack in large disposable aluminum foil pan.

RUB outside of turkey with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with herbs. Place pan on grate of grill. Add water to pan, then close the lid of the grill.

GRILL turkey 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180°F when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh and 170°F when inserted in the thickest part of the breast, adding additional water to the pan as needed to prevent the drippings from burning and to have enough liquid remaining in the pan after turkey is cooked for use in making gravy. Remove turkey from grill; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, use pan drippings to make gravy, if desired.

For extra flavor, stuff the turkey cavity with a peeled onion, celery stalks, lemon slices and/or fresh herb bundles before grilling.

Recipe #2

Turducken

Foster Farms© Recipe

This is a turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken layered with dressing.

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds Foster Farms Whole Young Chicken

salt and pepper to taste

Creole seasoning to taste

1 (4 pound) duck, boned

16 pounds Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, boned

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lay the boned chicken skin-side down on a platter and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Lay the boned duck skin-side down on top of the chicken and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Lay the boned turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Cover with a layer of cold Sausage and Oyster Dressing and push the dressing into the leg and wing cavities so they will look as if they still have bones in them.

3. Lay the duck on top of the turkey skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing. Lay the chicken on top of the duck skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing.

4. With the help of an assistant, bring the edges of the turkey skin up and fasten them together with toothpicks. Use the kitchen string to lace around the toothpicks to help hold the stuffed turkey together. Carefully place the turducken, breast up in a large roasting pan.

5. Roast covered for 4 hours or until the turducken is golden brown. Continue to roast uncovered for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted through the thigh registers 180 degrees F. and a thermometer inserted through the stuffing registers 165 degrees F. Check the turducken every few hours to baste and remove excess liquid. There will be enough pan juices for a gallon of gravy. Carve and serve.

Recipe #3

Holiday Champagne Turkey

Foster Farms© Recipe

Summary

A bottle of champagne is the secret to this moist turkey stuffed with apples and baked in an oven bag.

INGREDIENTS

1 (12 pound) Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets removed

1/2 cup butter, cubed

2 apples, cored and halved

1 tablespoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

2/3 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Gently loosen turkey breast skin, and insert pieces of butter between the skin and breast. Place apples inside the turkey's cavity. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place turkey in a roasting bag, and pour champagne over the inside and outside of the bird. Close bag, and place turkey in a roasting pan.

3. Bake turkey 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) when measured in the meatiest part of the thigh. Remove turkey from bag, and let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Recipe #4

Perfect Turkey

Summary

This is a perfect recipe for a moist, flavorful holiday bird! Plan the time to brine the bird overnight - it's worth the extra effort!

INGREDIENTS

1 (18 pound) Foster Farms Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets removed

2 cups kosher salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 large onions, peeled and chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.

3. Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.

4. Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Recipe #5

Latino Lime Glazed Turkey with Chipotle Gravy

Recipe by: Chef/GM Chris Ottens of Novell, a Bon Appetit Management Co.

Citrus Glaze

3/4 Cup unsalted butter

1/2 Cup honey

4 Tablespoons orange zest

4 Tablespoons lime zest

2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

4 Teaspoons canned chipotle chilies, chopped

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 Teaspoon salt

Over medium heat, melt butter in heavy saucepan. Remove pan from heat and stir in honey, orange and lime zests, thyme, chilies, cumin and salt.

Measure 1/2 cup glaze and reserve for gravy. Cover and chill remaining liquid in freezer for about 30 minutes or until liquid begins to turn firm but is still spreadable.

Vegetables

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

4-1/2 Cups chopped sweet onions

1 Packet giblets (turkey neck, gizzard and heart)

2 Cups coarsely chopped peeled carrots

2 Cups coarsely chopped celery (with leaves)

1-1/2 Cups chopped plum tomatoes

Over medium-high heat, melt butter in large nonstick pan. Add onions and reserved turkey parts.
Sauté until onions are deep brown. Add carrots, celery and tomatoes to skillet and toss to blend.

Glazed Turkey

22 to 24-pound WHOLE TURKEY, fresh or frozen (thawed)

9 Cups TURKEY STOCK

Set a small rack in a large shallow roasting pan and place cooked vegetables with turkey parts around rack.

Blot turkey dry with paper towels. At the neck end, gently loosen skin from the turkey breast without totally detaching the skin. Rub 1/2-cup citrus glaze under skin. Replace the skin.
Fold neck skin and fasten to the back with skewers. Fold the wings under the back of the turkey. Return legs to tucked position.

Place turkey, breast side up, on the rack. Brush an additional 1/3-cup citrus glaze over top and sides of turkey. Reserve any remaining glaze. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper.

Loosely tent the turkey and roast turkey in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
Add 1-cup poultry broth to pan and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Secure foil snugly around turkey and continue to roast for 1-1/4 hours. The foil will prevent the honey-coated turkey from excessive browning.

Add 1-cup poultry broth to pan every 30 minutes until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F in the thigh. Remove the foil during the last 15-20 minutes to brown the turkey.

Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to stand for 20 minutes before carving.

Chipotle Gravy

1/2 Cup flour

1 Cup TURKEY STOCK

Strain pan drippings, pressing vegetables to extract liquid. Discard solids in strainer.

Spoon fat from top of juices and discard fat. Add enough broth to pan juices to equal 6 cups.
Stir reserved 1/2-cup citrus glaze in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until melted.
Gradually add flour and whisk 1 minute, allowing flour to slightly brown. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to gentle boil, whisking until smooth.

Reduce heat to medium; simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

Recipe #6

Holiday Turkey with Sage and Sherried Cider Gravy

Recipe provided by Volk Enterprises, Inc.

Ingredients 2 12-Pound WHOLE TURKEYS, fresh or frozen (thawed)

As needed salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Large lemon, cut in quarters

14 Large fresh sage leaves

4 Slices multi-grain bread

1 Large Granny Smith apple, wedged

1 Large sweet onion, wedged

1 Cup unsalted butter, softened

1 Pint water

1 Pint dry sherry

1 Pint sparkling apple cider

2/3 Cup flour

1++ Quart TURKEY BROTH As needed assorted fresh sage leaves Roasted Turkeys

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Rinse and pat turkeys dry, inside and out. Season turkeys inside and out with salt and pepper.

3. Place 1 lemon wedge, 1 sage leaf and 1 bread slice into each neck cavity. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a skewer.

4. Fill each body cavity with apples and onions, 3 sage leaves and remaining lemon wedge and bread slice. Truss turkeys.

5. Rub turkeys with remaining sage. Spread turkeys with butter and arrange on rack in roasting pans.

6. Roast turkeys in middle of preheated 425 degree F oven 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees F and baste turkeys with pan juices. Add water to roasting pan and continue roasting, basting every 20 minutes. Continue to roast 2-1/2 to 3 hours more, or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F in the thigh.

7. Transfer turkeys to carving board, reserving juices in roasting pan; discard string. Keep turkeys warm, covered loosely with foil.

Sherried Cider Gravy

1. Skim fat from pan juices, reserving 1/2 cup fat.

2. On range top, deglaze pan with sherry over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Stir in cider.

3. Bring sherry mixture to a boil and remove pan from heat.

4. In a heavy saucepan, whisk together reserved fat and flour and cook roux over moderately low heat. Whisk together for about 3 minutes.

5. Add sherry mixture and stock in a stream, whisking to prevent lumping. Simmer, whisking occasionally for about 10 minutes.

6. Whisk in additional stock to thin gravy if desired.

7. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

8. Discard the cavity ingredients before serving. Garnish turkey with sage.

9. NOTE: Provides 32-34 servings at 6 ounces per portion.

Recipe #7

CAJUN DEEP-FRIED WILD TURKEY

Recipe from John Maynard (Courtesy of NWTF)

1 (10-15 lb.) unstuffed turkey

5 gallons peanut oil

2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 stick butter or margarine

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Pour peanut oil into a 10 gallon pot. Put pot on propane cooker and heat oil to 375 degrees. Have turkey completely thawed and dry turkey thoroughly. Tie two cotton strings around the carcass so bird can be easily lifted out of oil. Carefully submerge turkey in oil. Deep fry for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes per pound and cook until turkey floats to the top. Remove bird from oil, and immediately dust heavily with cajun seasoning. Melt butter or margarine, and add to it garlic powder and cayenne, if desired. Brush turkey with butter mixture. Allow to cool 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Yield 12 to 16 servings.

Recipe #8

Honey Smoked Turkey

Sweet and light, this is the easiest way to cook a big bird! It will be the best turkey you have ever had. The breast is moist and juicy, and the honey makes a great thin sauce. I hope you enjoy it as much as my friends and family do when I make it. I never have any leftovers! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 (12 pound) Fresh Whole Turkey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

2 tablespoons celery salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 (12 ounce) jar honey

1/2 pound mesquite wood chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill for high heat. If you are using a charcoal grill, use about twice the normal amount of charcoal. Soak wood chips in a pan of water, and set next to the grill.

2. Remove neck and giblets from turkey. Rinse the bird and pat dry. Place in a large disposable roasting pan.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together sage, ground black pepper, celery salt, basil, and vegetable oil. Pour mixture evenly over the turkey. Turn the turkey breast side down in the pan, and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

4. Place the roasting pan on the preheated grill. Throw a handful of the wood chips onto the coals. Close the lid, and cook for 1 hour.

5. Throw about 2 more handfuls of soaked wood chips on the fire. Drizzle 1/2 the honey over the bird, and replace the foil. Close the lid of the grill, and continue cooking 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) in the thickest part of the thigh.

6. Uncover turkey, and carefully turn it breast side up in the roasting pan. Baste with remaining honey. Leave the turkey uncovered, and cook 15 minutes. The cooked honey will be very dark.

Recipe # 9

Maple Roast Turkey and Gravy

A New England style turkey with maple syrup. It makes for a mellow Thanksgiving dinner. Try stuffing it with Cranberry, Sausage and Apple Stuffing. If fresh marjoram is unavailable, 2 teaspoons of dried marjoram may be substituted.

INGREDIENTS

Turkey

14 pounds Fresh Whole Turkey, neck and giblets reserved

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup coarsely chopped carrots

Maple Butter Mixutre

2 cups apple cider

1/3 cup real maple syrup

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram

2 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

3/4 cup butter

alt and ground black pepper to taste

Gravy

2 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons apple brandy (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil apple cider and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 of the thyme and marjoram and all of the lemon zest. Add the butter, and whisk until melted. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cold (syrup can be made up to 2 days ahead).

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place oven rack in the lowest third of oven.

3. Wash and dry turkey, and place in a large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of the breast to loosen. Rub 1/2 cup of the maple butter mix under the breast skin. If planning on stuffing turkey, do so now. Rub 1/4 cup of the maple butter mixture over the outside of the turkey. With kitchen string, tie legs of turkey together loosely.

4. Arrange the chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrot around the turkey in the roasting pan. If desired, the neck and giblets may be added to the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining thyme and marjoram over the vegetables, and pour the chicken stock into the pan.

5. Roast turkey 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cover turkey loosely with foil. Continue to roast, about 3 to 4 hours unstuffed or 4 to 5 hours stuffed, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) and stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Transfer turkey to a platter, and cover with foil. Reserve pan mixture for gravy. Allow turkey to sit about 25 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.

6. To Make Gravy: Strain pan juices into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from juices. Add enough chicken stock to make 3 cups. Transfer liquid to a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix reserved maple butter mixture with flour to form a paste, and whisk into the broth. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, and apple brandy. Boil until reduced and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe #10

Easy Beginner's Turkey with Stuffing

This easy to make turkey is great for beginners, but experts will find it equally delicious. Adjust the cooking time for different sized birds.

INGREDIENTS

12 pounds Fresh Whole Turkey

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Stuffing Mix

1 (6 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix

1 cup water

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

4 slices toasted white bread, torn into small pieces

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse turkey, remove giblets and place in a shallow roasting pan.

2. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Mix in water.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and slowly cook and stir the celery and onion until tender.

4. Mix celery, onion, and toasted bread pieces into the stuffing, and season with salt and pepper. Loosely scoop stuffing into the turkey body cavity and neck cavity. Rub the exterior of the turkey with vegetable oil.

5. Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil, and roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove foil during the last half hour of cooking to brown the bird.

 

Free Online Recipes

One reason people love the internet is due to the incredibly quick and pain-free way you can access information. Within seconds, you can access a wealth of information regarding almost any topic imaginable. While the majority of us don't utilize the internet for heavy duty research, one way almost anyone can enjoy the convenience and power of the internet is by locating free online recipes.

Just 15 years ago it didn't seem possible that in the near future, millions of recipes covering almost every kind of food would be readily available to anyone with a computer and an internet connection. The future has arrived so here are several ways to take advantage of free online recipes.

Without a doubt the free online recipes are extremely handy because you can pull up a recipe in a matter of seconds. While many use a search engine like Google, most people often have their preferred recipe websites that include vast databases of recipes. Simply input a key word or keyword phrase like "chili" or "chicken soup" and you will generally find several to dozens of flavorful recipes.

In addition to being easy to access, a lot of recipe websites are full of people that enjoy cooking, have their own favorite recipes and enjoy adding recipes to the database for others to use. These community recipe websites are an excellent way to share knowledge. In addition, the majority of recipe websites offer those that use recipes on the board to add comments. So whether you like a recipe or you didn't like it, you can easily share your comments with others. This is a great way to try out a recipe (especially if many people liked it) or avoid it the recipe if it received bad reviews.

In addition to being able to read recipes on your computer screen, many cooks take it one step further- they print out their favorite recipes. It is extremely easy to print out recipes and many free online recipe sites offer the option of special recipe formatted files which make it a snap to print out your favorite recipes. This way you no longer have to worry about ruining the recipe card while you cook or misplacing it. If you spill something on it, you can effortlessly print it out again.

top of all these advantages, a lot of free online recipe sites have gone one step further in providing quality information on how to make specific meals. Many free online recipe sites now provide images and some even include videos showing you step by step how to prepare a moderate to difficult dish.

Free online recipe web sites are perhaps the quickest way to locate new recipes, read reviews, and chat about the latest or best techniques on cooking and sharing with the world your favorite or time honored family recipe. Free online recipe websites are definitely the ultimate home recipe box.

 

Family Recipe Scrapbook Tips

It's family reunion time again here in the United States and Canada. I can just taste my mom's peach pie already. I can't tell you how many times I've called my mom and said "mom I just have to have your recipe for your pie and home made ice-cream". It's been a slow accumulation of recipes over the years, but she relents each time I call for yet another recipe from her.

Many of the recipe's are actually from my grandmother who passed them on before she passed away many years ago. You know, I can still remember baking oatmeal raisin cookies with my grandmother even though it's been almost 35 years now since I last had that chance.

Now that I have an adult son and daughter of my own my wife and I, who both love to cook, really wanted to pass the recipes on to both of them also. Many of these recipes they grew up on and now that they have kids of their own, are just beginning to request. My wife also has a recipe book from her grandmother on her dad's side. It's too old and tattered now to use regularly, so it's time it was restored and updated.

So many wonderful memories from the kitchen... so many more that I've lost in time.

I wish that the idea of a recipe scrapbook had been around when I was just a kid.

Recipe scrapbooks can be given to brothers, daughters, cousins, children or just about anyone. An 8.5x11 scrapbook works perfectly here in the US and Canada and can be printed on any standard printer. They are large enough to hold a 3x5 index card, a couple of photos and the journaled memories you create. You can also use an 8x8 scrapbook and have the recipes bound in a square format.

I think it's a great mix to combine your photos and recipes. Digital scrapbook templates are perfect for this. For example, combine a group family photo from your reunion at the beginning of the album with a signature page from everyone in the photograph. This is a great way to start off the album prior to the index page. If you've asked for recipes from all the family members in attendance, put a photo of the recipe submitter on that recipe page with the recipe on the opposite page. I like to put a photo and a lined journaling page for memories on the left with the recipe, instructions and photo of the finished item or of the cooking fun on the right.

Here's another great tip I picked up from my wife's sister... help your reader out by having a shopping list at the bottom of each recipe or on the back of the recipe cards that you use. You might also want to consider putting the actual recipe on one scrapbook recipe book page and placing the shopping lists separately in the back or at the end of each section.

Note: While using recipe cards is great so that you can remove them and take them right along to the market... my personal experience has shown that cards get lost from time to time. They also add bulk to what is already a bulky cookbook scrapbook. I've found that having the list printed at the bottom of each page makes it easy to copy down when needed and much easier to combine common ingredients for multiple dishes.

Another family recipe scrapbook tip is to create a bit of history with your recipes. If adding recipe's handed down for generations or from a family member that is no longer living, you may want to have the photo's on the left, the recipe on the right page, and a bit more of history information on the author on a 3rd page with even more photographs. Most scrapbooks are very expandable, especially the digital scrapbooks, so there is room for many pages in one album.

If needed, break the family recipe scrapbook into volumes by food type or sides of the family tree.

Almost all cookbooks have a measurement chart and conversion table in them, so when making a recipe scrapbook album, it's a good idea to add this information to either the back or the front index.

Besides family reunions, recipe scrapbook albums are the perfect gift for a new bride, especially if the recipe's comes from her husband's side of the family with his favorite dishes he grew up with.

Whether the family recipe scrapbook is for you, for your family or for a new bride strugling to cook for her new husband. The one ingredient that will make it worth it's weight in gold are the memories you safely record inside.