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Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: judydawn on March 17, 2011, 12:26:54 am

Title: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on March 17, 2011, 12:26:54 am
Finally, after hours of work, I have completed my recipe box.  I have so many I thought rather than do folders, this may be the best option for me.  I laminated 2 recipes back to back, sorted them into categories and ended up (after culling quite a few) with over 300 recipes from the forum that I have tried.  This box will probably hold 500 recipes all up I would think so it will be an ongoing task until it is full.
DH was a great help, doing the laminating for me whilst I sorted recipes and set them up ready for him to put into the machine. He had a little read of the recipes as they were going through the machine and had a laugh when he read one comment on the Lentil Bolognaise "Geoff didn't like this".  He couldn't understand why I wanted to keep all these recipes when I rarely do one twice but he doesn't understand women and their obsessive need to collect TMX recipes  ;D
My 2 previous folders are now empty but I will fill the categories in them with all the recipes from my 'to do' folder. 
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: KarenH on March 17, 2011, 01:40:04 am
My goodness Judy - you are so organised!  That looks fabulous!  I onlyl wish my recipes were as organised.  They are still all higgeldy-piggeldy in my desk drawer, waiting for me to enter them into my computer recipe programme.  When I want to use one, I can never find it, so I end up printing it out again  :o poor trees  :o  You have inspired me to do better .........
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: Yvette on March 17, 2011, 01:43:09 am
I have that box too (actually I have the england and new york one) looks great should save you a lot of time now being able to find recipes quickly
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: CreamPuff63 on March 17, 2011, 02:15:51 am
thats fantastic JD - you'll love getting a recipe out now that its all categorised. Just love the photo of you and Geoff on the front  :D
Sounds like you have come down with a Reorganisational Bug, what with the changing rooms and recipe box (I'm hoping this is one bug that I catch  ;))
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: GoneCrazY on March 17, 2011, 04:13:05 am
very well organised ! i can only aspire to be that organised .....ONE DAY !! ;)
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: Lovemythermo on March 17, 2011, 04:43:19 am
So JD, do you enter recipes into your box once you've tried them and decide you would make it again? also, what sort of cards did you use?
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: meganjane on March 17, 2011, 04:55:00 am
I used to have a recipe box, but a little one with cards. I've put a few of those cards in a photo album now as some were in my mum's handwriting.

Now, I use display books. I've noticed my Main Meals one is getting huge, so will be splitting it into meat, poultry, fish and vegetarian. These work well because you can slide them out of the sleeves to add notes.

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5220/5534066566_d18c59343a.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/megantuffley/5534066566/)
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: dede on March 17, 2011, 05:16:19 am
That looks great Judydawn. I have quiet a few now that I have in a folder. I did have to buy a bigger folder as my first one just wasnt big enough. I have only had my TM for less than 3 months and I already have around 150 recipes. how many will I have in 5 years time?
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: maddy on March 17, 2011, 06:09:21 am
Love it Judy!
I too have compiled recipes onto my living cookbook, then printed off and into display books like MJ.  I guess in the end, your recipe box is more storage savy.......Hmmm.......now reassess her books  :P
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: CreamPuff63 on March 17, 2011, 06:26:10 am
This is what I did a while back with all my tried and true favourites collected over the past 2 years. I did a contents page, conversion table, 1 recipe per page front & back and got it bound. Best thing I ever did, and now working on Volume 2
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on March 17, 2011, 06:27:45 am
LMT, it is just a normal A4 print out from the forum and then laminated to give it body to stand - handy because just the recipe I need can be removed from the box and it can be wiped clean. The photo is of a nice clean print out with no notes on it but a lot have changes and alternative suggestions written on them which I decided to leave there as printing out or typing my own with the changes would have been far too time consuming.  I had a file where I put any recipe I'd made and liked but it was so full that the edges of the paper were all starting to fold in and it was getting very messy.  This one will stay just as it is.  I would have as many again in another file that I have not yet tried and all the while more and more recipes go on this forum on a daily basis that sound just too good to resist so it is an ongoing 'hobby' of mine.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on March 17, 2011, 06:36:03 am
Thanks for all the compliments, this idea was a long time in the making. Love seeing what others have done with their recipes too, it sure keeps us busy  :D

CP63, DH thought that comment was very funny  ;D  This was quite a relaxing thing to do after my recent 'changing rooms' frenzy that I decided to do. Working with paper is a darn sight easier than moving furniture around on your own :-))
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: Cornish Cream on March 17, 2011, 09:07:49 am
Your recipe box looks lovely Judy, great team work. ;D ;D  CP's your comments made me giggle this morning about the photo on the box. :D
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: em on March 17, 2011, 09:13:14 am
wow judy looks great. i wish i had the patience to be that organised! i just have printouts in a display folder.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: achookwoman on March 17, 2011, 10:55:33 am
Judy,  I am going out to buy a laminator, because your system is so much better than mine. Love it.  Especially being able to wipe the goo off the recipe.  Maybe you would like to come over and stay for a week ,  with your DH, and get me organized.?
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on March 17, 2011, 11:06:39 am
That sounds great Chookie, we could laminate and you could cook  :D :D  I'm sure your DH would help you like mine did.  :-*
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: johnro on March 17, 2011, 01:36:21 pm
JD so much effort but what a great result!  I do as MJ does and use display folders once the recipe has been cooked and is a winner - until that time there is a TMX file on the computer in which there are many sub folders for the different recipe categories collected while prowling the forum - at any given time in a 24hr period .  :)  :)
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on March 17, 2011, 08:00:55 pm
Thanks johnro, you certainly need a lot of time to produce something like this - especially when you have been collecting and cooking forum recipes for over 2 years.  Easy to keep on top of now though.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: Cuilidh on March 17, 2011, 08:05:27 pm
I envy you with your great new system.  I simply have all my recipes slipped loosely into a folder, then, when I want to cook something, after spending ages leafing through all the recipes to find the one I want I have to clip it to a clipboard to stop it from falling or folding then I prop it up against the window or back of the bench and start cooking.  Not nearly as organised as you!
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on March 17, 2011, 08:40:04 pm
I think we all pretty much start out like that Cuilidh, never realising how quickly our collection is going to grow.  Finally we decide it is time to do something about it and the sooner you start, the easier it will become.  Have a go at one or other of the suggestions in this thread to make life easier for you.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: CreamPuff63 on March 18, 2011, 12:55:07 am
Cuilidh I started collecting in a small folder and it grew and grew. I would suggest that you start filing now because it gets bigger than Ben Hur. Just even punching a hole in each sheet and starting the file in the same way that cook books are with the dips and soups at the front, main meals, desserts etc. File dividers and sheet protectors help also, but even if you haven't got that at least you have the order so it makes finding something a little easier if you know to look for it either at the beginning, middle or back of the pile. Make sure with any recipes that you make give it a tick and a comment if possible. Ditch any straight away that you don't like.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: meganjane on March 18, 2011, 01:29:32 am
I like your idea JD, but just don't have the time right now to do it.
I copy and paste the recipes from the forum and type in the added notes and changes.
I like CP63's idea of 'grading' the recipes. I do need to go through and chuck a few out. Not all of mine are TMX recipes, some are from magazines and other forums.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: Cuilidh on March 18, 2011, 01:42:27 am
OK, I admit defeat ... I've been beaten into submission - off to the stationer's this afternoon to see what I can find and I'll get started at the weekend.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: Sonan on March 19, 2011, 11:47:45 am
Very nice Judy ..... I can see a whole new opportunity for you here.... I am sure people would pay you to sort out their recipe files !! ;)
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on March 19, 2011, 11:57:32 pm
 :D :D :D All I can suggest to newcomers Sonan is to start a filing system right from the beginning before it gets out of hand. As far as recipe books go, there are usually blank pages at the back of the books (some only have a blank inside back cover) and I write my favourite recipes and page numbers there as I find it easier than going through the index.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: trudy on March 20, 2011, 03:54:15 am
Great work Judy - want to come and do mine!!!!!
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: cookie1 on March 22, 2011, 07:44:21 am
Then over to me Judy. It looks lovely. Well done.
After reading of CP63's idea I thought I would do the same. But then changed the idea. I went to Big W and bought one of their 100page 'books' with the plasic folders in them. DH uses them for his old car notes and they look good. My recipes are only printed in B and W, but I try to put a photo of each one on the recipe. I have this all ready to go but still haven't done it. :P :P

As well I have a file of papers about 2 inches thick of 'to try' recipes.
Judy you have inspired me.........I'll do it................soon.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: Very Happy Jan on March 23, 2011, 11:59:57 am
I've got my recipes in A4 lever arch files (about 4!!) but am slowly transferring them to Macgourmet to increase my cupboard space- I need it to accommodate my ever increasing array of cake, bread, muffin top tins and assorted other acquisitions  ;D ;D
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: Thermomixer on April 26, 2011, 11:29:46 am
Great work JD - maybe you should come & organise my office too  :-* :-* :-* :-*
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: cookie1 on April 26, 2011, 12:30:31 pm
Would you believe that I have actually started transferring my favourite TMX recipes, with all the extras writtne on them, into what I hope will be their permanent home. It's a 100 page folder of plastic envelopes. I'll put a photo up when they're all in. I hope it will be easier to carry in the van than a big A4 file.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: meganjane on April 26, 2011, 12:40:18 pm
Look forward to seeing it, JD. Just make sure you number the pages and do an index! I spend ages going through my books trying to find a favourite recipe! :-))
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on April 26, 2011, 12:44:50 pm
I intend doing that MJ but haven't got around to it yet. Anything I do reasonably regularly is at the front of the section so I am not having too many problems finding anything (unless I have misfiled it in the wrong section  :-)) :-)))
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: cookie1 on December 20, 2011, 03:57:09 am
Judy I have just had a look at your recipe box and it has sert me thinking. Are your recipes A4 size? Where did you purchase your dividers? Do you have your recipes stored portrait or landscape way?
I'm just thinking it may be a better idea then mine as I have it in the pantry and I've just noticed that I marked the wall a few times pulling the file out. (It's back in a corner)
Thanks.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: judydawn on December 20, 2011, 10:58:36 am
Sorry I'm late getting back to you on this one Cookie, big day out with the grand-kids then I lost all my unread postings.
Yes the recipes are A4, made my own dividers by laminating a blank piece of A4 and just attaching a tab on the top, they are stored the portrait way.  At the moment I have heaps of unlaminated ones in the box but because of the neat fit and plenty of laminated ones already in there, they all stand nicely.  I will get DH to do some more laminating for me soon but they would be perfectly OK to leave in there as they are really.
Title: Re: My Recipe Box
Post by: cookie1 on December 21, 2011, 12:59:00 am
Thank you. I'm going to keep my eye out for a lovely box that will look nice out on the bench. Perhaps I could get DH to make me a jarrah one to match the jarrah in the house.  :P