New project - family & friends cookbook for my cousin's daughter's wedding, any tips?

M

music-city-missy

Well-known member
Since I start my new job tomorrow and took a break from classes to get used to my new schedule, I might actually have some 'free' time for a few months and thought I might start on a project I have wanted to do VERY badly for several years. A cookbook of recipes collected from family and friends.

I have Master Cook but was reading the post above about the other software so I am going to download a trial and see if I like it better because I am not sold on Master Cook. It may be that putting it in recipe software isn't the best, I don't know.

Anyway, any tips and hints are welcome and if anyone wants to count themselves among my friends and contribute a recipe or so - feel free to PM me. Depending on how many recipes I get and how many different people contribute as to whether I get printed copies for all who contribute or have to do as an electronic version for everyone.

 
Wow - what a nice gift! I'm sure you could just open and copy every T&T!!

We did this in my daughter's elementary school as a fundraiser and sold them all. We didn't have the great software available now, so that should make it easier. We basically collected the recipes and sent them to a cookbook publishing company. If you are asking for submissions, have them put a few lines at the beginning of the recipe saying where they got it/why they like it/is it a family passed-down recipe/etc. It makes it much more personal rather than just another cookbook. If you can include pictures, that would be wonderful!

 
My aunts made a family cookbook from all of my grandmother's recipe cards.

They xeroxed them and then put them into binders. My mother did the same thing with hers. There is something especially nice to see them in their handwriting. It feels a little more personal. The downside, is that some of the recipes are hard to read, but you can usually make them out. They put them in binders for all of us. It was such a thoughtful gift and was so appreciated. We are starting to do another family cookbook from the cousins now. It is a very thoughtful gift and will be very appreciated I am sure. Have fun!

 
Might I suggest being sure to include some "Stupidly Simple" T&T recipes, as well as...

menu suggestions if she's a bit inexperienced. If she's really new to cooking, be sure to include easy directions for roasting a chicken, beef, frying pork chops, broiling fish, gravy, spaghetti sauce, etc.

Also, how about a section "For Him" that includes marinades and rubs for grilling and maybe some REALLY stupidly simple things to make for "1" in case wifey is not home to cook dinner.

Have fun!
Debbie

p.s. I have MasterCook, and although I have not printed a cookbook, I know the format in which the recipes print is very easy to change (they have templates that you can use as is or personalize).

 
I made my sister a recipe book last Christmas (04), here's what I did:

since I wanted it to be very personal, I found a wonderful cloth covered photo album from Paper Source:
http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/journals/kolo_4_by_7.html

It hold 4x6 photos but I purchased card stock from them in a variety of pastel colors that was the same size a recipe cards.

The theme of the book was Family Soups and I wrote the recipe cards for each of our favorite soup and stew recipes plus some new fun ones. In my family, a hand written recipe is so meaningful, even if it's on a post it or scratch pad, we keep them all.

I made a photoshopped cover for the album inset and wrote the title of each recipe on separate card stock to insert in the plastic sleeve title area. Plus I decorated each card and sleeve and title note with cute stickers and stamps of food items, flowers and butterflies.

It was so precious and she just loved it. Great fun to do but it look a lot more time than I anticipatedm so be sure to allow yourself enough time. The plastic sleeves in the album are wonderful because she either keeps the card inside to keep clean or removes the card when she cooks. She tells me all of the time how much she uses it.

Hope some of these ideas help you with your project. Love to hear how its coming along!

 
Great idea... My mom made me one, and it's my most-treasured wedding gift. Some tips >>>

My mom included the text of any notes friends and family sent with the recipes, which often told if these had been passed down and from whom; the notes were also great glimpses into what the friend or family member valued in a recipe...or in life. smileys/smile.gif

I think it's most important that the bride receives recipes she values concerning foods she loves, or foods she's cooked for friends and family.

One thing to take into account is whether the couple is moving to some new place, together. You don't necessarily have to include recipes about the new place/location/region--favorite or familiar recipes are more important--but you might want to take into account what ingredients are available there.

(I moved from the Southwest to Israel (then Prague), and basically gave up on all the recipes that called for cheddar cheese...) smileys/wink.gif

Oh...another helpful thing... My mom included a conversion table, in the front; i.e., X many tablespoons in a cup; 16 ounces in a pound (or is it 12?), etc.

There was also a section that included recipes or ideas for when someone is sick...

Organizing things seasonally is also a big help, or, if that doesn't make sense, including a few menu pages of seasonal menus was great in planning dinners...which I hadn't really done before--at least, not on a regular basis. smileys/wink.gif

And a section on "Quick Dinners" or "Weeknight Dinners" is great to turn to, for a quick fix.

Have fun! Bring lots of Kleenex, for when you give the gift! smileys/smile.gif

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top