Recipe Organization

Two of my favorite interests are organizing and cooking. I've had a variety of family and friends express interest in my recipe organization so I thought I'd share what I do.

When I find a recipe I like, I clip it out and put it in a corresponding manila folder. Some categories I have are: appetizer, bread, chicken, salads, dessert, holiday, etc. Those folders are then put into an expandable plastic file holder and housed in my kitchen next to my cookbooks.

If my family likes something new that I've tried I then take the recipe to my computer. I save a copy of it in Word under a Recipes file. I print off a half sheet copy, hole punch it and stick it in one of two 1/2 sheet 3-ring binders in my kitchen. These are also housed by my cookbooks. *I usually wait until I have several to add to the computer and binder and do a bunch at a time.

I have two 1/2 sheet 3-ring binders that are now my own personal cookbooks. Even if I get a recipe out of a published cookbook on my shelf I still reprint it and put it in my own notebook. This is for easy reference and I don't waste time trying to remember where a recipe is. (I'm still looking for an amazing chocolate pie recipe I made two Christmases ago!)

Another benefit from this system is when someone likes the food they've eaten and they want a copy of the recipe I have three choices. I can attach the recipe in an email to them, print them off a copy or give them the copy from my notebook and reprint a copy for myself at a later time.

One additional note - I reference where the recipe originated from at the bottom of each recipe. For examples, I might have:

Recipe from: Great-Aunt Virginia
Recipe from: Betty Crocker Cookbook, p. 93

I've had relatives ask for full copies of my cookbooks and they bring them back for updates. I've also printed off my favorites and made one notebook as a gift to new brides. Personal tried-and-true recipes are always a welcome gift.

What are some of your organizational tips?