Craft - Making a Family Cookbook
Source of Recipe
found on various sites around the internet - sorry, no links, forgot
Recipe Introduction
These are ideas from other people, I have not done this
myself. Wouldn't mind one though. Just read through and
see if this will help if you have been thinking about
making a family cookbook.
List of Ingredients
Ideas from others about Making a Family Cookbook
- First ask family members if they would like any
of their recipes included in this project.
- They could include any memories about sharing the
particular recipe with a dear relative, or maybe just
various memories of being with a certain person.
This kind of thing keeps the memories of the people
in our family alive long after they are gone.
They could also include some photos of their family.
Who knows, this could become someone's favorite cookbook!
- Include an index at the beginning of the cookbook.
Separate the recipes into groups such as: Appetizers,
Breakfast, Breads, Cakes, Casseroles, Cookies + Bars,
Fruits, Main dishes, Muffins, Snacks, Soups. Maybe
even add sections for Grilling, Rotisserie and Crockpot
Cooking.
When listing the recipes be sure to state which person
gave which recipe.
- Take time to edit each recipe.
If possible, try to get someone to help with this as
sometimes we don't see our own mistakes.
- Purchase photo albums, or whatever you are going to
use for this when they are on sale.
- Keep the recipe book flowing. Place two page recipes
together. Place some family pictures in-between recipes
from time to time, along with a memory from that family.
It is great to have pictures to go along with the recipes.
xxxxxxx
Several years ago our family produced a family cookbook and it was a
huge success. Lots of work but worth the effort. Many of our recipes
had personal notes at the end and these are memorial notes for future
generations. We included a monthly calendar in the book, listing
everyone's birthday (name, year of birth, as many have the same name).
Also, we included an address page, telephone numbers and e-mail
addresses listing families in birth order. The Children of the family
(still at home) were listed under the parents name. You will probably
receive several versions of the same recipe, include all. Our front
cover was the family Crest, but a favorite picture from a past reunion
could be used, a picture of the old homeplace, etc. We printed
(commercially) over 100 copies, the majority were spiral bound but
some of us wanted them to be loose. I put mine in a three-ring binder
and have added to it each year, new recipes from the younger set, more
pictures, etc. It is just a matter of personal choice. In the spiral
books we included several blank pages in the address section for new
and changed addresses, in other places for memo's, record deaths, etc.
It becomes a matter of personal choice and how you would like to use
this family book. The first page of our book was a family tree
featuring the family included in the book. Good luck with your book,
it will be a personal achievement for you and one that will be
treasured by all who receive it.
-----
Try using the spiral notebook that you can slip the picture in the
front and then use the plastic page protectors to put the recipes in.
They will protect the pages and the holes will not rip out as if you
punch them out and just put the pages in. You can purchase the page
protectors in large quantities at office supply stores. Mary Anne
-----
A few years ago I made a cookbook for my six grandchildren. I used
recipes from my family as well as my grandchildren's other grandmother
and her family. My grandchildren are wanting me to add new pages to
their book. On the recipe title I put Great Great Grandma Jones Pot
Roast or Great Aunt Nina's Meat Loaf. One thing I would suggest is to
make the index in alphabetical order not in numerical order. I have
two cookbooks that are in numerical order and it is very difficult to
find a recipe. Snowmancrazy - Indiana
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I think it would be a great idea to list the recipes under each
"family" of the ancestors -- complete with a picture, if possible, of
those members. Then, at the reunion, you could have an autograph
signing party so people could sign their own pages. Kind of like a
high school annual. Darlene in California
-----
This is how I did two family cookbooks (one for my Dad's side and one
for Mom's side). I wrote to everyone on the family reunion list and
asked for these things: 1. memories of our family times together in
the "old days" 2. I asked them to write about their family....where
they work, go to college, hobbies 3. at least 3 of their favorite
recipes.....they sent anywhere from 2 to 20 for each
family....ask the kids their favorites, too 4. full names of
each family member, address, birthdate, email address, phone
member 5. sharp photos of each family member or group
photo........have them email these if
they want......saves you having to return their pictures.
I got a picture off my Print Shop for the cover page. Next page had a
Bible verse on it. Next page was in memory of a grandparent who had
passed away that year and my thoughts on family and food kind of just
going together........families meet around the table to share food,
talk and laughter....many good friendships have been formed around the
dinner table........things like that.
Next I had pages of the pictures they had all sent me. THEN......I
started with the oldest family member and put their name, address,
email and phone number on the top left hand side of the page. Under
that I put all the names in that family. Under this I put whatever
they wrote about their family and memories. Then under that I put
their family recipes. If this family had grown children on their own
then that person was next. Go right down the line like that until you
come to the youngest member and their family. On the back pages I put
everyones name with their birthdate and anniversary (this includes all
spouses). Put a few blank pages in the back of the book for them to
write in recipes.
I took the pages to STAPLES and had copies run off with about 30 extra
copies of each page (lots of people bought these cookbooks for gifts).
I purchased clear plastic binders.
I figured up how much all of this cost me. At our next family reunion
we sold them and I took out my expenses and the profits were used
towards the next years family reunion supplies and prizes and raffle
items. It was LOADS of work but I enjoy that kind of thing and it was
enormously satisfying to see everyones delight at seeing their recipes
and family info in print to share with others. I made around 130
cookbooks with each one containing 80 to 100 pages.
Allow plenty of time for this project. I wrote to the family members
about nine months before the reunion. Everytime I talked to anyone I
asked them to remind their kids to send me their stuff. I gave them a
deadline to give me time to complete it in time. Most people
responded immediately but some took some prodding!!
Recipe
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