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Family Cookbooks

Preserve Those Treasured Recipes

By Donna Smith

Every family has those special recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation – recipes you look forward to eating on those special occasions or sharing with people you love. What would Christmas be like without Grandma's special sand tarts? How could you have a barbecue without Aunt Mabel's famous baked beans? And don't forget the strawberry preserves Mary Ann makes and gives you every summer. Those recipes should be never be lost or forgotten!

A great way to preserve family favorites is to make a family cookbook, and one way to do that is to contact a publisher who specializes in this area and have them publish it. That's a good idea if you have a very large family, and everyone wants their own copy, but we're going to talk about making a homemade cookbook – one you make with your own two hands that is as unique as the recipes you put into it.

Here are a few steps to get you started:

Your computer can be a big help with compiling the recipes! "I put together a cookbook of recipes I collected from family and friends," says Liz Misemer. "I used Master Cook (software) and then exported into MS Word for formatting and index creation."

If you do use the computer, but sure to back-up your saved work! Liz learned the hard way. "I lost my digital copy of the cookbook, and I can't find it. I'm going to have to re-enter everything from the one hard copy of the recipe book that I have left," she says. "But it will be worth it, and yes, it will be backed up this time!"

For a more antique look, photocopy the original recipe as it was written on the sheet. This adds a personal touch by including the handwriting of the person submitting the recipe.

Want to see more?

• Cooks' Dictionary
• The Art of Family Dinners
• Someone's in the Kitchen With Mommy
• Talk about it!