Organizing Recipes from Several Sources

[Okanagancook]

I know there has been a discussion about how to organize one's recipes but could not find it.  

In that thread there were many tools that were discussed, for example:  Eat Your Books; MacGourmet; Evernote, etc.

A friend and I were discussing how to do this without having to input recipe details. Maybe take a picture of the recipe and paste it into a document.  We both have recipes that have been cut out of newspapers, magazines, etc.

Anyone remember which thread that was??  Or maybe we should start again with a new topic and the latest tools available.

[ElsieD]

I'm interested in this too. I had a iPad and used an app called Snaprecipes that allowed you to take a picture of any on-line recipe from whatever source. It also allowed you to file them in the app by various categories. Sadly, it is not available for the Samsung tablet I now have, but I thought I would mention it as it may be useful to iPad users.

[Lisa Shock]

I use the new MasterCook, although I keep older print recipes in a metal card file.

[Anna N]

I know there has been a discussion about how to organize one's recipes but could not find it.  

In that thread there were many tools that were discussed, for example:  Eat Your Books; MacGourmet; Evernote, etc.

A friend and I were discussing how to do this without having to input recipe details. Maybe take a picture of the recipe and paste it into a document.  We both have recipes that have been cut out of newspapers, magazines, etc.

Anyone remember which thread that was??  Or maybe we should start again with a new topic and the latest tools available.

I use Evernote and frequently take photographs of recipes in magazines and books or those that I have handwritten at some point and store them in the appropriate notebook. You can also take screenshots or simply copy and paste from recipes on the web.

[pbear]

Okanagancook, I suspect the thread you're remembering is this one, as you were the last person to post in it.  But that thread is about keeping track of recipes in cookbooks.  There is a somewhat older thread on your present topic, but it only went eighteen posts.  There might be others, but those are the two I remember having seen at some point or another.

 

The thing to understand about scanning your loose recipes is that it's not gonna do a lick about the indexing problem.  You're still going to have to build a database (where you enter the data) or use some variation of the several-large-vats system, where you dump the scans into folders and call them filed.

 

[Okanagancook]

Thanks pbear.  I looked at the Eat Your Books thread but it is just about EYB.  The older thread is getting closer but still not the one I remember.  Anna's Evernote entry above as well as the Gmail idea is like the thread I had in mind.  

 

I really like EYB especially since I subscribe to a few magazines which are now added automatically each month.  I use the bookmarking system they have so I can organize and rate most of my cookbook and magazine recipes.  The only thing with EYB is you can't enter your own recipes with all the specifics needed to make it.  You can only enter the ingredients which then allows you to search for them in the same fashion you do for the other recipes.

 

I also use MacGourmet to keep track of my other recipes such as online (which you can download and insert into your list of recipes), recipes from newspaper clippings and others that you have accumulated over time.  You can rate and categorize them as well as enter main ingredients for searching somewhat like EYB.  The only thing you can't do is take a picture of your recipe and insert it.  You have to actually enter all the details of a recipe which can be time consuming.  So for me using these two devices meets most of my needs.

 

The friend I was referring to above doesn't have any real computerized method of organizing her recipes and this is a project she wants to tackle this winter.  She has a lot of recipes that are from older cookbooks that are probably not indexed in EYB and also handwritten family favourites.  Something like Evernote might be her best route unless there is something else.

[Merkinz]

I spent a long time trying to figure this out for myself as well.

 

In the end I settled on Evernote with the deciding factors being:

 

1) (And probably most importantly) It's the most likely to last the longest. I can see certain niche recipe programs not being supported in future computer operating systems.

2) It's multi format. I can retrieve my recipes on my iPad (which is nice to cook from in the kitchen) from any computer and from my iPhone in a pinch.

3) Recipes can be stored as text, picture, pdf ... anything really.

[EnriqueB]

Evernote +1

 

Plus, it will automatically OCR-scan the text in your picture and include whatever it recognizes in the searches, meaning you don't even need to put a lot of structure in the database yourself .

Edited August 7, 2015 by EnriqueB (log)

[Lindacakes]

I think it is essential to use a solution that works for you, and if a digital solution, one that is flexible.

 

I spent several weekends prying data out of my Palm Pilot before switching to an iPhone, and I vowed never to make the same mistake again.

 

I still have paper files that I need to go through, but I now keep all my recipes in MS Word files.  I include photos in there if I want to.  I can take a recipe and add my own notes.  I can double file these recipes, which I do -- I keep them in a filing system I set up, and I keep copies of ones I really do intend to make in a separate file.  What is very important to me is that I can easily alter, share and back up this file.  I keep a copy in my safe deposit box.  I'm haunted by two eGulleter's stories -- one had her hand written recipe book stolen in a house robbery, and the other's were destroyed in a fire.  My recipe files represent untold hours of reading, talking, culling, testing recipes, etc. and I don't intend to lose that investment.

 

Since a certain time, several years ago, I no longer keep paper copies of recipes.  I will take the time to copy a recipe.  Mostly, I find it online and copy and paste it into a Word doc.  Sometimes right off the screen, sometimes from the print option.  I do take a few minutes to restyle it.  I know a lot of people wouldn't do this, but it's made me think twice about what I capture.  Are you really ever going to make all the recipes you have?  Realistically, I think most of us will only read, use, or make a small fraction of the recipes we keep.

 

This does take some time but I actually find it relaxing and enjoy the research part of my food studies.

 

Back to the paper files -- every once in a while I grab one and go through it, and take the recipes off the Internet or copy them by hand.  This exercise keeps me from maniacally clipping everything that is vaguely interesting to me -- I have to think about whether I really want the recipe.  I find this has made me very focused.  I am interested in fruitcakes and I do keep a paper file, but I also have lots and lots of digital recipes and more importantly, notes and cross references.

 

When I get a new cookbook, I go through it slowly and take notes on what I'd like to make.  I then tag these in Eat Your Books.  Anything I make from one of my cookbooks, I add notes in Eat Your Books because I believe the real power of that community is in sharing information on the recipe level, not the book level.  One thing I've noticed about cookbooks in general from this process is that authors have strengths and the recipes in their books reflect this.  I always notice when a book has a strong fruitcake section and I take note of that.

 

Ultimately, all my food information is searchable and cross-referenced and is exponentially enhanced by the investment.

[Okanagancook]

Lindacakes, thanks for taking the time to make a number of very good points about recipe collection and use.  I find I am using EYB much more these days.  I also use it with new cookbooks and magazines in the same way you do to organize recipes I want to make.  I probably have enough cookbooks that I don't need to organize recipes clipped from newspapers, magazines, etc. many moons ago.  I also find that my eating preferences have changed and many old recipes have become undesirable.

I am spoilt for choice these days and there is a certain amount of anxiety about what to cook!

[Lindacakes]

That being said, it's not very warm and fuzzy.  My mother died recently and I found my mother's, my grandmother's and my great grandmother's handwritten recipe books in her things.  In a plastic box filled with recipe pamphlets and scissored recipes, no less.  These are priceless to me.  And yes, I have copied some of those into my digital files, some day I hope t have them all there.

 

No one is going to feel that way about my files.   I do keep a handmade recipe book with colored pencil drawings that's pretty much da bomb and goes with the generational set.

[Okanagancook]

Wow, those cookbooks must be very special to you.  I have some from my mom but most of the recipes are for baked goods.  She loved cakes, cookies, bars, desserts, etc.  Me, not so much...can't really afford the calories.  The mains aren't very inspiring but it is fun to look at the comments she had made and the VERY neat and tidy hand writing.  

[Maison Rustique]

I really like Cook'n software. http://www.dvo.com/

[Okanagancook]

Maison:  that looks like an excellent program.  Thanks for sharing.  I have forwarded the link on to my friend who is taking on the project this winter. 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I pretty much don't keep any recipe on digital medium exclusively that I want be sure I have going forward into the future.

 

Yes, your house my burn down, or less likely, in my mind, a thief could be interested in my handwritten recipes. (That had to be a relative or someone familiar with the victim.)

 

More likely, IMO because it's happened to me twice now, is the elderly computer, which is already obsolete by design once it reaches store shelves, crashes beyond salvaging. I do tend to keep my possessions longer than most people and get my money's worth.

 

I keep all of my really interesting "want to make" recipes in a permanent paper file in a loose leaf binder. This includes kayB's recipe for Mrs. Mary Lloyd Young's yeast rolls, and Anna N's flour tortilla recipes along with several others I've come across on the site over the years. I also store them digitally, because they're searchable, but I do not feel I can rely on that.

 

I think it is more likely that a thief will steal your computer than a paper recipe file. I also know that if your house burns up, most likely your computer will go with it.

[AnneN]

I use EYB to catalog my cookbooks; the indexing is a fantastic selling point. I use Evernote for recipes found on the web and other sources. Evernote has a web clipper so no copying and pasting required. Also, with Evernote premium, photos and PDF's are searchable so you can photograph or scan a recipe and be able to find details.

[blue_dolphin]

...

When I get a new cookbook, I go through it slowly and take notes on what I'd like to make.  I then tag these in Eat Your Books.  Anything I make from one of my cookbooks, I add notes in Eat Your Books because I believe the real power of that community is in sharing information on the recipe level, not the book level.  One thing I've noticed about cookbooks in general from this process is that authors have strengths and the recipes in their books reflect this.  ...

 

Just wanted to thank you for this reminder about tagging and making notes in EYB.  I do take my time going through new cookbooks but tend to make only mental notes that are increasingly fleeting!  I'm not sure I can approach your impressive level of organization but I can certainly make a start with better use of these features. 

[Okanagancook]

I have started doing the same as AnneN with my cookbooks in EYB.  Starting with some new ones and then some favourite older ones.  It takes time but really worth it.  I used to write all the page numbers and titles of recipes I wanted to make from a new book and then leave the paper in the book.  That kind of worked but using the capabilities of EYB works out much better.  I put two tags per recipe:  one for book title and then one for WTM Chicken or WTM pasta, etc.  (Want to Make)  This way I can look at the book tag and see all the recipes I want to make from it which replaces my hand written page.  And I can look by ingredient.

 

Evernote seems the way to go for everything else. I have MacGourmet which has a clip function also and we use that program to keep track of our wine also.

[Bernoulli]

Anymore I mostly get recipes from the www.  I copy - paste (into Word) - edit - save under my own classifications/folders in

Word and Dropbox.  If I have a recipe that is appropriate for two classifcations, I do a "save as".

[Norm Matthews]

I pretty much don't keep any recipe on digital medium exclusively that I want be sure I have going forward into the future.

 

Yes, your house my burn down, or less likely, in my mind, a thief could be interested in my handwritten recipes. (That had to be a relative or someone familiar with the victim.)

 

More likely, IMO because it's happened to me twice now, is the elderly computer, which is already obsolete by design once it reaches store shelves, crashes beyond salvaging. I do tend to keep my possessions longer than most people and get my money's worth.

 

I keep all of my really interesting "want to make" recipes in a permanent paper file in a loose leaf binder. This includes kayB's recipe for Mrs. Mary Lloyd Young's yeast rolls, and Anna N's flour tortilla recipes along with several others I've come across on the site over the years. I also store them digitally, because they're searchable, but I do not feel I can rely on that.

 

I think it is more likely that a thief will steal your computer than a paper recipe file. I also know that if your house burns up, most likely your computer will go with it.

 

Before computers and the internet, I kept a hand written cookbook.  I transfered all the recipes worth keeping onto archival 3 ring note paper with copper reinforced holes and put it in a note book with metal hinges. No one stole it but an ex took some pages out of it when she left. (she stole my smoker too) I put recipes I want to try on my Mac now.  It has a feature called Time Keeper where everything is stored on a separate back up hard drive and if anything happens to the computer, I can go back to before it happened and reload everything. I can transfer it to a new computer if needed too.   I don't sort the recipes because the search feature on the computer lets me find anything by typing in a couple of key words that are either in the title or in the recipe. I also keep every recipe I do use on a blog so I or anyone can retrieve it. My kids asked me to start doing this after they'd ask me about something I'd done in the past and I couldn't remember what i had done different from the printed recipe.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Norm Matthews (log)

[CindyJ]

I use Pepperplate and I like it a lot.  It allows you to import recipes directly from many websites or you can enter your own recipes manually, along with a photo.  Sharing your Pepperplate recipes is easy, too.  You can either send a link to your recipe on the website, or, you can save your recipe into a PDF format and print or email it.

[hotsaucerman]

I know this is the wrong place to ask this but I’m also not sure where my question should go (admins plz feel free to relocate this post!):

 

I have a collection of random pieces of paper and prints outs etc I want to collect into a recipe notebook and I was wondering: do any of you guys have something better than just using a big three ring binder? Something like a moleskin seems nice but I want something I can write in AND add random pieces of paper etc to.  I guess it’s possible what I want doesn’t exist per se but figured this forum would be the best place to ask (so thx a mil for any nuggets of knowledge/suggestion!) 

[heidih]

51 minutes ago, hotsaucerman said:

I know this is the wrong place to ask this but I’m also not sure where my question should go (admins plz feel free to relocate this post!):

 

I have a collection of random pieces of paper and prints outs etc I want to collect into a recipe notebook and I was wondering: do any of you guys have something better than just using a big three ring binder? Something like a moleskin seems nice but I want something I can write in AND add random pieces of paper etc to.  I guess it’s possible what I want doesn’t exist per se but figured this forum would be the best place to ask (so thx a mil for any nuggets of knowledge/suggestion!) 

You want something to write notes in to comment on added recipes or add info. But not an on-line collection like @Kim Shook  http://www.recipecircus.com/recipes/Kimberlyn/  I just do 3 ring into plastic sleeves because for some recipes I like the origin document.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

@heidih yes, plastic sleeves allow the original clipping or internet printout plus personal notes and additional drop-in recipes.     I prefer the thinner 1" binders which come in colors which can designate recipe's course or classification.

[blue_dolphin]

16 hours ago, hotsaucerman said:

I have a collection of random pieces of paper and prints outs etc I want to collect into a recipe notebook

 

 If your ultimate goal is a notebook, then the 3-ring binder is going to be your most economical choice as they come in all thicknesses and cover colors with many page options from just punching holes in your printouts to using various protector sheets and dividers.  

The world of scrapbooking offers all sorts of fancier options but both the books and pages are going to be more expensive and some are rather cumbersome to add pages.

 

Another way to organize them is in file folders, stored in hanging file boxes (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). They come in different sizes, colors, and patterns with and without lids.  That doesn't suit your need for a notebook but it could be a good way to start organizing your collection before placing things into the notebook(s).