Recipe Storage System

Jeffrey and I have massively increased the number of recipes we have access to over the past half a year.  I thought I would show you where all the "trough-worthy" recipes end up so we can find them again. 

First, I bought a cloth-bound three ring binder in a cheerful turquoise color.

Then, because both Jeffrey and I are both slobs when we cook, I put in a lot of clear page protectors.  You can buy these at any office supply store- even Walmart carries a small selection.  I go for the heavyweight protectors because they're less flimsy and help the page stay upright while I'm cooking.  I type up the recipes on the computer and credit where they came from if they're not original to us.  I used to use a computer program called Living Cookbook, but when I got a Vista computer it started acting up on me, so I just use Microsoft Word.

One other thing I like to do when I type up the  recipes is to make sure the ingredients are listed in the same order that they are used in the recipe.  Recipes that don't do that make me crazy, as I sometimes miss adding ingredients.  I use colorful paper just because I find it aesthetically pleasing, and buy paper that is heavier weight than the normal white 8 1/2 x 11 " piece of paper.  If you'd like to do the same, don't bother with card stock- it's just too heavy.  Look instead for a slightly heavier paper weight.  Paper weights are always listed on the product packaging.

I have typed up a few general categories, like Meat Main Dishes, Vegetables, Desserts...you get the picture.  Sometimes I give a reprinted, plastic page-covered section to my choir members as an inexpensive but (hopefully) useful Christmas gift.

Here's the recipe book ready for use:

I still have a recipe box, and we have lots of cookbooks and magazines, but if a recipe is good enough, it gets enshrined in the turquoise binder. 

So, what about you?  How do you store your recipes?  Are you super organized?  Do you have a scrapbook?  Leave a comment and let us know.