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Make a Personal Recipe

Binder

by Maria Gracia Join our newsletter to be notified when the newest Organizing Article is available. I prefer to have my recipes printed on paper, rather than on my computer. That’s why I consider my personal recipe binder to be a tried-and-true friend in my kitchen. Here’s how to make one and keep it organized. 1. Make room for the new First, weed out old recipes that you don't ever plan on making, no longer  interest you, or that you've tried before and didn't enjoy. 2. Get the proper supplies • One 2-inch, 3-ring, D-ring binder…the type that holds standard letter paper • 10 plastic, 3-hole punched pocket folders • A box of sheet protectors (A box of 50 or 100) • Printable Removable labels 3. Set up your categories Label the pocket folders with the categories you normally use. Here are mine: • Appetizer • Bread/Muffins • Soup • Salad • Pasta/Rice • Meat, Chicken, Fish • Side • Vegetarian/Vegan • Dessert • Holiday 4. Compile Begin compiling your Personal Recipe Binder. Open the rings and insert one pocket folder. Then, behind that pocket folder, insert 10 sheet protectors. Then insert your next pocket folder. Then another 10 sheet protectors, etc. Do this until all pocket folders and all sheet protectors are in your binder. Close the rings. 5. Organize your “Maybe” recipes Insert recipes you've never tried before, but plan on making, in the appropriate pocket folder. If it's a Pasta dish, put it in the Pasta pocket folder. If it's a Dessert, put it in the Dessert pocket folder, and so on. It is recommended that you keep no more than 10-15 “unattempted” recipes in each category. This way your binder doesn't end up cluttered with tons of recipes you’re collecting, but never attempting to make. 6. Organize your “Make Again” recipes Insert recipes you’ll definitely be making again into the sheet protectors behind the appropriate categorized pocket folder. If the recipe is small (like one cut out of a magazine or one on an index card) you may want to tape it to a 8 ½” x 11” blank sheet of paper before inserting it, so that it doesn’t slide around (but note that you can only do this with recipes that are printed on one-side; not both). 7. Keep it up to date Over time, you may decide that some recipes in your binder are no longer serving you. Recycle those. You may find that you need more sheet protectors behind certain categories; just insert them. You might also decide not to make some of those “maybe” recipes that you’ve been saving. It’s fine to get rid of those. Swap out a recipe you already have for one that you’ve determined is better. The more “up to date” you keep it, the more helpful it will be. Back to Organizing Articles Index