Creating a family cookbook...

In 2005, I composed a family cookbook and gave it away for Christmas. I added recipes from family as well as close family friends. I thought it was a special gift. I would like to get one!

Now would be a great time to begin to prepare one to have ready to give for Christmas this year!

Here is what I did:

1. I emailed friends and family and asked them for one of their most special recipes. I did not tell them what it would be for!

2. After I got them all in (which required making a couple of phone calls and sending 2 or 3 emails and some never even responded, but do not let that discourage you), I typed them into Word and added a picture of the person who gave it on the page with the recipe. Then, I composed the book in alphabetical order by recipe.

3. Next, I printed out the pages on my printer (4x6 pages), created a cute cover, printed it on a glossy cover stock and then hole punched them and bound the books with plastic ring binding.

* You can buy a hole punch/binding machine at a local office supply store for about $20. I already had one!

If you have old recipes from your parents/ grandparents (such as the photo above), you can also add those with their picture to the book! It truly makes a cookbook that will be treasured for years to come :)