Recipe Storage Solutions

[forty_caliber]

I use Pepperplate. I like it because it also has a meal planner and it's easy to grab recipes from the internet. Sine the data is stored in the "cloud" I can access them from multiple devices and share the account with family members.

For use in the kitchen, I run the "app" on a 10" tablet that sits under one of the cabinets. The "cook now" function formats the recipe into larger easy to read format and allows you to set multiple timers. When it's time to cook a meal from the planner, all of the recipes for that meal are displayed in a tabbed format in the cook now view making it easy to switch between them.

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[bakechef]

I have a 3 ring binder with sheet protectors. The only recipes that are sheet protector worthy are tried and true recipes. Recipes yet to try are in the front and back pockets. This is my quick reference for every day stuff. Some of the pages were printed with my old Packard Bell computer with my first inkjet printer 20 years ago! I built a cookbook for my brother's second wife, she had no family recipes and was learning to cook, so I typed up ours and put them in a binder, I also included a bunch of empty page protectors for her new recipe discoveries.

My archive or where I put un-printed recipes is Google Drive. I like that I have access to my recipes anywhere I go. It really comes in handy when you want to share a recipe with a friend, I can pull up the app and quickly send it to their email. Everything in the binder is also on google drive.

My perfect solution would be a 9 or 10 inch tablet that lives in the kitchen, I may keep an eye out this christmas to see if I can find a decent one cheap for this purpose. I had an old laptop set up in the kitchen but it just wasn't practical in a small kitchen.

 

[taxlady]

I use Pepperplate. I like it because it also has a meal planner and it's easy to grab recipes from the internet. Sine the data is stored in the "cloud" I can access them from multiple devices and share the account with family members.

For use in the kitchen, I run the "app" on a 10" tablet that sits under one of the cabinets. The "cook now" function formats the recipe into larger easy to read format and allows you to set multiple timers. When it's time to cook a meal from the planner, all of the recipes for that meal are displayed in a tabbed format in the cook now view making it easy to switch between them.

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Oooh, that sounds cool. I'm downloading it now. I like the idea of having access to all my recipes when I'm not home, like when I'm visiting my M-I-L.

 

[Andy M.]

I'm mired in the 20th century. If I want my recipes to travel with me (without a computer or tablet) I'd use a USB drive.

 

[taxlady]

I'm mired in the 20th century. If I want my recipes to travel with me (without a computer or tablet) I'd use a USB drive.

That would work. But, I would have to remember to keep it up to date.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I have all my recipes on my home office computer, my work computer, my Netbook computer (which I keep on the kitchen counter), and on a flash drive I carry in my briefcase so I can keep all sources up-to-date.

 

[Andy M.]

That would work. But, I would have to remember to keep it up to date.

I wouldn't try to keep it updated. There aren't many occasions when I need my recipes offsite that I don't have my computer with me. I'd load my recipe files onto the USB drive then just delete them when I get home. If I needed it again a few months later, I'd just reload from the primary file.

 

[taxlady]

I wouldn't try to keep it updated. There aren't many occasions when I need my recipes offsite that I don't have my computer with me. I'd load my recipe files onto the USB drive then just delete them when I get home. If I needed it again a few months later, I'd just reload from the primary file.

Yeah, that works when you remember to bring it.

Sometimes it's handy to have a recipe when you really weren't expecitng to need any. I have had occasions when I was at a friend's house and a chocolate cake would have been great. I don't usually cook at my M-I-L's house, but once in a while she asks me for a recipe. Then, if the recipes were available on my phone, I would be able to use it.

 

[GotGarlic]

Yeah, that works when you remember to bring it.

I have a trip packing list I print out, four per page. Want a copy?

 

[taxlady]

I have a trip packing list I print out, four per page. Want a copy?

Thanks, but I have the Pepperplate app now. Actually, it's mostly for those times that it would never occur to me that I might need a recipe and then it turns out that it would be handy to look one up.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I am now the proud owner of Living Cookbook. Now I need to learn how to use it.

 

[Addie]

I place all my recipes in my computer and then transfer them to a flash file. I do this every time I enter a new recipe. This way I have them in two locations. Inside the Recipe folder, I have it broken down into separate folders for breads, pasta, desserts, etc. That flash file is mentioned in my will. Many of the recipes have personal notes.

 

[GotGarlic]

Thanks, but I have the Pepperplate app now. Actually, it's mostly for those times that it would never occur to me that I might need a recipe and then it turns out that it would be handy to look one up.

I'm talking about a trip packing list to remind you what you need to pack for a trip

 

[GotGarlic]

I place all my recipes in my computer and then transfer them to a flash file. I do this every time I enter a new recipe. This way I have them in two locations. Inside the Recipe folder, I have it broken down into separate folders for breads, pasta, desserts, etc. That flash file is mentioned in my will. Many of the recipes have personal notes.

FYI, as magnetic media, hard drives and flash drives are both subject to failure. I back up my computer to an online service. There are several; I use Backblaze. It's $50 per year for priceless peace of mind.

 

[MrsLMB]

I am now the proud owner of Living Cookbook. Now I need to learn how to use it.

Congrats PF !!

Once you get the hang of it you will really appreciate it.

I love it and sure hope you do too.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I'm going to play with it more tomorrow. I haven't yet tried to C&P a recipe into it. I've been going through it and see what all it has.

 

[RPCookin]

I do the same as Andy, with the addition of a program called Living Cookbook. I don't put all my recipes in LC, but it's handy for copying recipes from the Internet and changing them up to suit our tastes before printing, and I put in my own recipes, too. When you copy recipes from online, there's a place to paste the entire recipe, then highlight items and click Source, Ingredients, Procedure, etc. and add tips and photos.

It also will easily change the number of servings and tell me how much of each ingredient I need and nutrition information for each recipe, so I can tweak based on that, if I want. It's good for keeping track of menus, too. For example, DH takes a group of teachers on a retreat every year and I have the recipes in folders for different meals (Mexican, Italian, low-country boil, etc.).

Now, I actually have three 3-ring binders: one for baking, one for appies, beverages, soups, stocks, sandwiches, etc., and one for meats, poultry, seafood, salads, sides, etc. I print on regular printer paper and have a 3-ring hole punch on my desk, so I just put the sheets in the binder.

I use Living Cookbook too. Great program. But the recipes I print out just live in a stack in a kitchen drawer. When they get too beat up, I reprint. However, I don't print that many, as I just access them from the laptop most of the time.

I lost one laptop to a spilled glass of wine. Knowing me, computer in the kitchen is an accident waiting to happen. I also don't really have any counter space for it. I can just see it squeezed in somewhere and getting knocked onto the floor.

I am all in favour of saving trees and computers.

Fortunately when we designed this house, we got a bit carried away with the kitchen. I think I have counter space I haven't even found yet. Very easy to put my laptop on one end of the island and none of my work is done within 5 feet of it.

I am now the proud owner of Living Cookbook. Now I need to learn how to use it.

Congrats and have fun with it. The screen capture feature is a timesaving godsend, and much better designed than the similar feature I used to have with Now You're Cooking.

 

[chrismcphee]

I'm using the free version of Big Oven to store mine. When I find a decent recipe then I'll add it to the program including any substitutions I've made to take account of my dietary needs. Next time I use it I'll just print a copy (in draft mode - saves ink) and then throw the paper out when I'm done. I'll also use the Recipe boxes at Allrecipes and Food.com for free online storage.

 

[Raspberrymocha55]

We don't own a computer. So, I have my hundreds of cookbooks, 3x5 cards, and binders. I mark all recipes with signal dots. Green for good, yellow for retry and red for yuck. I also date everything and write in margins all over my cookbooks. I tend to put 3x5 s on covers with pages for favorites. Some day, if I ever get a computer, I want to consolidate my recipes and recipe blog, too. As it is, I live on my smart phone. I use Pinterest to store lots of stuff, as it is easy on a phone. I still love cookbooks, there are so many forgotten gems in them. I don't need pictures.

 

[Dawgluver]

I have a big ziplock in the cupboard that holds years of clipped and saved recipes.

I like The Recipe Box app for iPad.