Recipe Binder

I am obsessed with my recipes. I look at my binder every single day. It was a big project for me to organize all of my recipes, type all of them up uniformly, make a list (index) of them all, put them in alphabetical order, and stick them in my pretty binder. I don’t have much spare time, but I spent all of it organizing this thing and it was so worth it. It not only contains all of my recipes, but also my coupons, menu planner, and grocery list. All my essentials.

I have divided it up into sections…

My grocery list section just has regular lined paper in there – nothing fancy.

I keep my coupons in plastic baseball card protectors. I’m still new to this whole couponing thing. I have no intention of creating a stock-pile in my garage, or anything remotely close to that. Just trying to save where I can on our grocery trips.

The menu section has these printable sheets of paper in it (from www.mommytrackd.com). I plan out the dinners I make for every week, and then make my grocery list based on the menu. This list is currently for this week – I’m so looking forward to that picnic in the park on Wednesday! I don’t use the grocery list section on these pages, because it’s not big enough. I just write in what sweet treat I’m going to make for the week.

Next is our dinner recipes. I only have 2 sections – Dinner and Desserts. I didn’t feel the need to make sections for breakfast, lunch, and sides.

When I typed up my recipes, I didn’t go into too much detail in each recipe. Just enough for me to understand. I left out the details in the recipes that I already know, and just typed up the essentials. So, my recipes are short. I always try to make a little extra so we have leftovers for our work lunches the next day, so I don't even measure out my ingredients exactly to what a recipe calls for. I know, it all can be a little confusing, but it works for me.

Desserts – the most important section. I have a plastic sheet protector on my index of desserts because every time I read through my list, I drool. You think I'm kidding?

This binder makes my life a little simpler. I’m not digging up cookbooks, or searching on the internet what the heck to have for dinner that night. I only make one trip a week to the grocery store, that day being Sunday. I don’t have time during the week to stop at the store, unless it’s an absolute must, then I have no choice.

I have an erasable menu picture frame that I made (idea from pinterest) that is hung up in my kitchen. I look at this everday as well, so I know what meat to take out of the freezer the night before for dinner the next day.

I’m hoping to post one new recipe a week on here, whether it be dinner or dessert – or breakfast, or snacks.