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Managing/Organizing Your Recipes

cocktails42
cocktails42 Posts: 45
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hi All,

How do you keep your recipes organized?

Notebook? Word Processor? Dedicated recipe software? Other?

Also, what about any notes you want to keep on how a particular rub worked or a technique?

I'm finding that the more I explore grilling with the egg the more I'm beginning to forget. (How did I do those ribs ???)

I've begun taking down notes on my word processing program, and writing up the recipe, sometimes including photos. But it just feels like a very clunky way of doing it.

I was thinking that I could create a template in my word processor, but damn....

Comments

  • ResQue
    ResQue Posts: 1,045
    I have been using a memo book. I keep my recipes with notes and my short list in it. I would like to move it on to my desktop though.
  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
    I store my recipes in individual documents (word processor) and have a spreadsheet to keep track.

    A single recipe might appear in the multiple locations within the index of the spreadsheet. Like a “pizza dough” would be found under “Pizza” and as well under “Dough”. The spreadsheet would give me the name, “pizza dough – overnight” or "pizza dough - Fred"

    It’s not the best but so far it’s working….
    Marc
  • chocdoc
    chocdoc Posts: 461
    MacGourmet for me.
  • I have a book in my word processor that is never finished. I add pages or delete them as needed. It is sectioned into chapters like Beef, Sides, and Deserts.


    Someday I will print it out and give it to my family.
  • Thanks for your replies, everyone.

    I'm a Mac guy and I think MacGourmet is going to be the way to go for me.

    boston_stoker, that link looks like a gold mine. I may have to get the program and run it under windows in my mac. Sadly, their file format turns out to be proprietary and so I cannot import directly to MacGourmet. Oh well.

    chocdoc, Thank you. I've seen ads for MacGourmet before but was unsure about it. Now that I've done some homework on it, I think I'll get it.

    To everyone, thank you for helping me figure this out. Between my first post on this subject and this post I have been scouring the sources and it really helped me a lot that you guys knew where to point me so I didn't wast hours and hours on this.

    Thank You.
  • Angela
    Angela Posts: 543
    I use macgourmet.
    Egging on two larges + 36" Blackstone griddle
  • ResQue
    ResQue Posts: 1,045
    I like it! I guess I will be using that from now on. Thanks.
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    My high tech solution is a three ring binder and those plastic cover sleeves. Maybe someday I'll get it all in a computer, but I know if something happens to me my wife will know where its all at.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • cocktails42 wrote:
    Thanks for your replies, everyone.

    I'm a Mac guy and I think MacGourmet is going to be the way to go for me.

    boston_stoker, that link looks like a gold mine. I may have to get the program and run it under windows in my mac. Sadly, their file format turns out to be proprietary and so I cannot import directly to MacGourmet. Oh well.

    chocdoc, Thank you. I've seen ads for MacGourmet before but was unsure about it. Now that I've done some homework on it, I think I'll get it.

    To everyone, thank you for helping me figure this out. Between my first post on this subject and this post I have been scouring the sources and it really helped me a lot that you guys knew where to point me so I didn't wast hours and hours on this.

    Thank You.


    Perry,

    I'm a mac guy also with MacGourmet. I think i'm up to 160 recipes in the program. I will give you a little feed back, overall I give it a 3 out of 5. It is good on the Mac but will rarely Sync with the iphone. I give them a 0 out of 5 for customer support. The shopping list can not be emailed from your phone. Of course you can still do it with some additional steps from the computer cut/paste etc. As for other programs this is better, with a few changes and additions it could be awesome.

    It is the best of what is available to you on the market no question. Hope this helps.

    Take Care
    Jay
    I'm ashamed of what I did for a Klondike Bar.
  • Thanks Jay,

    I went into the App Store to see what people said about this and the iphone/ipad (I have both).

    I appreciate your feedback. What you say reinforces what others say about the sync. So that's kinda sucky.

    The main thing, though, is for me to be able to remember what the hell I did on a cook. I tend to freewheel in the kitchen; you never know what I'll put in a recipe and I never remember what I did. Fun, but not good in the bigger scheme of things. Especially when WhatsHerName says "do shortribs the way you did them the last time".

    huh?

    I have no freakin' idea ......

    *grin* ugh...
  • cocktails42 wrote:
    Thanks Jay,

    I went into the App Store to see what people said about this and the iphone/ipad (I have both).

    I appreciate your feedback. What you say reinforces what others say about the sync. So that's kinda sucky.

    The main thing, though, is for me to be able to remember what the hell I did on a cook. I tend to freewheel in the kitchen; you never know what I'll put in a recipe and I never remember what I did. Fun, but not good in the bigger scheme of things. Especially when WhatsHerName says "do shortribs the way you did them the last time".

    huh?

    I have no freakin' idea ......

    *grin* ugh...


    :ohmy: :) You have found a good program. My MacBook sits on the breakfast bar, I use the chefs view. make dinner. I wife states.......... Whatever is on her mind. I click notes and type her feeling in for the next time she commands it :laugh: :laugh: B)

    Jay
    I'm ashamed of what I did for a Klondike Bar.
  • chocdoc
    chocdoc Posts: 461
    Took a bit of fiddling - but got it to sink with the iPhone. You can't do everything on the iPhone you can on the Mac with it - but at least you can take your recipes with you.

    I have 817 recipes on mine - switched over from Mastercook. It's ability to allow you to clip recipes from anywhere and put them in is quite wonderful!
  • I, along with a number of others on here, have used the Living Cookbook for a number of years. I really like it & it is not an expensive program.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,662
    ive got my own handwritten book but for recipe storage i shout out to Richard Fl, he has them all and has done all the work :)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • icemncmth
    icemncmth Posts: 1,165
    I have tried a bunch of different recipe software and in the end I use Google Docs.
    I have created folders for everything from Chicken to Drinks.

    I can upload any document, pdf..etc and put it in the file. I can create a document and save it in any file but the thing I like most is I can copy/past directly off of sites like this. I get pics and all!

    The reason I stared keeping recipes etc on google docs is I can be anywhere and have access to my files.
  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    I use Living Cookbook. I have about 10,000 recipes altogether and it does a pretty good job. Richard FL also uses LC and has just about as many. One thing I do is that I capture every recipe from the recipe section of the forum and I capture many of the recipes that show up in the forum but never make it to the recipe section. I'll gladly provide those recipes in LC format (or MC if any of you use that) to anyone who wants it.

    Living Cookbook also has some other features that makes it rather nice. It has a Internet section where you can save your favorite web sites. I try to save all the BGE related sites there. In addition it does a good job of putting out recipes to a WORD format so you can publish. I purchased 3 different recipe software products and download trail versions of 3 others. I then tried entering 10 recipes into each. From that I settled on LivingCookbook. I'll be glad to sell you my copies of the other stuff if anyone wants them.

    If those of you who use MacGourmet can tell me what interface format you can use, I'll see if I can put them out into that format.

    For those of you who may speak technese, LC uses an XML format and you can reverse engineer the schema and create your own database if you're so inclined. I see no reason to as LC is reasonably priced and performs well.
  • Angela
    Angela Posts: 543
    really? I never have problems syncing my desktop mac gourmet program with my iphone and ipad. I have over 300 recipes on there plus notes and I'm always updating because I'm regularly adding more.
    Egging on two larges + 36" Blackstone griddle
  • Angela
    Angela Posts: 543
    10k wow

    I prefer to keep recipes I actually cook on my personal cookbook. I don't even want to think about finding what I want amongst 10k
    Egging on two larges + 36" Blackstone griddle
  • Angela wrote:
    really? I never have problems syncing my desktop mac gourmet program with my iphone and ipad. I have over 300 recipes on there plus notes and I'm always updating because I'm regularly adding more.


    Ya it is vary strange. I have a MacBook and it is a wireless network, the App can't find the Macbook?? The good news it works every hundred or so times!! :blink:

    T/C
    Jay
    I'm ashamed of what I did for a Klondike Bar.
  • Angela
    Angela Posts: 543
    You've probably already tried all these but I'll mention them just in case.

    The desktop version of macgourmet must be open to sync

    Both devices have to be on the same network ( you need to turn on wifi on iphone, you can't sync over the 3g cellular network)

    On the iphone, go to settings, macgourmet and make sure that under data transfer the *sync using files* is turned off

    Make sure both the iphone app and the desktop versions are up to date.

    Other than that, sounds like a network problem I hope you get it figured out. In the meantime I guess you can use the data file transfer, but don't ask me how I never use it LOL.
    Egging on two larges + 36" Blackstone griddle
  • chocdoc
    chocdoc Posts: 461
    I think it was thinking it should sync with 3G that fooled me initially - once I realized I had to go to wifi I had no problem.
  • thechief96
    thechief96 Posts: 1,908
    I would be interested it that. :)
    Dave San Jose, CA The Duke of Loney
  • Egg Juju
    Egg Juju Posts: 658
    Google Docs... easy to organize and share. I have a template and put all my notes in it. Grab a copy anywhere with an internet connection.
    Large and Small BGE * www.quelfood.com
  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
    It catches up with you. I have been using Living Cookbook since Nov '04 and currently have over 14000 recipes. BGE Forum archives since 2000, as Wiseone said try to capture any and all that are not redundant. How many ways can you spatchcock a chicken? My personal BGE cook number over 100, they creep up on you. Happy to help if interested.
  • TomM24
    TomM24 Posts: 1,366
    I use Macgourmet as well and couldn't get it to sync with my iTouch. Tonight I unplugged my wireless printer and it found my Mac right away and syncs fine. Now with the printer plugged in again it still finds the Mac.

    I like Macgourmet very easy recipe importing and clipping
  • I agree on Living Cookbook being a great product. I finally retired my 10 year old Mastercook 6 this year. I tested every program that I could find that had a trial version. LC came out ahead in the features department. It imported my old Mastercook 6 recipes with no problems. I've only got 500 of my own recipes, but I find it meets my needs.
  • I did not read all of the many replies but I start by creating a folder categorization scheme:

    \Food\Recipes to try\Desserts...
    \Food\Recipes tried\Meat\Beef\Roast...

    I then use by word processor to write up/comment on the recipe.

    If the recipe is under the \Recipes to try category, it can either be in Word format or a scanned in .PDF format.

    Works great for me, YMMV

    Spacey