Monday, May 28, 2012

Tightwad (Timesaver) Tip

If you follow my blog then you know that I love to cook.  Finding recipes that intrigue me is one of my hobbies; keeping up with them until I have a chance to try them isn't.  Usually, when I pick up a copy of American's Test Kitchen, Taste of Home or other recipe magazine, I'll read through all the recipes and turn a corner down on the page if they seem like something Fred and I would enjoy.

But, when it comes time to try out the recipe, it takes me too long to find it in a stack of magazines, all of which have corners turned under!  So, I, who swears that she does NOT do scrapbooks, decided to make a recipe Smash Book. 

A .79 composition book is what I used.  I chose some food themed papers, cut out some relevant words and used my Expression to cut the letters for "Try This". 













I used the From My Kitchen cartridge to cut some index tabs to divide the book into sections.











 Last night while watching TV I picked up the stack of magazines and began clipping out the recipes I wanted to try.
I like having the photos to go with the recipes.  I also think it makes it easier to find in my recipe smash book.

Notice that these recipes sort of look as if they've just been thrown onto the page.  The whole idea of a smash book is to do it in a fun way.

As I try the recipes, I'll write across them if we don't like them.  If they're a keeper, then I type it into a Word document and do an 8 1/2' x 11" recipe layout for my recipe binder.

Clipping the recipes out means I can put the stack of magazines into the recycle bin and not have them taking up so much room on the end table in the living room.  Having them in my recipe Smash Book means when I want to try something different I can just flip through it until I get inspired.

You could also use this same idea to make an inexpensive gift for the college student who's moving into their first apartment.  Just include some of your favorite recipes and some handwritten notes to help them with the preparation.  It's also a good way to store craft ideas you've found in magazines or online.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brilliant! - KCM

Heather R... mousemomma said...

Really cute idea! I like it!

Rosie said...

love this idea!!! im been looking for a recipe i had for a week now lol


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