Creating a Family Cookbook Project

Wow! Cookbook contributors in the FamilyCookbookProject.com have have now added over 100,000 recipes into family and fundraising cookbooks! That is just incredible. Actually, there are over 150,000 recipes in the system, but many folks choose to mark their recipes Private. But now, the internet has one of the highest numbers of recipes in any database available for searches on our recipe search page.

Want something fun for dinner? For a holiday? For a family reunion? Find something fun today!

Don't forget, you too can create your own family cookbook, bridal shower cookbook, wedding cookbook or family reunion cookbook - quickly and easily. Start right now and have yours ready in time for your family get together this summer.

Posted by Chip Lowell at 02:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Hartford Courant newspaper ran a very interesting article on January 17, 2008 by MELISSA A. TRAINER.

The article was very interesting and I thought I would offer the opening here, but you should read the entire article at the Courant website.

Here it is:

MyRecipes.Com:
There Are Pitfalls To Sharing Aunt Betty's Secret Spaghetti Sauce With The Digital World

A recipe box jammed with handwritten treasures is about as quaint in this digital age as a pen-and-paper diary kept under lock and key.

Still, grandma's recipe box never had a server problem. And she certainly didn't risk having her favorite cookie recipe end up in someone else's cookbook.

As food websites grow in popularity and sophistication, more home cooks are taking advantage of online features that allow them to create and share digital recipe boxes. Users and administrators of these sites — among the best known are Allrecipes.com, Epicurious.com and Recipezaar.com — say they offer easy, secure, space-saving ways to store family recipes.

Online Recipes Gather Compliments

But what happens when the site's server crashes? What happens when you die and take your password with you? And what rights do you give up when you upload your family's favorite recipes?

Here's what you should know before you upload that recipe:

Click here to see the entire article.

I though this was very interesting because the Family Cookbook Project also allows contributors to mark a recipe private or public. The best think about Family Cookbook Project is that at the end of the project there is a printed and bound cookbook to use when you don't want to go online.

Posted by Bill at 05:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I came across this website from Carrie J. Gamble called Grandmother's Cookbook which I think does a wonderful job of explaining why creating a family cookbook can be a wonderful, enriching experience.

Carrie explains:

For years I have wanted to launch this website for our cookbook, Grandmother's Cookbook. There had always been one thing or another to delay its creation. Recently in an unexpected turn of events I have been given a new determination to re-introduce Grandmother's Cookbook to the world. I am inspired once again to honor my grandmother and our family for its rich and interesting history.

At the age of 96 Elizabeth Rose von Hohen started a "new beginning." In September 2005 she moved into a nursing facility. In the process of helping her move, I have rediscovered our history. Vintage family photos, love letters sent from her husband, Erwin, in the early years of their marriage, letters from brothers written far from home as they served our country in World War II . . . these are just a few things that reminded me of things we should never forget. As I helped my grandmother go through her desk, we found remnates of the past in every drawer. Most everything in her desk had a "meaning" or sentimental attachment.

One particularly poignant find was a beautful postcard. The "Happy Easter" postcard of an angel holding pussy willows actually was used as a birth announcement of sorts. It was sent by Anna and Nicholas Griffaton to Anna's family back in Germany to announce the birth of their first child, Elizabeth Rosalia Griffaton, on April 1,1909. In German Anna writes, "we have a small angel like is on this card." This loving note was written by a daughter who missed her family dearly and was never to see them again.

In the moving process I was presented with another inspiration. I found a large box of letters which we received after Country Home magazine published a feature article about our book in their February 1994 issue. Of the thousands of letters my grandmother and I have received over the years, some got very personal. This box contained 50 such letters. I sat down and re-read each and every one of them. These letters amaze me! Some told of their similar family life growing up on a farm. Others said the article brought a tear to their eyes as it reminded them of their own treasured memories. Some told the story of how they met their husbands and described their own family traditions. The Country cooking style of comfort food recipes are a staple in many American homes that families just love. What made us feel so good was that every one said after reading the article they just knew they had to have a copy of Grandmother's Cookbook!

I think Carrie's Grandmother's Cookbook reminds us that a cookbook is more that just recipes. It tells the story of a family over time and helps future generations better appreciate those who have come before them. That is why the Family Cookbook Project works so hard to help families simplify the process of creating a family cookbook to preserve such memories.

Posted by Bill at 07:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Parade Magazine has a great article in today's issue (December 9, 2007) on family cookbooks. Great tips! See your Sunday paper or read the article at Parade.com

Don't forget when you get the family together this holiday season - talk to everyone about starting a family cookbook! Family Cookbook Project has a reminder tool that can help keeping everyone in touch through out the year.

Posted by Chip Lowell at 02:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Matilda’s Cookbook Kitchen writes about the three family cookbook mistakes to avoid.

Mistake #1. Making the One Final Perfect Family Cookbook.

Mistake #2. Making the Family Recipe Book About Recipes

Mistake #3. Bad Proof Reading.

We would add a fourth mistake - not using Family Cookbook Project to organize and print your family cookbook!

Posted by Bill at 08:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(NewsUSA) - Nearly 70 million turkeys are consumed throughout the country during the winter holiday season, estimates the National Turkey Federation. Given the leading role that turkey plays in holiday meals each year, home cooks are always looking for new ways to spice up their turkey preparation to impress their holiday guests, while still having time to enjoy family festivities. Originating in the southern states, but quickly spreading across the country, is the trend toward making quick and tasty holiday meals by deep-frying holiday birds in peanut oil.

Fried turkey is a Cajun tradition that has increased in popularity because of its rich, juicy flavor. A deep-fried turkey has a golden brown, crispy exterior, while the interior remains juicy and tender. The natural juices are sealed in without leaving a greasy or oily aftertaste. Frying your turkey also takes less time, about an hour, so you'll have more time to spend with your friends and family outside of the kitchen.

"Frying your turkey is a wonderful way to spice up your traditional turkey dinner and create a delicious meal for family and friends without devoting hours to preparation," said John McLemore, president of Masterbuilt and a turkey-frying expert.

His secret is frying with pure peanut oil, which he uses with his favorite recipe and top-quality Masterbuilt Electric Turkey Fryer. Crisco® Pure Peanut Oil contains zero grams of trans fat per serving and is a cholesterol and sodium-free food. In addition to fried turkey, use Crisco Pure Peanut Oil to make great side dishes like French fries, tempura vegetables and even peach pie.

The makers of Crisco Pure Peanut Oil created this Succulent Deep-Fried Turkey recipe for you to try this holiday season.

Succulent Deep-Fried Turkey

1 10-12 pound turkey, completely thawed
3 gallons Crisco® Pure Peanut
Oil for frying

Rub
Crisco® No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Spice Injection Mixture
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Several dashes hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pat turkey dry with paper towels; coat completely with no-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine rub ingredients; rub over turkey.

In a small saucepan, combine spice injection mixture ingredients; cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Let cool to barely warm. With a spice injector, inject the mixture into several spots on both sides of the turkey breast and thighs, making sure not to inject too much into any one spot. Tie the turkey legs together. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Pour peanut oil into deep fryer; heat to 375º F. Fry according to fryer manufacturer's directions. ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company.

For more recipe ideas, visit www.crisco.com

Posted by Bill at 03:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The holidays are almost upon us and we would like to remind all of our Family Cookbook Project editors that if they are planning to give their family cookbook as gifts this year, they need to have their cookbooks finalized and order submitted and paid by Monday, December 3rd.

Posted by Bill at 02:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)