Family cookbook

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I have a collection of recipes that I prepare frequently, but I am considering making a family cookbook. I started thinking about it because my kids got their school schedules for the upcoming year and it hit me hard that my oldest is going to be turning 18 in a year and a half, he only has 2 more years of high school. Not sure yet whether he will move out right away (he has some special needs), but I thought it might be nice to gift him a cookbook full of recipes for preparing his favorite meals.

Has anyone done this?

I'm curious...what did you/would you put in your family cookbook?

 

[low-key]

I my oldest is going to be turning 18 in a year and a half,

slow down, in Ohio we call that 16

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

slow down, in Ohio we call that 16

Okay, so he's 16. That means I only have 1 1/2 more years that I can legally ground him and say things like, "I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it" when I'm mad at him! The clock is ticking, I'm just trying to impart some wisdom on the poor kid

 

[low-key]

Okay, so he's 16. That means I only have 1 1/2 more years that I can legally ground him and say things like, "I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it" when I'm mad at him! The clock is ticking, I'm just trying to impart some wisdom on the poor kid

Kids hate wisdom

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I guess I was thinking about it because I made his favorite meal tonight and it's one that I don't have a recipe for. He was asking questions about how to make it, how much of this and that, and I was giving him non-specific answers which is annoying for someone with Asperger's. I swear, I wasn't trying to annoy him! So I wrote down the recipe after dinner and then I started thinking about a cookbook for him.

 

[low-key]

on a serious note, you sound like a great mom

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have a collection of recipes that I prepare frequently, but I am considering making a family cookbook. I started thinking about it because my kids got their school schedules for the upcoming year and it hit me hard that my oldest is going to be turning 18 in a year and a half, he only has 2 more years of high school. Not sure yet whether he will move out right away (he has some special needs), but I thought it might be nice to gift him a cookbook full of recipes for preparing his favorite meals.

Has anyone done this?

I'm curious...what did you/would you put in your family cookbook?

My mother made such a cookbook for all us kids a long time ago (probably 30 years or more). Put in it all the recipes from family, as well as any adaptations of recipes she'd made through the years that were served at home when we were growing up.

It's got everything from how to make a fruit salad, to preparing a turkey (with stuffing). Desserts, veggie dishes, snacks. Also has a section on general cooking information (measurement exchanges, cooking terms, etc)

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

My mother made such a cookbook for all us kids a long time ago (probably 30 years or more). Put in it all the recipes from family, as well as any adaptations of recipes she'd made through the years that were served at home when we were growing up.

It's got everything from how to make a fruit salad, to preparing a turkey (with stuffing). Desserts, veggie dishes, snacks. Also has a section on general cooking information (measurement exchanges, cooking terms, etc)

I love that it had general knowledge kind of stuff too. I think I want to do that. My son had to ask me today how to prepare mushrooms and a bell pepper, he had no idea how to clean them and cut them, I've always done it for him.

 

[barkley]

my ds is on the spectrum as well but thankfully his life skills classes in high school had a good focus on basic cooking, that said-for him i've written the recipes HE likes out but i also try to get him to make them under my supervision b/c if he does something a few times it seems to help with absorbing and applying the written instructions.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I have a friend who did this for her brother when he got married. She made him and his wife a cookbook of as many of his favorite recipes as she could remember. The recipes were Grandma's, Mom's, hers -- all kinds of things. And she left an empty section in the back for his wife so that she could start adding her recipes. But I love that you are showing your son how to do the prep work and cooking. Sometimes having the recipe is no help when you have no idea what to do with it! Maybe you could make some simple how-to videos to go along with the recipes?

 

[QueenIsabella]

I did this a couple years ago, when my oldest was in college. I bought blank cookbooks that I filled in--I got them at Ollie's (closeout/salvage store). I put in recipes for family favorites, adaptions, a couple from my mom and other sources, and added a bunch of "Mom tips", like how to clean the microwave and what cookbooks have good Christmas cookie recipes. I put in a lot of personal stuff, like "Snickerdoodles--Dad's favorite--serves one Dad!" I wrote them out by hand--all four books. I figure, one day I'll be gone, and those books will be priceless.

My oldest has moved out, plus she's a vegetarian, but I still want her to have Mom's roast chicken recipe. You never know, right? For my younger three, who still live here, we continue to add to the books occasionally, as we find good recipes. My kids love to cook with me, so I hope the book and the family recipes will be treasured and passed down.

 

[Frozen Canuck]

I have done this for my oldest two kids who are now off on their own. The first one I made, I used what was called a recipe easel (NOT like a stand for books). It was a little flip style of easel, kind of like what people used to slide photos into, except it was styled for use in a kitchen. (Example of what I am talking about here.) I made a word document and formatted all of the recipes to print to the 4x6-inch size of the openings. The recipe easel came with coordinating recipe cards to use, but I didn't have time to sit and write everything out and I could fit more words on each page if I typed it. I found that I could get most recipes to fit on just one side of a 4x6-inch card unless the recipe was really detailed. That allowed me to insert recipes back to back and get twice the number of recipes in.

This past Christmas, when my daughter was getting ready to move out, I couldn't find another recipe easel that I liked, so I picked up the Mickey Mouse Recipe Organizer Book from Hallmark. (Note: They didn't have it in our local store, I had to order it to the store to get it, but doing so was free for shipping.) The recipe slots were also 4x6-inches, so I was able to use the document that I had prepared for my son a few years previous, as well as customize it for the dishes that my daughter enjoyed. Once again, I didn't bother with the recipe cards at all. I did order the extra pages for my daughter's book, but I didn't come close to filling them, so she will have lots of space to add to it in the future.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I wanted to add--I also have a son on the spectrum. He's not much for cooking alone--I can barely get him to microwave a can of soup! But, he does cook with me sometimes. Also, one of his favorites we call, "Robert's Seasoned Rice". This is literally 11/2 cups rice, 3 cups water, and a packet of onion soup mix. It doesn't get much simpler! But, if I ask him to make it, he pulls out his cookbook and studiously follow the recipe. It's pretty funny, but it makes him happy, and if he gains confidence in the kitchen, it's all good.

 

[SC Minnie]

My SIL put together a cookbook of their mom's recipes and sent to everyone this year. Their mom passed about 10 years ago so the 'kids' and grandchildren have enjoyed making some of her dishes that were thought to be lost.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

Sounds like a great idea! I love cooking and have so many varsities of recipe books over the years. I have never done (or received) a Shutterfly/Snapfish one but I think that would be great! You could take a picture of the meal and include that on the page. You could either type the recipe right into the Shutterfly site. Or if you have it handwritten, take a picture of it.

On another note, sounds silly but you might want to also get them Cooking for Dummies. I bought that book a few years into living on my own. I could cook gourmet foods, but couldn't do basics like mashed potatoes. Even now I still have to look up how to make egg salad as don't know times for eggs or potatoes. That has also of simple tips in it.

 

[barkley]

thought of something else-

if you use a particular brand or type of product in a recipe or a special 'hack' in preparing it make note of it in your recipe book. i remember trying to replicate some of my mom's recipes but a few always didn't quite hit the mark until i realized she had always used specific brands of some products and while it doesn't seem like particular canned tomato products differ greatly from brand to brand the subtle flavor differences in using the same one 'mom' used can make all the difference in the world. this is also particularly important for some folks on the spectrum-with neuro typical dd making something that contains canned green beans any type would do, while ds is accustomed and only comfortable with a particular type/cut, ds also likes the taste of onions but not the consistency so recipes that call for them i either dice them so finely that they dissolve in the cooking process or replace chopped onion w/onion powder so a recipe would have to be tweaked for that hack.

 

[QueenIsabella]

A little OT, but following on to what Barkley said, above--I could never make meatballs like my mom. I asked her why not, and she said, "I don't know--I don't use a recipe." I said, "Neither do I! How come mine don't taste like yours?!?" But it turns out, my el-cheapo mom, who normally used store brand EVERYTHING, swore by Progresso breadcrumbs in her meatballs. Voila--mystery solved!

 

[Floridaman999]

Oh, how I wish my mom would have done this.

Do it. The real thanks will come some day, but I promise you they will be thankful.

 

[PollyannaMom]

What a wonderful idea!!

I love any of the suggested methods, and think your kids will really appreciate it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, so he's 16. That means I only have 1 1/2 more years that I can legally ground him and say things like, "I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it" when I'm mad at him! The clock is ticking, I'm just trying to impart some wisdom on the poor kid

No. You don't understand. You're his mother. You have your entire lifetime to say that!

Seriously, I would have loved if my mother did this. If you have any little stories that go with any of the recipes, include them.