Now that you've got meal planning down, the only hard part (besides doing the actual cooking) is deciding what to have for dinner. This is where the DIY Cookbook comes in. Personally, I have too few brain cells left after those sleepless newborn nights to actually think of something delicious and nutritious to serve for dinner, and I end up going back to the same standards week after week - spaghetti, hamburgers, and grilled chicken breasts. This is when I created the DIY Cookbook.
Now don't get worried, this is not a craft project. I am the least crafty person out there, so if I can do this you can too. Just trot on down to your local office supply store/Target/Hell-mart and pick up a few supplies and 5 minutes later you're done. You will need:
Step 1: Put the sheet protectors in the 3-ring binder. This will make it easier to put recipes in your cookbook and protect the pages from splatters and spills (or am I the only messy cook?).
Step 2: Label the index tabs and stick them on the sheet protectors. This is the only step that requires thought - you need to stop and think about how you plan meals. I don't like the way most cookbooks divide main-dish recipes. In my cookbook, I have divided the main-dish recipes according to the primary ingredient - chicken, beef, pork, seafood, and pasta. That's just how I cook. For instance, if I look in the freezer and see chicken breasts, then I can just flip to the chicken section and see what I can make with chicken breasts. Other categories that I have are:
- Breakfast
- Breads
- Crock-pot
- Soup
- Salads
- Cold sides
- Hot sides
- Cookies
- Cakes
- Pies
- Puddings, etc
- Drinks & dips
Step 3: Put recipes in the sheet protectors in the appropriate category. I get most of my recipes from magazines, so it's really easy to tear the page out and stick it inside the sheet protector. Food network is also an excellent resource for recipes and has an awesome search feature. I even went so far as to copy my favorite recipes out of other cookbooks and put them in this book so I only ever have to look in one place. And if I try a recipe that our family doesn't like, I just pull it out and throw it away.
I promise that the few simple steps required to create the DIY Cookbook will pay off substantial benefits the next time you are racking your brain trying to think of something to fix for dinner. Because really, our brains are over-taxed enough already.
DIY Cookbook Commentary
