Squee - A New Project For Me!!

[Deleted User]

I was over at my grandma's house the other day getting some recipes from her for Thanksgiving. She has some special "bird" rolls that she makes (great-grandma's recipe apparently) and an amazing cranberry-marshmallow salad thing. I had so much fun going through her recipes with her and learning what it meant to "scald" milk and what a "scant" cup of flour was.

So, it dawned on me today that I want to make a Family Recipe Book. I'm planning to ask all the family to list the foods they have the strongest memories of so I don't miss anything. I'll spend some of my Fridays going through recipes with my grandma, learning the older terminology and writing down the history and family stories that go along with each recipe.

Then, I'd like to make bound books for everyone! These recipes are the foods we've had at every major holiday and family event for generations, and I think it would be so special to pass them along. I'm the eldest of their 14 grandkids, so I think it would be a pretty meaningful gift...but it would also be amazing for me to spend the time making it with my grandma.

Any thoughts? Suggestions? Know where I could get something like this printed up when I get to that point? With family pictures in it? I'm in the "dreaming" stage right now, so ideas would be just lovely!

(I know someone on this board is doing something similar - I think? If so, let me know who you are! I may have some questions for you!!)

[Deleted User]

wow - that is much longer than I thought! Sorry for my rambling, I guess I'm just really excited about this!!!

Ollie08

That sounds awesome allusive! I really love the idea. I wish my family had more cooks, I would love to do something like that. :-)

[Deleted User]

I'm so glad you ladies think this is a good idea!

Liv, we do have Staples here. I'll make a note that they do printing & binding for things like this! I love the idea of a glossary...and posting pics & stories on the opposite page. I'm not sure I'll have the energy to make and photograph ALL of the recipes, but maybe i'll do that with some of the more complicated ones. It really would be a nice touch!

I think this is going to take much longer to prepare than I'd like - but I want to do it right, you know? Maybe instead of a Christmas gift, i'll use it for something else...or for Christmas next year.

elannis

That is such a neat idea! I wish we had better food traditions in our family too, lol. But I'll take Liv's advice and start making our own!

It does sound like a big project, but a great way to spend time with your grandma! : )

becunning2

I definitely love the idea. I want to start gathering my favorite recipes so I don't have to go hunting everywhere to find them or running back and forth to my computer from the kitchen.

What kind of binding do you want?  Are you looking for spiral binding? (In which case, most office stores would do that) or are you looking for more of a book format?  If you want a book, a lot of the places do some adorable memory books, which would fit well with your pictures/stories/recipes. They look really good too and make great gifts.

Hazel_B

An absolutely amazing idea Allusive!

I'd recommend trying to get some of the recipes in people's handwriting, ie. your grandmother, great grandmother, etc

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_squee-new-project?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:a25d929a-ca80-42c8-9279-6618aa59338dPost:0ce81bee-f981-4ff0-b7c1-4058441e5812">Re: Squee - A New Project For Me!!</a>:
[QUOTE]An absolutely amazing idea Allusive! I'd recommend trying to get some of the recipes in people's handwriting, ie. your grandmother, great grandmother, etc
Posted by Hazel_B[/QUOTE]

I always have trouble reading handwritten recipes. Maybe I could get some of the family stories in the person's handwriting?

lunarsongbird

I think it would be nice if it included family pictures- especially of those who contributed the recipies.

bsidebella

I believe it's Irish who's doing this, but it's also full of "collected" and "found" recipes as well as family recipes.

lunarsongbird

[Deleted User]

I love the pictures Lunar! Very inspiring. I love the layout in the first pic and the scrapbooking look of the 3rd one.

Hazel_B

Maybe not the full recipe in handwriting but like the title pages to different sections or something?

Peaseblossom55

That sounds like a great idea.  There never have really been many famil handed down recipes, if there were I would defintely do this.

jorja86

That's such an awesome idea, and it's going to be a great gift for your family members. I like the idea of including some pictures, both of the people the recipes came from, as well as the recipes being prepared.