Organizing Recipes Clipped from Magazines

What to do with all of those great recipes you've collected from magazines? It's difficult to actually use them when they're accumulating in piles or in files. The solution? Create a Recipe Binder! It's simple and fast. You'll need a 3-ring binder, sheet protectors, and file tabs (I recommend Durable Filing Tabs by Post-it). Create categories customized to suit your needs and use a label maker or black pen to make labels. (Sample Categories: Appetizers, Main Entrees, Sides, and Desserts or Beef, Chicken, Salmon, Shrimp, Rice, Pasta, Salads, and Soups). It's helpful to have a section for "Notes", too. Slip each recipe into a sheet protector and place in the appropriate binder category.

When cooking, take the recipe out of the sheet protector and tape to a cupboard door near your food prep area for quick viewing. Return the recipe to the binder when finished. This works great for recipes printed off of the Internet, too. Have new recipes you'd like to try, but haven't gotten around to it yet? Store them in the binder's inside front pocket until you're ready to use them. If they're a big hit... add them to the binder. Happy Cooking!