Ramblings about a Cookbook

Back in the day, I used to feel bad for whoever my future husband would be because I didn't think I could cook what-so-ever. I would bake a cake from a box and end up with a cake that would have bits and pieces of cooked egg whites through out it. I would wonder, "How could I have messed that up?"

In college we would have Sunday dinners with all the roomies. We each would take a turn making that Sunday dinner. I would stress out each time it was my turn and asked for help from my mom over the phone and some roomies. Slowly, I became more comfortable in the kitchen and would enjoy making something for everyone to enjoy.

I kept getting recipes from one of my roommates that had this really cute Walker Family Cookbook. Her family combined a bunch of family recipes and printed off an actual book for everyone in the family. I loved it and used it so much that she gave me my own copy! This is when I decided I was going to go through the entire cookbook and try to make everything in it. I thought it would be a way for me to learn how to cook a wide variety of things. I have also learned that there are more foods out there that I like that I never knew about, like artichoke!

I hate it when I don't finish something that I've set out to do... I still haven't finished that cookbook (I did get more than halfway through it though and we still have favorites that we refer back to, like the crab cakes that my husband loves!)

I have started in America's Best Church Supper Recipes and have made the goal to get through the entire cookbook (Kind of sounds like the movie Ju

lie and Julia, but I just want to say that I made this

goal way before I ever saw the movie!) I am about halfway through it now. My husband sometimes gets sad because if I make something that he really likes, he knows that it will be a while till he gets it again because I'm so determined to finish the cookbook and don't want to waste time making the same dishes I have already made (with a few exceptions for special occasions, like birthdays).

I've learned a lot (mostly through trial and error). Once I've made something, I write some notes in the margin next to it. I rate it usually with a "I cold eat it for days!!!", a "Yum Yum Yum!", a "Yummy!", a "Very Yummy!", a "Eh", a "Fine", or even a "Do not Try to Attempt Ever Again!" It varies and could not really be compared to a 1-10 scale of least to favorite. I make notes of things I leave out (nuts, onions...) or things I substituted for (usually turkey for ham), or wether I decided to serve it warm instead of cold... things like that.

I wanted to get a bit more organized and added tabs to each section in the cookbook, so I could flip through it easier. There is a picture above to show the tabs (not necessary...I know). I do love this cookbook and highly recommend it. It's full of pictures, which I love, and the last section has recipes for large gatherings, which is nice for...large gatherings!

Once I am done with it, I want to collect my favorites from it, along with my notes. Then I'll make up my

own book of favorite recipes and hope to turn them into family staples. That is my goal for now at least.

Here is my little shout out to Post-It ! These are the tabs I used and I fell in love with them! And there is a visual to go along with it (again...not necessary).