I have been busy today

paghan, Feb 5, 8:25am
I have been making cook books for my boys (16, 13, 12 and 10) and adding all there favourite recipes, so when they get older and have there own familys they can make the things they used to like, I am sure thou that some tastes will change as they age...lol

And I should also thank some of you lovely people for sharing your recipes as they have now become favourites, Fishers meatloaf, capmums caramel mud cake to name a couple.

:)

edited for my shocking spelling ;)
honeybean, Feb 5, 8:41am
what a wonderful idea.I have no children so can not get to do this.
:-(However before I left home I copied all my Mum's and Grandmother's receipes in to a book for myself.( as I had baked for years)This book is now old and tatty and covered in splotches - but it is always the first one I reach for when wanting to bake.
I hope your boys appreciate your gift. :-)
paghan, Feb 5, 8:45am
My Grandma gave me a cookbook 17 years ago and filled it with the "familys" favourites, so I have added some of these and put next to the recipe where it came from etc, I am quite excitied, but I think I will wait until they have there own familys before I pass them on.
juliewn, Feb 5, 8:48am
They'll love their books Paghan.. you're passing on Family history with your recipes.. very precious..

Have you thought of making notes with the recipes about when you've first made something, what they said, or something about how the recipe came to be..

I'm doing the same for my now-grown kids.. and am including notes beside the recipes... my Son was home a few months ago, and had a look at what I've done so far.. and when he saw the notes about the recipes, etc.. that I've included under the recipe titles, he went quiet as he looked through his book.. then looked up with tears in his eyes, held the book up in his hand and said 'there isn't a better present you could give me Mum'.. awww..
juliewn, Feb 5, 8:49am
Just saw you're including notes.. very special.. continuing your family heritage..
robyn35, Feb 5, 9:00am
what a neat idea, I often see pretty books and baking stuff etc and I wish I had a daughter but I have never even thought of doing a recipe book for my boys but thanks to your idea I am going to start a book for each of them, might even do some journalling about what foods they used to love, strange foods they liked etc.thanks for the great idea, cant wait to get started
lx4000, Feb 5, 9:08am
what a great idea!!

My son came home and wanted me to cook 1 of his fav meals, spag bol as he couldn't get it to taste as I do. The secret thing was grated carrots!! hahahaha he hates cooked carrot in any shape or form! or so he thought! hehehehe

Might start this on a puter file for them:)
juliewn, Feb 5, 9:42am
ps.. I've included some of the special recipes my Son loves, in my Daughter's book, and vice versa..

Ie.. when he was about 9, I asked my Son what his most favourite baking would be - 'Those slices that are kinda like Anzac biscuits with chocolate icing and coconut on top.'

Which became: the Anzac biscuit recipe pressed into a slice tin, baked, then when just out of the oven, chocolate chips spread over the top. As the heat melts the chocolate, I spread it over the base.. then sprinkle coconut over the chocolate.. the result.. 'Christopher Square'.. :-)

This recipe was the first I've written in his book - the first page.. and I've included the recipe on the second page in Jenni's book too..

And for Jenni, there's 'Jennifer Square' - a slice recipe that has a similar base to a marshmallow shortcake, with coconut added.. as the slice comes from the oven, raspberry jam is carefully spread over the top.. it sort-of dries as the base cools. Pink icing on top with coconut sprinkled over.. and it's delicious too.. This recipe is the first in Jenni's book, and the second in Chris' book...
ry5, Feb 5, 11:50pm
I love this!I almost welled up myself while reading your posts juliewn, what a beautiful idea.My son is only 11 atm, but I think it might be the perfect time to make a start on his book.I remember giving my youngest brother an Edmonds cookbook when he first went flatting, but this is so much more personal.
juliewn, Feb 7, 4:21pm
Hi Ry.. he'll love your book.. and yes, the perfect time.. :-)

Tears in my eyes here.. I'm now going to finish the books so I can give them to my Kids on the day of Jenni's 21st Birthday party in April.. I've just found out tonight that Chris is coming home from Brisbane for a few days for her party - she is going to be one delighted little sister! And a very special time to give them their books.. I have a lot of writing to do!
kiwipossum, Feb 7, 11:09pm
well you guys have just inspired me!! im going to have to start books for my 4 kids now! ive just started teaching my oldest how to bake, shes 11 and can now make a carrot cake solo! very proud!!
juliewn, Feb 8, 6:47am
Wow.. she's very clever Kiwi.. good for you for teaching her, she'll treasure her skills in times to come.. and maybe the carrot cake makes a great first recipe to include in her book..

My Miss almost 21 has just moved into a new bed-sit flat in Hamilton, and has her own first kitchen there.. as she cooked dinner one night last week for us, she turned and said 'Mum, I'm so glad you taught me how to cook, it means I can see an ingredient and know of several things I can do with it - it makes it much easier.' Awww..

I decided to write the recipes in no particular order in the books, so the recipe books are like a hand-written book that tried and tested recipes are just written from the beginning to the end, as the recipes are added..

I'm also going to type a list of all the recipes once they're done, then use the Word programme in my computer to put them all in alphabetical order.

I've left several pages at the ends of the books, to then write the index in alphabetical order, so a recipe can be found easily.

I'm also going to get out my acrylic paints, maybe my oils too, and paint small pictures relevant to some of the recipes throughout the book, so spaces have little paintings in them. I'll draw some too... all adding up to be something that's a family history of recipes, plus reminders of times the recipes have been used..
greerg, Feb 8, 7:34am
That's such a lovely idea Juliewn.My recipes are all on the computer and the kids do have collections of them but I know that is so impersonal.I still have my mother's and grandmother's recipes books written from when they were young and they're so much nicer.I do have boxes of Christmas decorations that they've each chosen at the rate of one a year since they were tiny which are a family history of changing tastes.
juliewn, Feb 10, 12:19pm
Hi Greer.. so lovely to have your Mum's and Grandmother's books.. and to be able to pass them on to your Kid's.. isn't it lovely to be able to pass on special recipes and memories to them..

The decorations sound great.. and I'd guess will be much treasured.. wish I'd thought of doing that over the years..

I always enjoy your posts here in 'Recipes'.. thanks for sharing your knowledge and recipes.. :-)
korbo, Feb 10, 7:29pm
spent my day yesterday going from book shop to bookshop looking for a recipe book, that you could add pages etc, didnt find anything i really liked.then this morning found one on trade me, in my own back door.
hope it is what i wanted. looks ok.
havent decided whether to type or hand write the recipes. it is going to be sad that my one i have had before i got married, is now so tatty and some pages cant read....
juliewn, Apr 9, 4:50pm
Hi Marilyn.. how are you? Hope all is well for you there..