Friday, November 21, 2008

Friday Finds #8: Cooking Delights

Good morning! Today I have a fun idea for Christmas gift giving ... affordable, practical, original---ish.

Giving cookbooks as Christmas gifts isn't necessarily an original thought. But... You know how you sometimes get a beautiful cookbook for a gift, open it up, and only find one or three recipes that you actually care for? What a waste of a gift... and how disappointing if you're the one that GAVE that gift to someone. Well. This year, try putting together your own cookbook for a Christmas gift!? A book with a collection of your own favorite recipes and tried-and-true recipes from other sources.

There are many sites that can make this dream ... the one of actually seeing your name in a book that you created ... next to a recipe you love ... a reality. They all offer pretty much the same thing, just different sizes and prices: you can use your own customizable recipes, or selected recipes from their site or others; standard, easy page layouts; standard covers to choose from; most places let you choose from hardback cover or softback cover (a more economical choice, which allows you to get duplicates, if you're planning on mass producing these as gifts).

Drawbacks: You will probably have to create an account or become a member (free) which means that unless you're already a member, you'll begin getting emails from them (which you can opt out of, too).

My favorite place is Tastebook. You can grab recipes from tons of different places with a click of your mouse... Cooking Light, Food and Wine, My Recipes, Food Network, Recipe Zaar, All Recipes, Better Homes and Gardens, Better Recipes, Southern Living, Simply Recipes, Epicurious, Bon Apetit Recipes, and more. Also, they print the books with a spine that allows you to add pages even after your book has been printed (very clever)! They print them beautifully and mail them to you and you just add it to your book.

Other places you can visit to decide which one will work out best for you are:

allrecipes
Kraft Foods (very, VERY easy to use)
Create My Cookbook

It's a good find for a Friday! You can spend the weekend playing, and create a Christmas gift all at the same time! Yay!

Have an awesome and warm weekend... and ... 4 more Fridays until Christmas Week!!!

5 comments:

Donnetta said...

What a fantastic idea!!

Only 4 more Friday's until Christmas???!!!!

Susanne said...

I love this! I've been wanting to put together a cookbook for each of my kids of things I cook for them at home. I had bought the cookbooks but I've got to tell you handprinting all those recipes was beating me down. I am so checking into this.

Sandy said...

Hey, great tip GiBee! Miss ya, girl ♥

Beth/Mom2TwoVikings said...

Hey, stranger - hope this finds you fine. Just wanted you to know I mentioned ya in a post...down at the end! *wink* Didn't want you to find out from somewhere else! I talked about my revelations about that issue we talked about before via email a while back. Have a blessed day of worship tomorrow!

Heather Smith said...

Good tip! I may have to keep this one in mind and get my grandma to put some of her recipes in a book!