BS: Recipe Management Program

Subject: RE: BS: Recipe Management Program
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 02:24 PM

Mom also had one, where it also kept track of who got invited with whom and what was served when. Very useful if you entertain. If you're interested I'll ask her about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipe Management Program
From: jeffp
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 01:35 PM

I came across a free recipe manager called Cooking Aficionado. You have to type in the information, but you may supply up to 4 tags for retrieving (meat, entree, dessert, whatever--you make up the categories). It allows you to click a button and it will copy the whole recipe to the clipboard or output it as text. It probably does other things, but I haven't used it enough to really check out all the possibilities.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipe Management Program
From: GUEST,maire-aine
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 01:27 PM

I've got a big accordian file full of clippings, so I understand trying to organize them. I've been copying my favorites in word documents, but I always wait until after I've made the dish myself. That way I can make notes about what works and what I'd do differently. It makes for slow going, but keeps me from saving a lot of stuff that I don't like. Good luck on your project.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Recipe Management Program
From: bobad
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 01:17 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Recipe Management Program
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 04:04 PM

bobad -

Having started, some time ago, an attempt to scan a whole bunch of records to convert them to digital and get rid of some of the paper, I would suggest that it takes a whole lot of scanning to produce enough "keepable" stuff to justify a very sophisticated special purpose program.

A method I've used with some success for appropriate stuff is just to set up a document template in Word with a 5" x 8" (landscape) page. I can then print any single page on a large index card when needed. (If you intend to include pictures, the more common 3x5 index cards are much too small to be useful.) For one set, the template has the card as two columns so I can put text info in one column with pictures on the other.

Special purpose "collection" programs are fine, if they do what you want, but they often end up forcing you into doing what "someone" thought you should do. The programs you already have may do just as good a job, if you spend a little time deciding which one works best and learn to use it.

If you proceed with scanning, be sure to save the scans at a "printable" resolution of 150 or 200 dpi, at a size you expect to be useful for printing. Somewhat higher scan resolutions may be needed for something you may want to enlarge. With most scanners you can use "presets" to get different resolutions and compression based on whether you intend it for printing or for the web. Saved as "for print," 150 or 200 dpi .jpg files are generally okay and should allow some enlargement if you need it later; but if you save "for web" the high compression and lower scan resolution you'll get may give you problems.

Be sure that you give the scans appropriate and descriptive names when you make them, so you'll be able to find what you want later. No search engine I know of can find "Aunt Sadie's Lasagna" if it's just part of a picture in a graphic file, so put it in the filename when you make the scan.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Recipe Management Program
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 02:06 PM

Might take a look at this free, open-source program.

Subject: RE: BS: Recipe Management Program
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 12:00 PM

My mother had a program she liked, but I don't know if it has been updated over the years (she was using it in the mid-90s). I'll look around and see if I can find her files. She said it was great because it also had a feature for figuring calories per portion, etc.

SRS

Subject: BS: Recipe Management Program
From: bobad
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 11:46 AM

After many years of coping with my disorganized recipe filing system, "system" being a misnomer, consisting of cut-outs, slips of paper, torn out newspaper articles etc., I'm planning to get my recipe collection into my computer. To accomplish this I imagine I will need some sort of recipe management program and was wondering if anyone has experience, information, recommendations etc. in this regard.

I'd like to be able to scan the recipes and include pictures with them, if possible.

I'd appreciate any info anyone would care to share.