Have you ever thought about what makes a good cook?  Most of us know really good, even great cooks, but what makes them that way?  Aside from the creative aspect, I believe good cooks are natural chemists, able to dream up, combine ingredients, and fulfill their expectations without too much hesitation. 

Sometimes a good cook with an idea for a recipe experiments many times until the recipe becomes what the good cook envisioned. I call this the scientific method of cooking. True cooks never give up when it comes to creating a vision. Read the rest of this entry »

There are few foods in life that are as tasty to me as basic warm refried beans enjoyed with chips and salsa (which I call food of the gods). If you like Mexican food, for example, your favorite American holiday will be arriving soon: Cinco de Mayo.  Well, it’s not exactly an American holiday, but I’m told that Cinco de Mayo is observed more in the states than in Mexico.

I guess that’s because Cinco de Mayo signifies a great excuse to become a “munchero” of Mexican munchies (and perhaps drink too many Margaritas).  For my mini-fiesta on Cinco de Mayo, I will have the following available to munch:

- Refried beans (canned beans are just fine), warmed in the microwave
- Tortilla chips (any favorite brand)
- As Good As It Gets Salsa (see recipe below) Read the rest of this entry »

“You forgot my birthday again,” said Aunt Agathene mercilessly as I hung my head in guilt and shame, a day late for the celebration, as usual.

“I wrote it down, but forgot where I put my note,” I defended. “Next thing I knew, your birthday was here, then gone.”

“Well, if I was as important to you as that new-fangled Jitterbug dance you keep busy with, I guess you would remember your old Auntie.”

At that moment I vowed to keep a list of all the birthdays, anniversaries (and other important dates in our family) all in one place. That was also when I established the groundwork for what would later become the birthday record keeper template, a popular feature of my Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software. Read the rest of this entry »

Most people who have thought about creating a family cookbook have several motives in mind. Below are some of the major reasons to create a family cookbook, preferably with the built-in features of Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software:

1. We have some great cooks in the family with some great family recipes. Read the rest of this entry »

My name is Matilda and I am a habitual list maker.

There, I said it. My family has made fun of me for years for making lists. They say I am too “organized” (however, they use a different hyphenated word that I prefer not to repeat in polite company.)

Anyway, I like to make lists to keep my mind free for more important thoughts. I get things done by making lists. Like grocery shopping.  I used to make a grocery shopping list every time I needed something from the grocery store, but I got tired of writing down the same grocery items (milk, bread, eggs were always at the top).

So I created a grocery shopping list that was versatile enough to use every grocery shopping trip and contained most of my usual items with room to write new ingredients, say, for a family recipe or a new food product I wanted to try. Read the rest of this entry »

Ruth and I sit and chat just about every day. If we do not see one another in person, we have our conversation by telephone. Sometimes our talk is just a few minutes; other times we go on and on. Our conversations help us make sense of the world and its chaos.

Yesterday, while contemplating how many people will meet their April 15 tax filing deadline, our talk during tea turned toward making family cookbooks (as it often does). We discussed why people like to cook and create family cookbooks: Read the rest of this entry »

The last time I went to a wedding, I was amazed at the details put into the beautiful occasion by the bride and her family.  With the average cost of a wedding at approximately $16,000, no wonder many brides-to-be look toward unusual wedding favors to personalize their special day.

One great way to cut costs and still have a wonderful personalized memento for guests and family members is to ask them to contribute recipes to compile in a wedding cookbook. The wedding cookbook can contain photos from the wedding, as well as any messages guests may write (perhaps during the reception) along with their recipe. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the greatest fears of cookbook authors, and one of the easiest fears to overcome, is the fear of not having a perfect family cookbook.

Oh, the pain and embarrassment of having a typographical error smack dab in the middle of the family cookbook! You just cringe at the thought of hearing snide comments from those folks in the family who think there’s a prize for finding fault (but didn’t help when they had the chance).

Here are some ways to boost confidence and help you create a family cookbook to be proud of: Read the rest of this entry »

Okay, there it is. The calendar has told us loud and clear that it is spring. Never mind that some parts of the country are still embedded in snowfall.

Sure as the bunny hops at Easter and the flowers begin to bloom, many of us just itch to remove the year’s accumulated dust from behind books (especially cookbooks), and other nooks and crannies that rarely see the light of day (let alone lamplight). Read the rest of this entry »

With the price of nice greeting cards these days, wouldn’t it be even nicer to spend those same dollars on a more lasting and appreciated Mother’s Day Cookbook ‘Card’ that you can make with cookbook software?  Mother’s Day is just a few weeks away, but you still have time to make a homemade Cookbook Card for Mom.

Because your creative thoughtfulness is really what counts, your homemade Mother’s Day Cookbook Card doesn’t have to be elaborate: Read the rest of this entry »

My friend, Ruth, and I are often invited by friends and neighbors to various social events in our lovely community.  More than likely we bring along a tidbit to share, depending on the occasion. 

During one of our most recent outings, we were delighted to enjoy a fabulously refreshing cake brought by one of the ladies who was visiting from North Carolina.  Both Ruth and I gushed over the cake, and Junie-Belle was glad to share the recipe.

She said this cake was called Pea Pickin’ Cake or Pig Pickin’ Cake back home at potlucks (depending on whether the gathering was for collecting fresh peas from the garden, or an outdoor pork barbecue party where the pig is cooked till it falls off the bone). Read the rest of this entry »