When we began our journey into the world of cookbook-making software, we had some assumptions about what our customers would prefer when it came to the final size of their finished cookbook. Read the rest of this entry »

If you haven’t poked around our website lately, you’ll be amazed at all the great things we offer to increase your enjoyment of Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software.  Bet you didn’t know that we now have beautiful gift bags that make wrapping and presenting your home-made family cookbook as a gift much easier!

We have standard size beautiful gift bags that accommodate our half page recipe binders and recipes boxes quite nicely. And, we also have large size beautiful gift bags that are perfect for the full-size recipe binders, recipe boxes and other items that need a little more room. All the designs are beautifully finished, and some even coordinate well with the existing binder and recipe box patterns that we carry. Read the rest of this entry »

As you probably know by now, our cookbook & recipe software is not like any other cookbook & recipe software. Some cookbook & recipe software is designed specifically for making cookbooks (that’s us!), and some cookbook & recipe software is designed specifically for managing recipes (that’s us, too!).  Our cookbook & recipe software combines the best of both worlds.

Why should you care? With the major gifting holiday season fast approaching, cookbook & recipe software offers a wonderful solution for those who like to give thoughtful gifts. Read the rest of this entry »

Every once in awhile, when I’m down in the dumps, I indulge in a favorite childhood delicacy known as a fried bologna sandwich. My fried bologna sandwich is pretty simple and doesn’t really need a family recipe or a family cookbook to prepare:

Fry a slice of bologna.
Add the fried bologna to a slice of bread.
Fold the bread in half (No mayo, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato required).
Eat the fried bologna sandwich. Read the rest of this entry »

There are many types of cooks. Some cooks are wonderful at creating new and unusual dishes with what’s in the pantry. Other cooks are more dependent upon recipes and products that are on the grocery store shelf. Still other cooks prefer the crafter method of making everything themselves (it definitely is one sure way to know exactly what you’re eating). Read the rest of this entry »

Some people think that creating a family cookbook is worse than going into labor. Can you believe that? They obviously haven’t tried Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software. I made sure that creating a family cookbook was not anything like labor of any sort, but fun and easy.

I can understand how some people might think creating a family cookbook is too complicated or hard. But it doesn’t have to be. With our easy to use software, you don’t have to do any organizing upfront before you start creating your family cookbook. Read the rest of this entry »

Hard to believe that we are nearly into the Labor Day holiday! The calendar pages for 2009 are flipping so fast that it seems like we are all in cartoon. If you plan to have a few friends and family members over for a Labor Day BBQ, why not make it a labor-less Labor Day BBQ?  After years of hosting labor-intensive parties, I got smarter, so here are my 10 tips for a labor-less Labor Day BBQ: Read the rest of this entry »

Have you had your catfish today? Apparently August is National Catfish Month. Didn’t you get the memo?

National Catfish Month seems to be the only “national month” designation for the month of August. (There are rumors that August is National Peach Month, National Watermelon Month, and National Sandwich Month, but I couldn’t confirm them.)

Other months have several “national” titles, such as September being designated National Mushroom Month, National Rice Month, National Biscuit Month, National Chicken Month, AND National Honey Month.

Such national observations are helpful for the particular industry they promote, and some even raise awareness.  However, a true national holiday requires an act of Congress to make it official.  So, if any of these commemorative days and months are actually government-sanctioned, the food industry must have some very busy lobbyists.

Below is a list of just-past “national” days in August.  Most of the days seem to appeal to those with sweet tooths, all except the mustard celebration on August 5.  (Note to President Obama’s critics, Grey Poupon Mustard is made by Kraft Foods , so it is American!).

To be fair, here are the celebration “days” we have already observed for the month of August:

August 1   National Raspberry Cream Pie Day
August 2   National Ice Cream Sandwich Day
August 2   National Ice Cream Soda Day
August 3   National Watermelon Day
August 4   National Chocolate Chip Day
August 5   National Mustard Day
August 6   National Root Beer Float Day
August 7   Raspberries ‘n Cream Day
August 8   National Frozen Custard Day
August 9   National Rice Pudding Day
August 10   National S’mores Day
August 11   National Raspberry Bombe Day
August 14   National Creamsicle Day
August 15   National Lemon Meringue Pie Day
August 17   National Vanilla Custard Day
August 18   National Ice Cream Pie Day
August 19   National Soft Ice Cream Day
August 20   National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day
August 21   National Spumoni Day
August 22   National Pecan Torte Day
August 23   National Spongecake Day
August 24   National Peach Pie Day
August 25   National Banana Split Day
August 26   National Cherry Popsicle Day
August 27   National Pots de Creme Day
August 28   National Cherry Turnovers Day

Just so we don’t lose out on the rest of the celebrations, here are the remaining designated “days” for the month of August:

August 29   More Herbs Less Salt Day
August 30   National Toasted Marshmallow Day
August 31   National Trail Mix Day

So looking forward to National Chocolate Milkshake Day on Saturday, September 12. My dear friend Ruth and I will make it a point to enjoy a favorite indulgence. Now if I can only remember where I put my appointment calendar to jot it down. Perhaps I tucked it in my family cookbook.

Happy cookbooking,

Matilda

Whew! Is it me, or is there a heat wave going around that just won’t quit. Or, do we blame these hot August nights on global warming even though Neil Diamond’s been singing about these hot August nights since the early ‘70s.

Nevertheless, these hot August nights can certainly be trying on nerves. There are several ways to cool down on these hot August nights, and here are some of my favorites, in no particular order: Read the rest of this entry »

Not long ago I spoke with a customer who was adamant about keeping her recipe box intact instead of creating a family cookbook with cookbook software. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

“I have two recipe boxes, actually,” she said “Both contain recipes I never touch, but I know where they are when I want them.”

I asked if she would consider converting the contents of her recipe box into a cookbook containing the same recipes and that she could keep handy on the kitchen counter.

“No, my recipe box has recipes that I’ve gotten from friends and acquaintances over the years. We used to have potlucks, and everyone would bring the recipe for the dish they brought.”

But wouldn’t it be easier to find the recipes you like if they were neatly categorized in a tabletop cookbook instead of in a recipe box? Read the rest of this entry »

One of the best things about technology is being able to duplicate work without actually doing it twice. In the case of creating a family recipe cookbook, technology lets you input recipes once, manipulate them, and then make more than one copy, all within minutes.

You couldn’t do that with a typewriter. Even the magical old IBM Selectric typewriter couldn’t keep up with even the most primitive word processor that technology has brought to us. You really couldn’t be as up close and personal as we are today with a technology-created family recipe cookbook. Read the rest of this entry »

While traveling I often try to stay at local bed N breakfasts because I generally have a nice time visiting with like-minded travelers, the accommodations are usually very homey, and the food is most likely top-notch.

Last time I visited a bed N breakfast, I asked for a copy of a recipe for a particularly delicious morning pastry. The hostess obliged by hand-copying the recipe for me on a sheet of bed N breakfast stationery. Read the rest of this entry »

I was in the mood for vegetarian one day last week, so I peeked into the fridge and found a big bag of fresh spinach. Then I checked my canned goods pantry and found a big can of garbanzo beans in the back. (Probably intended to make hummus with them, but, well, that never happened.)

So, on to the fresh spinach and garbanzos dish I was about to create. What would make that taste good, I thought. How about adding some garlic, onion and tomatoes for some extra flavor, and a little lemon juice for sparkle? This spinach and garbanzos dish was beginning to remind me of some Mediterranean-style foods I’ve enjoyed. Read the rest of this entry »

Can you imagine getting reacquainted with people you once played with side-by-side in the school yard, or worked with on projects at former employers?

With the popularity of Facebook and other social networking sites coming into the homes of everyday mainstream Americans, it stands to reason that social networking reunions with former classmates and workmates may suddenly become as popular as family reunions. Read the rest of this entry »

We are all guilty at one time or another of being impatient. Of not wanting to wait. Of being in such a hurry that our attention span quickly dissolves and our brain moves on to other, more important, things.

Like creating a list of the top 10 things I hate to wait for.

I admit that I was late to an appointment last week, and I was very put out about it because my lateness was entirely out of my personal control (which undoubtedly is the most frustrating of all feelings when you are already impatient).  My good sense prevailed, however, when I gave myself a choice: throttle the busybody who was chatting loudly with the only clerk helping an interminable line of customers, or simply think about something else. Read the rest of this entry »

Grandma’s magic kitchen had the power to transport us. With Grandma’s cookies as sustenance, we could be transported from our backyard tent (made with blankets draped over the clothesline) to wonderfully exotic places we only read about in storybooks. If you had the chance to select one keepsake from your Grandma’s kitchen, either Grandma’s Recipe Box, Grandma’s Recipe Book, or Grandma’s Recipe Cards, which one would you choose? Read the rest of this entry »

My little recipe box has been serving me well for many years (incuding keeping recipes for my family cookbook). Every time I have misplaced something in the house (which is frequently of late), I always go look in my little recipe box, because I never know what I will find in there.

You might think it odd, but my little recipe box has had a whole other life besides its original use. Here are some of the items that have found their way into my little recipe box over time: Read the rest of this entry »

If you are looking for a really nice gift for someone special on your Christmas list, then we have a wonderful Christmas gift idea that is perfect for the cook in your family, a good friend, or special boss.

We mention this now because it is August, and our summer will soon be a whooshing memory. I was going to bring up this really nice Christmas gift idea in July (aka a Christmas in July column), but, well, I forgot. So, here we are.

Our really nice Christmas gift idea for someone special first involves purchasing Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software. This is the anchor point to the really nice Christmas gift. Read the rest of this entry »

Your family cookbook must be riddled with family recipes calling for some form of leavening agent, which makes baked goods expand and rise.  My family cookbook has lots of recipes for baking powder and baking soda.  I’ve always been fascinated by the difference in results when one ingredient is substituted for another.

I’ve had many cookie recipes made with baking powder come out wonderfully puffed up, and the same recipes puff up then flatten out when made with baking soda. There are rules to using both, as interchangeable as they seem. They are not, and here’s why: Read the rest of this entry »

The other day I was having lunch with my dear friend Ruth, and my sandwich was served with the teeniest bit of parsley ever to adorn a plate. I’m talking a bit of a leaf. It was so small it wouldn’t have been noticed except for the bright green color that broke up the stark white plate. Maybe there was a parsley shortage in the kitchen, or the chef forgot the garnish altogether and the server didn’t know what to do. When in doubt, add parsley, Ruth always says. Read the rest of this entry »

This weekend I’m going to a birthday party. The invitation indicates a luau theme, so I plan to take my really easy, but delicious, Kalua Pork that I make in a crock pot.

Summer crock pot cooking is absolutely great since you don’t need to turn on the oven. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with baking or roasting during the summer (if your oven is well insulated). But baking or roasting during the summer just seems wrong when you can do many of the same recipes and get good results with summer crock pot cooking. Read the rest of this entry »

Your kids who live with their Dad or your grandkids are coming for two weeks this summer, and you want to keep them engaged with a different kind of project that will be fun and memorable. How about making a recipe book for kids using your Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software?

A recipe book for kids can be a great keepsake of their summer vacation, and a great show-and-tell when classmates or teachers ask “what did you do on summer vacation.” (Not many children will be able to show their own personalized recipe book for kids.) Read the rest of this entry »

Call me old fashioned, but I like to write my menu planning ideas on a sheet of paper using my favorite pencil or pen of the day. Sometimes I feel guilty using a whole sheet of paper to jot down menu planning ideas. (Guess my green conservative ways leak out now and again.)

To curb my penchant for “give an inch take a mile” scribbling, I used to fold a whole sheet of paper in half, and then write my menu planning ideas on the vertical half sheet of paper. (By writing my menu planning ideas with the half-sheet positioned vertically, I felt I had more room to be creative.) Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever wanted to travel back in time to see how life was in ages past? How about traveling forward in time?  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could press a button and be able to time travel at will?  Well, what if you could turn a page in your family cookbook instead?

In your family cookbook, you might see your great grandmother’s photo and her recipe for blueberry pie right next to cousin Adela’s avant garde secret recipe for blueberry-strawberry extract that is destined to become a mainstream nutritional supplement in 20 years.

In your family cookbook, you might see a personal collection of recipes that were saved when a family member wrote them down on paper instead of using the tried and true “show-and-tell-method” to pass along cooking wisdom and family cooking secrets. 

In your family cookbook, you might also find stories about your family that you never imagined, like the time Uncle Arthur ran away to the circus and married a chimpanzee (or so the story goes). Or, you might find the story about little Jimmie who dreams of finding a solution to harnessing the energy of nuclear waste.

A family cookbook is a time capsule of the present captured on paper (or CD) for generations today and in the future to enjoy the fruits of their ancestors’ past. A family cookbook truly is one of the few things that spans the past, present and future all at once. Make them; cherish them; use them.

Happy family cookbooking,

Matilda