A Cook's Journal

I love to bake, to cook and try new recipes. I have dozens of cookbooks, subscribe to a number of cooking magazines and participate in recipe exchanges. I have also found several online sources for new recipes. Finding a way to store and organize my recipe collection is an ongoing project. When I saw a swap for a Baking/Cooking Journal, I couldn't sign up fast enough!

My swap partner is a professional chef and she's been very helpful. She's answered all my questions and given me her perspective on the perfect Cook's Journal. I've incorporated her thoughts and needs with my own and have come up with this.
It's a classification folder, with a separator and a wallet! Office supplies are so much fun! I'm planning on putting my initials in the upper right corner, thought I'm not sure what my swap partner would like on hers. I've also used a length of twill tape to hold the folder closed, just in case! Plus I like the way it looks.
On the inside cover I've created a pocket page, a place to hold the recipes you tear out of magazines. I thought of this pocket as a staging area - a place to keep new things you want to try. Once you've tried them, if you decide you want to keep them, you can incorporate them into the journal.

On the second page I've created a recipe sheet - click on the picture for a better look. These sheets can be taken off and slid into a page protector to keep the recipe clean while you cook.
Behind the sheet is a page you can use however you like - maybe a list of substitutions? A family favorite in your grandmother's handwriting? There's also a tab that can be labeled on the side, to tell you what kind of recipes are on this page.
Page three is very similar to page two, there's a tab along the side to label the type of recipes and a sheet of scalloped black paper that can be decorated however you like. The recipe on this page was given to me by my dear friend Lisa D. It's a yummy cookie recipe and also shows how easily you can keep track of recipes printed from your computer.

Page four is actually a Velcro pocket, it's quite roomy. I decided to use ledger paper, that way if you wanted to keep an index of what's in the pocket you could. If not, you can personalize it however you like.
Page 5, the back of the built in pocket, is another pocket. I put paper clips along the edge and clipped a recipe card to the outside, just to show versatility.

Page 6 is the beginning of an accordion style structure. I've folded the first page of the structure back to make another pocket. A 3.5x5 recipe card is tucked inside.
On the back of the pocket, page 7, I clipped some note paper, maybe for a grocery list or a menu. Inside the structure are 3 envelopes, 6x9, for storing more recipes, either folded printouts, recipe cards or recipes torn from magazines. Each envelope is tabbed for labeling the type of recipe it holds.
I left the back of the envelope plain, I'm sure I'll think of something I forgot to add in this journal, this leaves me room to add whatever it might be. On the front of each envelope I've left room for contents or notes.
The last of the three envelopes opens at the top instead of the side.
I started to decorate the back of the last envelope with scraps of leftover paper, though I'm not sure what else I'll add. And the last page of the journal is another page with prongs.

I'm excited to start using this, labeling and categorizing my recipes. I hope my swap partner likes hers! (Did I mention I made 2? Once to send and one to keep? I knew if I didn't I'd have a hard time parting with it!)