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Tip Store: Cooking: Recipe Sources

​Stick the Recipe to the Jar to Avoid Flavour Disasters

I don't buy prepared salad dressings but make my own. My tip is to put the recipe (doubled) for your dressings on the jar in the fridge (masking tape and Texta so the jar washes ok) so its so easy to make another batch. My husband loves salt and pepper squid - so I made up a quadruple batch of the flour and spice mix - recipe stuck on and its in the pantry. Yummo. This could apply to lots of cheapskates recipes. It just makes it so easy to make up another batch of your favourite homemade money savers.
​- Contributed by Robyn Mencel, 17th February 2013

​Create your own Recipe Book

I just love recipe books and in the past have purchased 10 or more per year. I love the new ideas and different ways to use one ingredient, a great reference for using up what you have on hand. Now I save all new appealing recipes I come across onto my computer, from recipes in Cheapskates, to everydaygourmettv.com.au, MasterChef, Prevention Magazine, my old faves, cut-outs from newspapers and magazines and recipes from friends are my main sources. I am grouping in categories as I now have quite a collection and will also be adding an index. This satisfies my recipe book addiction and saves me at least $400 per year.
​-Contributed by Chelli Sherwin, 1st August 2011

​Keeping Track of Recipes

I have so many recipe books and find I don't use half of them. I am also a great one for pulling recipes out of magazines and newspapers, never to be used again. My solution - I bought an ipad. Obviously not just for my recipe collection. I have started copying my favourite recipes into an app called My Cookbook. You can also add photos and it provides a shopping list of the ingredients needed for the dish. You simply cross off with your finger the ingredients you have and then purchase the rest. If you have an iphone you can transfer the shopping list to a shopping list app on your phone. No more pieces of paper lying around or placed in a folder you will never look at. It is easy to search for recipes as they are filed under categories and there is a search area. I also purchased the wireless keyboard and a cover which doubles as a stand so I can access and view my recipes whilst I am cooking. We are going on holidays next week so purchased the ipad holder which can be attached to the back of the car seat to turn it into a cinema for my son. No more lugging DVD's to watch on the player it is now all stored on the ipad. You can rent movies through itunes so the kids never get bored.
​- Contributed by Megan Hall, 9th December 2010

The Yellow Card, Blue Card Recipe System

I'm sure I've told you about my clever Yellow Card and Blue Card system??? The Yellow card is where I write, say "Saffron" or "Basil" or "Sour Cream" etc. on the top of a yellow card.  Then, when I use a good recipe that uses that ingredient, I write it on the card and what cookbook and page number or recipe card file it's in. This makes sure I use up the ingredient when it's in its optimum condition, instead of throwing out the unused food item later.

My blue card system is where I write down for instance, "Chocolate Cake" or "Apple Crumble".  Because I have a million cookbooks and recipes (it would be good if I did not...hmmm.  I seem unable to pass by a Coles recipe leaflet or the recipe section of the Sunday magazines without partaking or clipping!).  Anyway, when I want to make a Chocolate Cake, I've jotted down my fave recipes and the book and page number, so I don't have to spend time trawling through my recipe collections to find a tried and true one!
Contributed by Laurie Parker, 22nd September 2010

​A New Recipe Book Every Two Weeks

I love to cook and try new recipes. Instead of buying anymore cook books (I have a cupboard full) I borrow a few at a time from the library. It is a great way to try the book before you buy. If you don't like the recipes then your haven't wasted money. After having the book for 2 weeks I have found the novelty of that particular book has worn off and I can then borrow a new one. I haven't found one yet that is worth buying as I have only used a few recipes.
​- Contributed by Megan Hall, 15th August 2010

​Become a Creative Cook with Free Inspiration

Approximate $ Savings: $1 - $100 Take a look at the cooking books in your local library. No just for the recipes but for the design tricks and tips. The way food is presented and the atmosphere created by ceramic cookware, cutlery etc can make home made food works of art. Ideas for Hubby dates, children's meals, parties entertaining tips are all free at your local library. Have some culinary fun
​- Contributed by Debby, Mullumbimby, 6th January 2010

​Cookbooks 101

It is black beans and the recipe is on www.cookbooks101.com This is a terrific website with beautiful vegetarian food. The recipes would turn the most dedicated carnivore to a vegetarian lifestyle, saving a great deal of money in the process. '
- Contributed by Louise, Willaston, 18th April 2008

​ Editors Note: This website is a Directory, you will need to search the listings to find recipes.

​Love Food, Hate Waste!

If like me you had wasting food and use all if not most leftovers, I have a useful site that has recipes using all those leftovers. ENJOY! www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes
​-Contributed by Emma, Guyra, 12th April 2008

​Free Recipes Galore Available Online

I was reading your newsletter from a couple weeks ago and someone had a tip about virtual recipe books. Here's a few websites that I stumbled across recently: www.cuisine.com.au (has free weekly newsletter) www.shopfree.com.au/offersrequest.asp?id=barilla08&partnerid=shopfree&dep=(free pasta recipe book and $1 from each book goes to Childrens Foundation) www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/ (heaps of dessert/sweet recipes and other fun stuff particularly for Xmas) www.ichef.com (has free newsletters and links to other sites) www.simplygreatmeals.com.au (the name speaks for itself!) www.sanitarium.com.au (Sanitarium has a great website and free newsletter) Hope these help you. I've been receiving your newsletter for a couple of years now and I thought it was about time I gave something back.
​ - Contributed by Lisa, Griffin, 29th March 2008