THE FAMILY COOKBOOK
By Linda Sikut 
Copyright 2002

Do you have special recipes that your family truly loves? Why not 
create a family recipe book or recipe card file that you can pass on 
to your children when they are ready to cook for themselves? 

The format would depend on the software you have and your ability to 
use it. You could create pages of recipes in MS Word, Works or any 
other word processing program, print them out and put them in a 
binder that you personalize. It could be as simple as a binder with a 
slip in cover that you design or, if you have crafting skills, you 
could cover the binder with fabric and add trim. Wouldn't it be cute 
to cover the binder with fabric from your children's favorite 
outgrown shirts or dresses? 

You could also create recipe cards with a publishing program that you 
could print, cut and put in a recipe box. The actual recipe cards 
could be personalized and the box could be decorated with your 
child's favorite colors. For example, my daughter loves roses so I 
made the cards with roses on them and personalized them just for her. 
You can see a sample of a personalized recipe card here 
www.bakingabusiness.com/kris/recipecard.jpg 

You can use this same idea to create a very special wedding or shower 
gift. Prior to the wedding or shower, contact as many of the guests 
as possible and ask them to send their favorite family recipes to 
you. Ask them to send along a comment about why this recipe is 
special and include that with the recipe. Collect them all and put 
them into a book or create recipe cards. Personalize it for the bride 
and you will have a gift that she will cherish forever. 

Here are a few of my family's favorite recipes:

MAPLE SNACK MIX
5 Tbs. butter or margarine
1/3-cup sugar
2 tsp. Watkins Maple Flavor
8 cups Crispex
1-cup stick pretzels
1-cup peanuts

Melt margarine with sugar and maple flavoring. Pour over Crispex to 
coat then cook in microwave 5 minutes on high - stirring 
occasionally. Add pretzels & nuts & mix together. Cool spread out on 
wax paper. This is the key because it will stick if you don't do this.
The taste of this one is addicting.

SPAGHETTI PIE                
350o    25 mins. total
9" pie pan

6 ounces spaghetti
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 well beaten eggs
1 cup cottage cheese (8 oz.)
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1-  8 oz can tomatoes, cut up
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Watkins Oregano
1/2 tsp. Watkins Garlic Granules
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz.) 

Cook and drain spaghetti. Stir butter or margarine, eggs and parmesan 
cheese into hot spaghetti. Spray a 10" pie plate with Pam. Form 
spaghetti mixture into a crust in pan. Spread cottage cheese over 
crust.

Cook ground beef, onion and green pepper until veggies are tender and 
meat is browned. Drain excess fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato 
paste, sugar, oregano & garlic salt. Heat.

Put meat mixture on top of cottage cheese. Bake uncovered 20 min. 
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake 5 more minutes or until 
cheese melts.
Serves 6.
All the neighborhood kids wanted to come for dinner when I made this. 

TRADITIONAL PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
8" square pan 

2 cups sugar   
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbs. corn syrup
pinch of salt
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp. Watkins Vanilla

Blend sugar, milk, corn syrup and salt and bring to a boil until it 
forms a soft ball. About 15 min. Add peanut butter and  vanilla. Pour 
into greased pan. Cool. Slice.
My sister & I made this ourselves when we were kids because we loved 
Peanut Butter Fudge.

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Linda Sikut owns http://www.bakingabusiness.com which is
filled with free recipes, contests, free printables, articles & more
Newsletter: mailto:bakingabusiness-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Saturday, October 04, 2008 12:42 PM