HOME : The Beginning of Stepping Back in Time with My Cherished Cookbooks

Rescuing Our Family Recipes... 

Every family has a different method for storing
treasured recipes. My Grandmother had a
cabinet stuffed with an array of cookbooks, as
well as a box full of handwritten recipes passed
from generation to generation.
As a kid I would spend hours thumbing through
the recipes and daydreaming about food. Well,
I still do. It's my way to relax and some of my
family and friends know that when I have
sleepless nights, I'm either reading a cookbook
or on the internet researching for recipes!


Yes...you may think I'm crazy but my family
and friends , at least I think ... is thankful that I
am always researching for recipes. There’s
something special about a handwritten recipe
card that creates a personal connection to the
cook who wrote it. The frayed edges, stain
splatters, and notes written the margins all but
exclaim, “This is a tried and true recipe !”.


When I look at my 2 Grandmother's handwritten

recipes it brings me back to the time I would be

baking with them...possibly taking Grandma 

Lucky's yummy chocolate cupcakes !

or my Grandma Ruth's famousrolls.

Aww, I can smell them baking already !

It surprises me when I come across full recipe
boxes at garage sales. As one generation ends,
the next decides not to carry on the tradition. I
recently discovered many recipe boxes each
filled with a lifetime of vintage, handwritten
recipes are also for sale on eBay.


After looking through the eBay listings, Some
people felt compelled to purchase two of the
recipe boxes. I was thinking if I purchased
these & received the boxes and opened
them, to me it would be as though I had
stepped into another person’s kitchen. I could
see the cook’s likes and dislikes from the recipes

she chose to keep.


I wondered how many birthdays, anniversaries,
and holiday dinners these recipes had been
used, as well as whom they had fed.


The digital age encourages me to downsize and
reduce paper clutter around our home. But,

maybe with a little thought, I can save a few
more recipe boxes thrown into the garbage.

I was able to rescue my Great Aunt Peggy's 

recipes & old clippings just tossed in 2 big
boxes. I still have to go through and this is a 

challenge for me.


The first step in rescuing recipes is as simple as
making your wishes known. If you have a
personal collection of recipe cards, let your
children, nieces, nephews, or friends know how 

much the recipes mean to you in the hope they
will work to preserve them when the time comes.


In my case, I've let my other& my dear

Mother~in~law know that I want the family 

recipes, some of which are written by my or

my husband's great~grandmother &
great Aunt. I figured it’s best to let my mother

know how important the recipes are to me, 

just in case she gets any ideas about throwing

them out because she thinks no one wants
them !


I hope someday, my daughters will also come
to cherish these vintage recipes from long ago
that are so worth saving. This is my challenge...

this year, I hope to organize the many 

cookbooks & recipes in an organized manner...

I've been meaning to do this, so I'm putting it writing !!!

I want to accomplish this goal a year from now!

Yes, The movie "Julia & Julie" inspired
me to do this in a year !


HA ! But I believe in TOTALGRACE !
So it might take me a little longer than I
plan... And hopefully it keeps me
accountable to do it !I want to enjoy 

the life God has given me :)

It's a big task to take on for me !
For some of you know (yes, my daughters &
hubby really know the truth ! ) I have a lot to go
through... Who knows maybe at the end I'll
have a special cookbook of Burkey's
favorites to pass on :) Thanks for letting me
put this down in notes I'm not much a
journal writer but a wanna be !

And most of all for letting me go
on & ON ! :)

    Enjoy ! Sharon