Hit 100 meals in my recipe binder and it made me think about how I cook now

I was adding a new sheet protector for a pasta dish and counted the pages. I have exactly 100 tried and true recipes in there now. It started about three years ago with a few scribbled index cards. The thing is, maybe 80 of those meals are things I can make in under 45 minutes with stuff I usually have. I used to spend hours on a Tuesday trying new, complicated stuff and then ordering pizza when it failed. Now my rule is if it needs more than one special trip to the store or a tool I don't own, it doesn't go in the binder. That simple change saved so much stress. Having that physical book of wins makes deciding what's for dinner way easier on a tired brain. What's your go-to system for keeping track of the quick recipes that actually work?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah24829d ago

My grandma's recipe box had maybe 30 cards in it, all stained and bent at the corners. She cooked the same way... a small set of things she knew would work every time. I see that same idea everywhere now, like people curating a small wardrobe of clothes they actually wear. We're all so tired of endless choices. Your binder is the kitchen version of that... a physical limit that forces you to focus on what actually gets used. It's smart.

wendy97829d ago

Ever feel guilty about the recipes you never make?