Hey! I have a job for you! Now that school has been out for the summer for a while and your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and/or neighborhood children are already saying they have nothing to do, you have the answer!
Write a family or community cookbook. It can be a fun, economical and historical thing to do. It doesn’t have to be large, and whether it’s five or 50 pages, the youngsters and you will enjoy the project.
Let the children help and be sure they get proper credit in the “Compiled by” or other similar lines. This will be the place to put Grandmother’s lemon cheesecake that nobody really likes but that she bakes every Christmas anyway.
Round up all the cousins and ask them to ask their grown-up relatives to help.
Ask family members to contribute recipes and little stories that go with them. You might consider asking close neighbors or friends for recipes. Be sure credit is given for each recipe.
Because you are doing this on your home computer, leave space to insert pictures of the persons contributing the recipes. Not everyone will provide a picture, but having them will be a good addition to your book.
Make a cover or title page at the front and an index at the back with page numbers. On the title page or somewhere, include a name or names and telephone numbers so that books can be ordered.
You can make the completed copy in these ways:
1) Print the sheets on your computer printer and hold them together with a large paper clip. This is not the best way.
2) Print the sheets on your computer, then use a hole puncher and tie them together with a pretty ribbon. Use heavier pieces of paper for the cover. Let some of the children design and draw the cover.
3) Collect and print your recipes, then take them to one of the office supply stores, which can make the copies and bind them with a plastic comb binder. This is a good way, and the one you will probably use.
4) Go to a printer, who will reset the copy, print it and have it bound. This is more expensive, but makes a very admirable book.
However you have the book printed, get a commitment from family members on who will buy one. Or two. Or more. You don’t want to have a dozen boxes of unsold books stacked all around your house.
Most cookbooks are divided into sections of meats, vegetables, etc. You may use that, or try sections on breakfast, snacks, main meals, “when the church group meets,” etc.
If you have artistic children, leave space on some of the pages for them to draw illustrations. These can be in color.
Perhaps have a section from certain family members who will list their favorite menu and give the recipes.
Be sure to give credit to everyone who contributes a recipe. It is important that the current crop of children/young people know there was a time in the United States of America when food was prepared at home, in a kitchen, on a stove, instead of at the local take-out.
Consider this as a summertime project, and I know that in 25 years you’ll see these little cookbooks on family shelves and the young people who put them all together will still be pleased with themselves.