I save my recipes as simple text files on my PC. If I see a recipe in a book I like, I practice my keyboard skills and type it in. That way I can make all the units the way I want them. For example, rather than typing "2 tablespoons" many authors write "2 T." or "2 tbsp" but I like the whole word. And I like my ingredient list not numbered and single spaced. Things like that. Having spent many years in front of a keyboard I can type at over 80 wpm so it doesn't take very long.
In my recipes directory are several subdirectories, BBQ, Ethnic, Baking, Salads and so on.
When I am going to cook, I print out the recipe and take it to the kitchen. If it gets all oily or soiled, I just pitch it. In fact, I generally pitch it anyway.
I also have a few compendium directories like a huge batch of sausage recipes I got somewhere once. They are all in html format and it wasn't worth it to me to transcribe them or edit them to text so I just keep them under my Projects->Smoker->BBQ recipes directory.
My recipe files are named names that I chose. For example, I once found a wonderful Hungarian cookbook and copied a recipe for Sült Karfiol Tojással. Did I name the file that? Heck, no! I named it bakedCauliflowerWithEggs.txt because that way I have a chance of being able to tell what the recipe is without having to open it. Within most of my lowest level directories containing actual recipe files, I usually have a directory called To Try Someday, where I keep recipes that I have kept but haven't made yet.
And yes, I back up my PC.
I only own a few actual cookbooks. "Joy Of Cooking", plus "Louisiana Cooking" by Paul Prudhomme, plus "Sultan's Kitchen" which is a wonderful Turkish cookbook but I can't remember the author's name right now. Maybe a couple of others.
To make something for the first time, as I just did Brunswick stew for example, I often read several online recipes until I see what's going on and then I pick and choose the way I am going to try making it. I'll type it in, and make it that way, then if I decide to change something I make a note on the printed out page and bring it back to my PC later and edit the recipe file. That's how I "dial in" recipes.
Sorry for the long post!
seattlepitboss
