06/14/2011 - A Tuesday Tip and Challenge

Good morning! Your feedback has been so fun! Thanks for already starting to send in those recipes.

Today I want to offer a tip. Keep a piece of paper (post it, grocery list, index card, etc.) on your refrigerator that you can write down recipes you want to contribute as they simmer to mind when you are cooking dinner. I was cooking dinner last night and remembered a meal my neighbor introduced me to and jotted it down so I can remember to get the recipe from her and add it to the book. This way random recipes don't get put on the back burner (I know you are loving my cookbook talk).

I also want to give you a task. I want you to type up your 'rotation' meals. These are the meals that you come up with because you always have the ingredients on hand. The meals you desperately put together because God didn't convince someone to drop dinner at your doorstep at 4:30pm (I pray for that daily). The comfort-quick-everyone-in-your-house-eats-it meals. So think about what was for dinner last night, and what is for dinner tonight. If you can think farther back or forward than that- more power to you. (I can't remember what was for breakfast unless I look in the kitchen sink).

What I have learned is my basic 5 meals that find their way into my dinner rotation bi-weekly are completely new meals for someone else. Who among you has rice and beans with smoked sausage for dinner 5 times a month?

I guess the real question should be, who among you is married to a puerto rican?

Anyway, you get my point I hope. This is an easy assignment. Think what you make for dinner most frequently. You can probably type those up from memory and send them my way.

06-12-2011 mmm mmm mmmm

Top 8 reasons to do another family cookbook (I know 8 is a random number but just go with it).
8. I have learned how to cook since the last one and now have things to contribute
7. The third generation of borgs need to have a shout-out in a cookbook dedication -note the slang for all us generation x(...or is it y)ers
6. I am back to cooking the same 5 dishes in a rotation and need some spice (get it?) in my dinner routine
5. Chanel is just begging me to do something that would pull me away from basic household duties
4. I need a central place for all the newly printed and written recipes I have obtained since the last cookbook
3. It has been nearly 5 years since our last collaboration and it was 5 years before that when Wendy did the first cookbook...so it's just time
2. Those clever Cotton's know how to make homemade cream of chicken soup and I want to know too - unless it's too hard or takes too long
1. EVERYONE KEEPS ASKING ME TO DO IT!

So there you have it, we are doing another cookbook. I, for one, can't wait! I'm not sure what I am more excited about, the competition over beverage recipes, seeing what you crazy college kids whip up in your dorms, figuring out how to make wheat germ yummy, deciphering recipes that weren't edited correctly and called for 1 cup of salt, the witty banter between emails (excluding Brittany of course), the international delicacies you have all learned how to cook on your travels, reading the reasons you love the recipe you are submitting, or just the awesome food.

I am seriously looking forward to learning a thing or two.

Get your brain in recipe mode and start making mental notes of the ones you want to submit. I don't want this to be stressful for you, but I want you all to be involved and not left out because you just didn't get around to it. You could all take a lesson from Jani who last time basically pulled several all nighters and submitted dozens right at the beginning. Or you can take a lesson from Tara who steadily contributed over time. Denise can teach you something about overcoming her phobia of all things technology to make sure her heavenly dishes were included. It was friendly competition that lit a fire under Bonnie and Rob's keyboard fingers. So to all rookies, don't be intimidated by everyone else's experience (cough, wink, cough) we have all been where you are.

Details:
Send recipes to this address borgcookbook@gmail.com as an attachment if possible
Include any personal notes you would like with the recipes (I think it adds personality to the dish)
Please type in times new roman, black, non-italic, non-bold and all the same size font (you have no idea how much time that will save me) If you already have several typed recipes saved on your computer just send them as you have them.
Send recipes from all categories (breakfast, drinks, snacks, kid friendly, weird, normal, things you think most people already have a recipe for, etc.)
Just do it.
I don't have a timeline yet but will keep you all informed of any decisions I make (things like potty training Tate excluded).

Love y'all!