Cookbooks I use

As I mentioned before, I use a 3-ring binder, with lots of recipes I have acquired over time, and two cookbooks. The first cookbook I use is Healthy Choices, by Marvin and Miriam Wengerd, authors of Keepers at Home magazine. This is a really awesome cookbook. It is full to the brim with lots of healthy recipes, made with ingredients that I actually have! It also has gardening and canning tips, and has a lot of home remedies for things ranging from colds/coughing to immune boosters to headache relievers.

The other cookbook I use is The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner, by Liz Edmunds. She actually has a television show, though I've never seen it, and has a whole program where she helps women and men set up a system that works for them to have regular homemade meals. She uses the theme system and it has worked for her for over 30 years. I have tried the theme system off and on over the last few years, but never was able to find it easy to stick to until I decided to come up with my "cheat sheets." That really is the secret for me.

The thing about this system is that you can have as few or as many recipes as you want. If you want to have only two or three recipes for each theme, then you will only have the same meal every two or three weeks. Or, you can have a lot of recipes for each theme and not have the same meal for quite a while. It's really up to you. I love cookbooks, and I actually own quite a few. It's unfortunate that they all now sit collecting dust, but really having so many things to choose from contributes to my undoing.  

There is also room for you to tailor this to your own family's taste as far as what themes you choose, and whether or not you choose to include a day or two for leftovers. My family historically has not done well with leftovers. I throw away more than I reheat. So, I keep this in mind when I am planning out my meals and I make sure I only make enough for us to eat in one sitting or to have some left for only one set of lunches. I also make sure I have a date night with my husband in there once a week or so, and I either still make the meal for my children or (usually) skip that meal and transfer it to the next 2 week plan. Easy peasy!

Has this been helpful to you? I would love to hear your stories :)  Happy cooking!! Your family will reap the benefits, and you will, too :)