Using the Macro: The Recipe Database

So, now that you know the basics of using the macro, you'll want to browse the recipe database in the 'Recipes' tab to see what you want to make.  You'll also probably want to enter your own freezer recipes, which I hope you'll share with me.

My Recipes

I have already entered a lot of freezer recipes into the database, and I will continue to add recipes and upload the updated spreadsheet periodically.  Eventually I will blog about each recipe in the database, but until then, I have put a comment about each one in the cell with the recipe name.  If you hover the mouse over the name of a recipe, the comment will pop up with my thoughts about it.  Most of the recipes I like.  I remove the ones that I truly disliked.  A few of them are works in progress with potential, and there are a number of them that I haven't tried yet. I hope this helps you figure out what you want to make until I get around to blogging about them.

The second row contains the source for each recipe.  The fourth row is what I am multiplying the recipe by.  The macro multiplies the recipes, so if you want to make a different amount, you can simply change the multiple.  

The fifth row indicates how many containers I will divide a single batch of the recipe into.  This, multiplied by the multiple in row four is how many meals I will get out of this recipe.  I plan on one container feeding my family of two adults and two small children for one meal.  You will likely need to change the number of containers to suit your family, as will I as my kids and family grow.

I have also color coded the recipes.

Last, I have entered a few recipes that are categorized as 'Christmas'.  These are not for the freezer, but since I make the same things every holiday season, this seemed like a convenient place to store them and way to make shopping list.  I'll write more about that latter.

'Current Recipes' Tab

The format the recipes are stored in for the macro in the 'Recipes' tab can be a little awkward for looking up ingredient amounts with lots of scrolling.  Plus the recipe is a single batch and not multiplied.  To make the cooking process more convenient, the macro puts all the recipes entered into the shopping list into one place in the 'Current Recipes' tab for reference.  It also multiplies the recipe and the containers and creates an easy to read ingredient list.

Entering Your Own Recipes

The easiest way to enter your own recipe is to open the spreadsheet and the recipe page side by side, so you can see both of them at once.

In an empty column, enter the following:

• Row 1 - Recipe name
• Row 2 - The recipe location, either the link or the book with a page number.
• Row 3 - Breakfast or Dinner
• Row 4 - Multiple - what you want to multiply the recipe by
• Row 5 - What type of container you you plan to freeze the meal in.
• Row 6 - The number of containers you plan to divide the food into.  Keep in mind that this will also be multiplied by the multiple.  This is why I have 1.25 containers in the Broccoli Stem Soup column above as a quadruple batch of the soup makes enough for 5 dinners for my family.

Enter Ingredients

Now it is time to enter the ingredients.  This is where the side by side windows come in handy.  Simply type an ingredient into each cell hitting enter to go down to the next.  Go in the same order as the recipe to make entry of quantity, unit and prep easier. 

Copy Ingredients

It's easiest to enter the rest of the information if you copy the ingredient list into the quantity, unit and prep areas.

Then you can simply go through and replace each ingredient with its corresponding quantity, unit and prep.

Quantity

Enter the quantity as is in the recipe.  You are entering a single batch.  The macro will do the multiplying for you.

Unit

The macro converts like ingredients to the same unit to create one entry on the shopping list.  i.e. If you have a recipe that calls for a cup diced carrots and one that calls for two carrots, the macro will convert them both to pounds and tell you how many pounds of carrots to buy.  The units you can enter are cups, tbsp, tsp, lbs, oz, gallons, each, bundle, cans, cloves, inches.

Prep

This where you enter what you need to do with each ingredient during the prep phase of the process.  Dice, Slice, Shred, Chop, Large Dice, Julienne and Cook are the categories in the prep list that ingredients can be sorted into.  However, if your prep doesn't fit into one of these categories, you can simply enter whatever you want into the prep cell and the macro will combine the prep with the ingredient and place it in the 'Other' column.  If there is not prep for an ingredient, leave that cell blank.

Equipment
The next section indicates what major equipment the recipe will be using to help me organize my cooking order and make sure I'm not trying to use something to make two recipes at once.  Fill these in with yeses and nos.  Since you may not have the same equipment in your kitchen, you can change the equipment listed to whatever you prefer.

Just make sure to change the corresponding equipment column heading in the 'Prep List' tab.

Day of
The last section is for you to enter what you will want to have on hand to serve the meal.  This doesn't necessarily have to be a shopping list.

Up Next: The 'Categories' Tab