"Customizing" Recipes...Write it Down as You Go!

How many times have you substituted something in a recipe because you either didn't have the ingredient or wanted to use something healthier, then the recipe came out better than ever and the next time you can't remember what you did? I used to do that all the time. But now, I just write in pencil on the recipe what I am doing. If it is great, keep it! If it isn't so great, just erase for the next time. I have done this right in my cookbooks or on my printed out recipes and it sure saves the headaches when I am trying to duplicate that wonderful "experiment"!

So I say, don't be afraid to write in your books - at least your cookbooks! They can still be passed on, but now with personalization from you. And if you regularly double a recipe, write down the measurements doubled so that you can easily follow the recipe without having to constantly calculate measurements in your head - AND remember to double everything:-) I have forgotten to double just one ingredient in the past and ruined the whole thing!

Hope this helps someone, especially some of you who are just beginning to cook from scratch and use recipes.