When CreateMyCookbook user, Susen Zobel, set out to create her family cookbook, she had no idea what a journey it would take her on. "We have a very close extended family of about 50 when we all get together for the holidays," Susen says. "About 20 years ago, I typed up a little cookbook with our family cookie recipes. Over the years, children grew up and married and wanted their own copies of the cookbook." That's when Susen decided she would redo her cookbook and add their other family favorite recipes!

 

"Initially, I was just going to type and print it myself, but then I realized that it would cost about the same and take a lot less work from me to use your service."

 

After speaking with her family who agreed that a better quality, longer lasting book was the best direction, she began asking them for any recipes they would like to contribute. "I collected them for about three months before I began to put it together," said Susen. "But as I was putting it together, I realized that some of the kids didn't even know who these people were that contributed or originated the recipes, so I put together a pedigree chart."

 

But she didn't stop there. Susen decided to take her cookbook to the next level. "Even though they could see the pedigree chart, the kids didn't know anything about their great-great grandparents and very little about their great grandparents. I talked with my mom and aunt who remembered them and wrote up a life sketch for each couple that had passed away and included pictures of each couple so they could associate faces and names. As I finalized the book, I added collages of the families that would receive the book as well as their grandparents as section dividers."

 

Now when Susen's family opens up her cookbook, they'll be able to not only glean a delicious family recipe, but they'll also be able to learn about their family members who created it.