Although some people claim it is a piece of cake to make meals every day, the truth is, it can be exhausting and boring work. For example, after a long day at the office, sometimes you are too tired to decide on a TV show to watch, let alone choose what kind of meal to prepare. What is more, not everyone is naturally talented in culinary arts; for some, cooking a roast might as well be rocket science. But here is the good news--with modern high tech communication systems (namely, home computers), you do not need to be a master chef! Those who need a nudge and a few creative ideas to get the pots simmering can access thousands of recipes and cooking tips online. Even a beginner can find what she needs to get started in the kitchen.



There is no time like the present to upload your family recipes and write down your tricks of the cooking trade. The reason for doing this is two fold. First, you can stop worrying about losing a recipe because they will all be safely stored in your computer's memory. Second, you will be doing a great service to the online community of "foodies" who are always eager for fresh dishes and new techniques to try.

Putting your family recipes online is a terrific way to organize your recipes, too. On your site you will be able to divide the types of food into different categories such as:

- Breakfast foods

- Lunch foods

- Dinners

- Snacks

- Cocktail party food

- Barbeque food

- Vegetarian meals

- Diabetic meals

- Summer treats

- Holiday food

- Rich desserts and low-cal versions

Your viewers will be able to pick and choose from these categories and within seconds they will be armed with a detailed recipe. You can take it a few steps further and offer a shopping list for each meal and helpful cooking tips to make sure the preparation goes as smoothly as possible.

For beginner and expert cooks alike, you can have a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and also encourage viewers to email you directly with unusual queries. Perhaps you will even want to have an online forum where your viewers and you can conduct lively conversations about a variety of topics, ranging from where to get fresh produce, to what to look for when buying fresh fish, and the best kind of spices to use in a gumbo.

Posting your family recipes online and establishing an interactive web site makes a lot of sense. You will be creating an electronic legacy for your own family members to enjoy, and you will also be reaching out to the wider internet community. In today's harried world where multi-tasking is pretty much par for the course and people tend to eat on the fly, your thoughtful recipes may be giving another family exactly what they need to come closer together.