Recipe Notes vs External Links
How to build a personal cookbook system that actually works. Stop losing recipes in browser bookmarks and start cooking from a list you trust.
The Problem
You find a recipe online, bookmark it, and never find it again. Or you make something great, tweak it, and forget what you changed. Sound familiar?
Most people have recipes scattered across browser bookmarks, screenshots, notes apps, and memory. None of these systems talk to each other, and none of them are designed for cooking.
The fix: one place for all your recipes, with the right amount of detail for each. Some need a link. Some need a note. Most need both.
When to Use External Links
- The recipe lives online and you follow it as-is
- You want to reference someone else's detailed instructions
- The recipe has photos or videos that help with technique
Tip: Save the link and add a note about any modifications you made. "I use half the sugar" or "sub Greek yogurt for sour cream" turns a generic recipe into your version.
When to Use Notes
- Your own creation or family recipe that isn't written down anywhere
- A recipe you've modified so much the original doesn't match anymore
- Simple meals that don't need a full recipe — just a reminder of ingredients or ratios
- Quick reference: "400g chicken, 1 tin tomatoes, 2 tbsp curry paste, serve over rice"
Building Your Personal Cookbook
Start with what you already eat
Your current go-to meals, even if they're simple. These are the foundation of your cookbook.
Add one recipe per week from cooking
Don't batch-add 50 bookmarks you'll never use. Save recipes as you actually cook them.
Use favorites for your top rotation meals
The 5-7 meals you eat most weeks. Favorites keep them one tap away.
Keep notes practical
"Tastes better with extra garlic" is more useful than the full method. Capture what matters.
Review monthly
Remove recipes you've never actually made. A smaller, curated list is more useful than a bloated one.
What to Capture
Always capture
- Title (descriptive — "Chicken Curry" not "Tuesday Dinner")
- Protein source
- Rough prep time
- Any modifications from the original
Nice to have
- Serving size
- Key ingredients list
- Where you found it
Skip
- Full step-by-step method (that's what the link is for)
- Exact calorie counts (estimates are fine for most people)
- Elaborate descriptions
For Beginners
Start with 5 meals you already know how to make. Save them. That's your cookbook. Add from there. Don't try to build a library before you've built a habit.
For Collectors
Stop saving recipes you'll never make. If it's been bookmarked for 6 months untouched, delete it. Quality over quantity. A tight list of 20 beats a graveyard of 200.
For Cooks
Your notes are gold. Document your tweaks. Future-you will thank present-you when you can't remember that seasoning ratio you nailed three months ago.