Every family has favorite recipes that connect to cherished memories. A plate of Aunt Rose's famous Mac `N Cheese reminds you of Thanksgiving celebrations, with every forkful as warm as the family banter. Just the scent of Grandma's Peach Cobbler fresh from the oven takes you back to Sunday lunches after church. With the scoop of a spoon, these family favorites conjure up treasured get togethers filled with sweet contentment. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have these family favorites year round? Here's a great family activity so you can collect recipes at your Reunion this summer. Mix in a little history about each dish and you've got the ingredients for a memorable keepsake Family Reunion Recipe Scrapbook.

In the Reunion invitation, ask everyone to bring a neatly handwritten copy of a special recipe and its history. To jumpstart historical stories, ask family cooks to recall when they first prepared this dish and for what occasion. Was it handed down from an elder? Has the recipe changed over time, maybe because of modern conveniences?

As each family member checks in at the Reunion and hands you the recipe, snap a photograph of the cook and the famous family favorite!

After the Reunion and back at home, divide the recipes by category-appetizers, side dishes, desserts, etc. Glue each recipe on an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper. Spice up the pages with Reunion photographs and special embellishments found in your favorite craft store's scrapbook aisle. Do not add page numbers, however! You'll want to add new recipes as kids grow up and become cooks!

Scan each completed page and save as a .pdf document. If you don't have access to a scanner, your local copy shop can often take care of this for a reasonable fee. Print each page and assemble your cookbook. Your Family Reunion Recipe Scrapbook makes a cherished holiday gift, so you'll want to print many sets.