If you’re writing down a family recipe to make sure it’s never forgotten, authenticity will be important to you and your readers. You’ll need exact ingredients and measurements so that people in future generations will be able to recreate Grandma’s biscuits or Uncle Benny’s chili and taste a piece of family history. If your recipe will have a public readership, tradition is less important than taste and accessibility. Make sure your readers will be able to find the ingredients you list, and ensure the final outcome will be tasty enough to make it worthwhile for your readers. Consider the skill level of your readers, too. Decide if there are ways you can make the recipe easier to follow for beginner cooks. If there’s no getting around complicated cooking techniques, write the steps out as clearly as possible.

Take notes on what you’re doing. Write down measurements for each ingredient. Describe each step of the process using common cooking and baking terminology. Be sure to record each and every step - you can edit later if you need to. Consider taking photos. Colorful step-by-step photos can draw readers in and provide helpful information on complicated techniques. Try taking pictures of each step as you go, or have someone else take pictures while you work. Even if you don’t include step-by-step photos, you may want to have at least one picture of the finished dish.

Use consistent abbreviations for measurements. For example, tsp. or tbs for teaspoon or tablespoon. If an ingredient doesn’t have a numerical measurement, capitalize it. For example, Olive oil.

1 cup butter, melted 2 tablespoons shallots, minced 1 1/2 cups bell pepper, finely chopped 2 apples, peeled and sliced

Let readers know if one type of equipment can be substituted for another. For example, a blender might do in the absence of a food processor. You may want to include a list of special equipment needed - a double boiler, kitchen twine, a baking stone, and so on.

Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Temperatures can also be described through techniques. For example, write simmer on medium-low to indicate that the soup shouldn’t be at a rolling boil. Indicate how long the food should cook. Write Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or Cover and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Bake until the cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Bake until the top is brown and crisp. Simmer until the flavors have melded. Cook until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cook until the quiche filling is just set. Cook until the salmon’s flesh is opaque and firm.

Tricia’s Cocoa Brownies Sweet and Sour Chicken Soup Crunchy Salty Oatmeal Cookies Uncle Pete’s Famous Clam Chowder

List how many servings the recipe provides. Write how long the recipe takes to make, including prep and cooking time. Include serving suggestions, such as optional garnishes or other dishes that pair well with the recipe (e. g. “Top with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream” or “Serve with slices of crusty baguette. " Include ingredient substitutions to account for dietary restrictions (e. g. “Cashews may be substituted for walnuts” or “Use tofu instead of chicken to make the dish vegetarian”). Give sufficient warnings about any problems which may occur during the cooking. An example of this might be Do not open the oven door while baking, or your cake may fall, or Do not let the oil get too hot on the stove.

Title Introduction (optional) Ingredient list Method Number of servings Cooking/prep time

Guessing an adjustment, either in ingredients, cooking times, or temperatures does not always yield success. This is the reason “Test kitchens” are operated like laboratories, and results are carefully documented and repeated.