Recipe Finder features - What's your favorite?

[Maelynn Cheung]

What is your favorite function of the recipe finder?

"Favorite" can mean that it's the most fun feature or the most useful. It's up to you!

I'll also add here that we are aware of the fact that "My Cookbook" doesn't work for everyone and we are still looking into the issue.

Thanks for the feedback!

Maelynn

[sneezles]

I realized with all the choices listed that I haven't used all of the features but I truly like the Likes/Dislikes feature, knowing that those recipes will have ingredients that I love to use.

[browneye]

I am happy that you are looking into the "My Cookbook" issue. I am not able to use it, it loses the recipes I saved. Even though I use the same computer every time I am on the site.

Love the searches, though.

[Angela]

I really like the new recipe finder page; however, I know of one example from the BB and one I have experienced a few times while searching--having to know the EXACT name of the recipe. I know that people were having difficulty finding the Easy Lemon Bars because they didn't know the word Easy was in the title and when Lemon Bars is typed for the key word, the search comes back empty. I have searched for a few recipes and have not been able to find them because I couldn't remember the exact name that CL gave it. I've tried to work around this by going to (for example) desserts then typing lemon, but have found that this doesn't always work either.

[Maelynn Cheung]

Originally posted by Angela
having to know the EXACT name of the recipe. I know that people were having difficulty finding the Easy Lemon Bars because they didn't know the word Easy was in the title and when Lemon Bars is typed for the key word, the search comes back empty. I have searched for a few recipes and have not been able to find them because I couldn't remember the exact name that CL gave it. I've tried to work around this by going to (for example) desserts then typing lemon, but have found that this doesn't always work either.

Here's a hint...
the more words you type in, the less results you will get. In this specific example, I would click on "search options" at the top first. Then I would type in "lemon" in the keyword space. Then I would click "desserts" since I know it's a dessert. Then "search".

In many cases we know which course the recipe is (dessert, appetizer, main dish, etc.) and we also tend to know at least one of the primary ingredients. This method detailed above is good if you don't know the exact name. "lemon bars" would provide zero results because the title is "Easy Lemon Squares" and the word "bar" doesn't appear anywhere within the instructions or ingredients. So I can see why that would have been a problem.

There are other choices in this area which could be helpful as well. Cuisine (latin, indian, etc.) and main ingredients (eggs, fruit, pasta, vegetables, etc.)

Searching often takes practice. It's not as easy as a lot of people make it out to be. But I hope this tip helps a little in the future...

Maelynn

[lindrusso]

I like the enhanced capabilities of the new recipe finder. However, there are two areas that "bother me". I know it's been mentioned before, but ne is the cookbook - it would be really nice to be able to save recipes without them disappearing. I use this feature quite a bit on Epicurious and it's very handy - but only if it works ;) .

Also (and this is relatively minor, but...), I don't like the column where the nutritional info is listed. For those of us who are always copying and pasting into Mastercook, this format is much less functional. It is much easier to copy and paste when the info is listed as it appears in the magazine.

Another minor thing that would be nice is to have the issue that the recipe is from listed in the recipe finder. Sometimes this is useful information.

On the positive side, I LOVE being able to read reviews and to do a more narrow search!!

[Peeps]

I like the keyword search, I think that's the only way I ever search. It comes in useful especially when I've got an ingredient in the fridge I'm trying to use up.
I will say it is incredibly frustrating that it seems only a very tiny percentage of CL recipes are kept on the finder though. Often I'm at work, I know I want to make something that night and I have the recipe at home but I just want to check the ingredients to see if I need to stop and get something and invariably the recipe I have in mind is NEVER on the recipe finder. I understand it is impossible to have all the recipes on there but it would be helpful if more could be included. I can understand not wanting to put new ones on there as they want people to buy the issues but for the old ones, the issues aren't still on sale so its not like they are losing sales by offering the recipes online - unless they are trying to sell old Annuals or something. Plus, I'm already a subscriber, as I'm sure many people who use it are, so they're not losing money by sharing the recipes with us, I would just appreciate the service.
It would also be helpful if the recipe finder recipes could say which issue they are from - since I probably have it home it would save me having to print it out, I could just look it up.

[Jewel]

First of all, I love the Recipe Finder. I agree that the issue the original recipe was featured in is VALUABLE information to those of us with 11 years worth of CL Annuals! I don't have to print it from the website if I know what issue or Annual to look in. Adding this information would save trees Maelynn...we would all use less paper...important stuff, huh? Being environmentally responsible? :p

But my favorite feature is the Recipe Reviews for probably different reasons than most. It's not JUST because I want to find out if others liked it. It doesn't really matter to me whether SandyM liked the recipe...SandyM worships the Tomato Gods and I don't! ;) So her little 'thumbs up' on recipe isn't going to ring my bells as much as finding out if she ran into any problems with the preparation, whether the sauce was a bit too sweet and she had to decrease the sugar...or the cooking time seemed a bit long. Whether the preparation was easy, or it really took too long to make on a weeknight. That kind of feedback is more important to me than whether someone really 'liked' the recipe! I would love to see more of us diving in and reviewing some of the recipes on the site!

The recipe reviews are like having a mini-BB just talking about one specific recipe, which is exactly what I'm looking for. I value the opinions of CL readers more than any other group of reviewers out there! :D

[Grace]

Well, since I have CookWare software, and basically every recipe since 1991 in my software, I pretty much have my own "Recipe Finder" on my computer. BUT.....I still use the recipe finder on the website for a few reasons. I like the photographs (CookWare doesn't provide photos of the recipes), and I like the reviews. It does make a difference to me to see whether there is a general concensus or not. I also like to be able to search by cuisine or course (i.e., brunch) on occasion. I just depends what I'm looking for.

I would also like to see the month/year of the recipes referenced. That would help me refer to my magazines if I so chose.

Thanks, Maelynn!

[Ohioan]

Ooh, Maelynn, this was a tough one! I checked "Browse by category" because it's an addition to what we had before, but I also wanted to check "keyword" and "likes/dislikes" because I use them all the time. So let's say I like being able to browse keywords by category and mark dislikes so I don't get anything popping up with cream cheese in it! :D

Well, at least that should tell you I like a lot of things about the recipe finder. It's better than liking only one thing, right?:p

Cheers,
Phoebe

[Holly in KC]

... I'd pick the search function. Followed closely by the recipe ratings.

[Kjente2]

I think it may be far easier to answer first favorite some of the time...I use them all, I enjoy them all...I like them all equally depending on what my quest is that particular day..what I found in the fridge and what do I need to do with it, i wnat to make some main dish salad but want a new idea, I won't make this today, but I'd like to put it aside for easy find soon. Doubtful that this is much help, but sorry, thats my honest answer.

[crc77]

It was hard to pick just one feature. The rating system is by far my favorite. Most cooking light recipes are very yummy but once, years ago, I made a beans and greens that was horrible. I shied away from actually making anything for almost a year! I love the keyword feature, searching by perferences, and my cookbook too! Thanks for such a great site!
cheryl

[JennyLiz]

Ditto Jewel's comments about the recipe reviews. With time being precious I don't want to waste it making recipes that dont turn out. Thanks to everyone who's made comments about recipes. People really do use them!

[jazzcat]

I really like the "rate this recipe" feature. I do wish the recipe would say what month/ year it came from. BTW, does anyone know how often the recipe finder is updated? Maybe there could be a feature called "new recipes".

[Little Bit]

Hi Maelynn,

I have to say that I find the recipe finder so cantankerous, persnickety and generally unhelpful that I usually start my CL recipe searches on the bulletin board. The computer troubles you guys seem to have had this summer persuaded me to give the BB a look, and I've been here ever since, so it isn't all bad. :)
Most of the time I'm successful hunting things out on the BB, and I don't have to figure out exactly what to type to persuade the keyword to work, either. Along the way I usually find some MORE neat threads to read, with even more good recipes, but that's another story entirely. :D

I also think it's weird that the recipes in the "letters to the editor" section aren't necessarily searchable with the recipe finder. (i.e., if you KNOW it's on the letters to the editor page, you can find it, if not, you might waste energy trying to find it with the search engine.)

[SusanT]

I don't really use the recipe finder that much because it doesn't seem that there are very many recipes in it. I usually search the Gourmet site - more recipes.