Tips: Selecting Recipe Categories
What is the minimum amount of categories I should select?
Well - to get a recipe posted, you need to select one category. That's it - just one. But usually, one category isn't going to be helpful enough to get your recipe noticed by all the folks who may be searching for your recipe.
I recommend asking yourself these two questions as a bare minimum:
1)What meal or course would I most often serve this recipe at? (
like Breakfast?Lunch?Main Meal?)
2)What are the 2-3 main ingredients of this recipe?
Only select the Main Ingredient categories that represent the actual main ingredients of your recipe,
not every ingredient.
You are not required to select a category from each column - so if your recipe doesn't fit in, don't check off a category.
How do I pick a Regional Cuisine?
Does the recipe you are submitting reflect the traditional type of cooking or style of cooking in a particular region? If so, then select that category.
If not, then skip the regional cuisines - you do not have to select any if none are appropriate.
You do not have to check off every region under a main region. Example: If a recipe fits under UNITED STATES but doesn't really reflect any one particular region of the US, don't select any of the specific US regions. Only select UNITED STATES. This way, someone looking for only Southern US recipes will be better able to choose that category and find recipes that really represent the Southern US (or whichever region) and not have to also wade through thousands of US recipes that could be found anywhere in the US.
You should not check off a regional cuisine category solely based on where you live
Again - many folks have done this. Please don't feel bad. If the recipe is made in a special way that is unique to the area you live in, well then of course you can select the appropriate cuisine category. But don't check off a cuisine just because you live in that region - the cuisine should be based on the
recipe origins only.
You should not check off a regional cuisine based soley on your ancestry.
If the recipe has been passed down in your family and your family is from a particular region, and your recipe reflects that region's style of cooking - well, then yes, please do select the appropriate cuisine category.
However - if you happen to be Irish and Czech, don't automatically select Irish and Czech cuisines for all of your recipes - only select regions appropriate to the particular recipe at hand.
Please do not select a regional cuisine merely because the recipe contains an ingredient you think of as being from a particular region.
Certain ingredients may bring to mind certain locations & cultures
but just because they are included in a recipe, does not make the recipe appropriate for a regional cuisine. For example, if a recipe calls for kiwifruit it is not automatically a recipe from New Zealand. Many other countries/cultures use kiwifruit in their cooking - not just New Zealand. And of course, the recipe may contain kiwifruit and also may indeed reflect New Zealand style cooking - in which case, yes, check off the NZ category.
A note about the NATIVE AMERICAN category:
Native American refers to recipes that were created by indigenous peoples & tribes native to North America, such as Iroquois,Seminole, Cherokee, Cree, etc. Another commonly used term in the past would be American Indians. There is also a First Nations category for recipes from such tribes indigenous to Canada.
Many folks seems to interpret Native American as recipes traditionally from America - this is not necessarily true. For example, pizza is considered by some to be a traditional American food, but it has Italian origins, not Native American. Please do not place a recipe into Native American or First Nations unless it is truly from these origins.
Recipes that are just generally American or Canadian can be place under the heading of America, Canada, or if they apply to both, simply North America. If they are historical recipes, there is also a separate category you can check off for that when appropriate.
Please only select a dietary or religious category if you are sure the recipe fits
Many folks looking for a recipe that fits a particular dietary restriction or preference need to be very careful in choosing a recipe to cook. They tend to get very upset when a recipe has been added inappropriately to a dietary/religious category. Also, some folks on dietary restrictions aren't as knowledgable about all the ingredients that don't fit into their restrictions and may select a recipe merely because "diabetic" has been checked off, for example. If the recipe is not truly diabetic, then that person could get sick and we don't want that to happen, folks. Please consider categories based on religion or morals (such as Kosher,Vegan, Vegetarian) in the same way.
Best rule of thumb to follow - if you aren't certain it fits, then don't select it.
Main ingredients only, please.
Please only select the main ingredients of your recipe. You should not select categories for every ingredient your recipe contains. The category search is meant to help narrow down choices. There is also an ingredient search that automatically locates every recipe containing a particular ingredient for those who are looking for something very specific. But when sorting recipes by categories, it should be more general - only the headlines of the dish, not all the details.
But I have no idea what Recipezaar means for some of these categories!
This is definitely an issue and is currently getting worked on.
Gay & Troy have put together a definitions list for all the catgories but are still working on it. When it goes up, you should be able to click on it to find out what sort of recipes belong or do not belong in any particular category. There is currently a working list posted in the category edit thread in Suggestions & Comments if you want to take a look in the meantime.
One of the most confusing category titles has been the Bizarre Category.
(Note: This is going to be changed in the future to WEIRD)
Lots of people confuse the words Bizarre and Bazaar. They sound
a lot alike and are common mispellings for each other.
Bizarre means
weird, but a
Bazaar is a
craft fair/bake sale type of gathering that people bring foods to.
The Bizarre category should only be for strange, very weird recipes.
Ingredients used in a very unusual way (such as a vegetable baked into a sweet dessert) or in peculiar combinations (such as Tomato & Peanut Butter Sandwiches with Salt & Pepper) that many might find very offbeat. Recipes with odd-ball names like Kitty Litter Cake and Vinegar Pie would also belong here.
If the recipe is merely exotic or foreign to your culture, please do not select bizarre.
People tend to get extremely offended if a traditional recipe from their culture is considered "weird" in yours. Here is an example: Kidney Pie is a famous British dish containing animal kidneys. In some cultures, you may find that weird, gross, bizaare. But in other cultures, it is perfectly usual and considered a real treat. For such recipes, select the appropriate regional cuisine and do not select bizarre or you are bound to ruffle someone's feathers.
Regarding the "Occasion" categories:
Before you select one of these types of categories, think about the recipe.
Is it something most people will automatically associate with that particular occasion? If so, then if belongs in the category.
example:Roast Turkey for Thanksgiving
Is it something traditionally served in your culture or region for that type of occasion? If so, then it belongs in the category (and adding a line to the description about your tradition would be even more helpful)
example: Italian Wedding Soup for Wedding
another example: Aunt Betsy's Superbowl Chili for Superbowl
(and in the description, you could could mention: "This is a recipe my Aunt always used to fix for Superbowl parties and has become a tradition in our family.")
Don't be tempted to add all of the recipes from a culture to a particular holiday during which certain regional/cultural cuisines might be prepared.
A good example would be St Patrick's Day - just because St Patrick's Day is associated with Irish foods, does not mean that all Irish recipes should automatically be entered in the St Patty's Day category.
I do think Corned Beef & Cabbage can be classified under St Patrick's Day as many folks traditionally serve it for this holiday. But not every Irish dish needs to - someone looking for all Irish recipes can select the Irish category.
Add a line to the recipe description to share your tradition
Recipe descriptions don't have to be lengthy - don't be afraid to add a line or two about why you serve a particular recipe during certain occasions. Letting someone know a little about how you celebrate a type of event can be extremely helpful.
Regarding the
Kid-Pleaser category:
Kids tend to eat smaller portions, sometimes have limited taste buds ("picky eaters"), and sometimes like decorative tricks to make ordinary foods more fun & appealing.
Some kids will eat anything or have more adult tastes. Parents serving children with non-picky or adult tastes are lucky - they don't usually need to look up recipes that are kid pleasing. Not everyone is this fortunate!
Kid-Pleasers should be something most (especially picky)children like to eat, or that are specifically geared towards children. Things like Octopus Hotdogs (cut and shaped to look like an octopus), Mock Sushi (candy rolls made with Rice Krispy cereal and fruit roll ups), Shirley Temple kid-cocktails, etc are all obvious "geared for a kid" types of recipes.
They don't only have to be "cute" recipes though - certain casseroles, veggie dishes etc that are kid friendly can also be included. Recipes for mild tacos, fish stick casseroles, spaghetti pies, etc any recipes that are consistent kid-pleasing recipes in your family would be appropriate in this category.
Think of it this way - If you were expecting guests for a meal who were bringing many children, all of whom are known to be picky eaters - would you serve them this recipe? If the answer is yes - put it in the kid-pleaser category.
What is the difference between Cupcakes & Muffins?
Cupcakes contain a batter that can be thoroughly beaten - their batters are not usually sensitive to overmixing. They are usually very sweet and often meant to be iced/frosted. They are considered a form of dessert and are usually not meant to be served for breakfast. A cupcake is a hand held, mini dessert cake.
Muffins - contain a batter than is very sensitive to overmixing(overmixing produces a too hard texture and low rising muffins). Muffins are not usually iced and are often served with coffee or tea or as a breakfast bread or snack. Muffins are often sweet, but also can be savory. Muffin batters are very similar (and in some cakes the same as) quick bread batters. A muffin is a hand held mini quick bread.
Breaking Down the Cookie Subcategories:
Cookies in America are also known elsewhere as Biscuits.
DROP COOKIES: sweet cookie dough that is dropped from a spoon or scooped and dropped onto baking sheets.
ROLLED: sweet cookie dough that is rolled out flat with a rolling pin and then cut with cookie cutters or other cutting tool, then placed on baking sheets to cook.
Hand Formed: sweet cookie dough that is molded by hand into balls or other shapes before or sometimes after baking. Also, some cookies that first get rolled out, cut, then molded into shapes by hand would go into this category.
BARS:There are sweet cookie doughs that have dough that is pressed or layered into a rectangular or square pan in one piece, then after baking is cut into bars or strips. Bars are meant to be eaten with your fingers, not with a fork.
BROWNIES: A popular type of bar cookie. Most commonly made of chocolate, but not always.
BISCOTTI: sweet cookie dough that is formed into a wide log, baked, then sliced and baked again.
There will be some new categories added eventually to cover additional cookie types - such as "Slice & Bake Refrigerator" doughs - the types of cookie doughs that get rolled up into a log and chilled, then get sliced into rounds before baking. Since there is currently no category for thistype, simply put them into "Cookies & Brownies" and we will add them to the new category when it gets added in the future.
Another type of cookie would be those requiring the use of a Cookie Press or Cookie Molds - this is also on the table for the next category update, but until this gets added, put this type of cookie into the main heading of "Cookies & Brownies."
Also - any other cookie type not covered by any of these categories should get placed in the main heading of "Cookies & Brownies."
Please do not add recipes that fit into "cookies" into the "biscuits" category as well even if the recipe name includes the word "biscuit.". The Recipezaar "biscuits" category is for a type of quick roll made with baking powder.
Crackers also do not belong in the cookies category - but rather under snacks. If we get enough crackers recipes, then perhaps we can suggest a subcategory for them under snacks.
Quick Breads(aka Tea Loaves): breads made from a baking soda/baking powder risen batter that is often very sensitive to overmixing - overmixing causes toughness and will reduce the rising ability of the batter. Often baked in a rectangular loaf pan (but not always) and meant to be served sliced like bread, altough eaten often as an accompaniment to breakfast, as a snack, or with coffee & tea. Many are sweet. Usually quick breads do not require rising time and very seldom require kneading (there are some exceptions, such as Irish soda bread). Quick breads do not use yeast to leaven them.
Biscuits: small hand held breads that use baking powder/baking soda as leavening, rather than yeast. Sensitive to overmixing - overmixing toughens them. Not to be confused with American cookies.
Scones have their own individual category underneath
quick breads, so please place scones in that category.
Kathy at Food.com
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Karen From Colorado
CheesyGal
