When is a recipe “mine”?

jakmama: When is a recipe “mine”?
I have many copyrighted recipes from various places. I continually add, subtract and tweak recipes to suit my tastes(as most cooks do). I wish to publish recipes on a website and call them ” mine”. I will certainly give credit where it is due, but how much change is needed until I can say “This is my recipe”? Does the recipe need to be unrecognizable compared to the original? Can just a few minor changes (e.g. adding an extra spice or two) be acceptable?

Thanks

Answers and Views:

Answer by Steve G
One measurement or Ingredient. Here’s the kicker, once “anyone” uses those recipes, throw “mine” out the window

Answer by beachybabekac
i would say if you make your own recipe, not by tweaking other ones. it depends though, like if you add more ingredients, or take away a few, so that if someone tasted both, they couldnt tell that they came from the same recipe.

Answer by mizzalabbady
I think the only time you can actually say it’s your recipe is when you make a dish from start to finish using your own mind, and not using any other recipe as a base.

Answer by A.S.
You can turn any recipe into your own by adding ingredients which will make it unique. As long as you like it; it’s yours. Try it out on friends and family until you get a thumbs up. Most cooking contests don’t have strict guidelines and often suggest you start and or base your ingredients upon a particular brand and or product!

Answer by J.R. the Otter
Strictly speaking recipes can’t be copyrighted, that’s why so much is often made of keeping them secret. The text of a cookbook or article can be copyrighted, but that relates more to the writing than to the recipe.

On an ethical level, if you’re making modifications to ingredients or techniques, then those modifications could make it “your” recipe, so long as they are made to improve the dish and not simply to alter it for the purposes of calling it yours.