Family recipes are so much more than scraps of paper; they're a pact to keep the past alive and share it with generations to come.

Nothing can compare to the sights, sounds and sense memories of rolling out biscuit dough with Grandma or helping Uncle Pete stir the Sunday gravy. However, those stained, handwritten index cards and notes folded in between pages of tattered-spined cookbooks ensure that those sacred flavors won't be lost to the ages.

We'd like you to celebrate your family's unique culinary heritage and honor your loved ones by sharing their best dishes with the world.

Your assignment: Scan or photograph a handwritten, heirloom family recipe (the more stained and well-loved-looking, the better) and upload it via iReport, along with a story about the person who brought it into your life and a memory of enjoying it with relatives or friends. A picture of the finished dish is nice but not required.

We'll showcase our favorites right here on a regular basis, and you'll bask in the warm, happy glow of the knowledge that you made your Grandma (or great-uncle, or second cousin on your mother's side) a superstar and preserved their kitchen legacy.

iReport – Share your heirloom recipes