Highlights from Our Tweet Event

Written Thursday, February 18th, 2010 by Anne Coleman

Yesterday was the first-ever Half Hour Meals Tweet Event - and we definitely had fun. If you missed it, you can check out the conversation HERE at Twitter. Not only did we have some great food conversations, but the even landed on a page of the LA Times Food section! Check that out HERE.

Special thanks to my co-hosts, Penny and Theresa from here at Half Hour Meals, and to our biggest contributors to the conversations - @atastythought and @waylandcook - thanks so much for taking part! Give them all a follow, won't you? Don't forget to also follow @HalfHourMeals to keep up-to-date with all we have going on here and also check out our Fan Page on Facebook.

Stay tuned for our next Tweet Event date and a chance to become a co-host, too!

Bloggers Unite for Haiti

Written Thursday, January 14th, 2010 by Anne Coleman

The other night when I first heard of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, my first thought was that they were so poor to start with, I just didn't see how they would be able to survive such a catastrophic loss.

The key to any country or peoples overcoming any type of loss is for them to band together with the strong and fight. We are the strong, they are the weak and it's our responsibility to help the lesser people of our earthly home. Whether they are 5 miles or 10,000 miles away, they are our neighbors and are in desperate need of help.

Several ways to help:
1. Join with Bloggers Unite for Haiti and make sure to share the link to any post you create in the effort to raise awareness and funds.
2. Text YELE to 501501 to contribute $5 to Yele Haiti.
3. Text HAITI to 90999 to contribute to the Red Cross.
4. Check local news for sources close to your home where you can drop donations other than money. Yesterday we were able to drop food off to Lifechurch in Allentown to help them with the orphanage they run in Haiti. Do likewise, even if you don't think it's much - every small bit adds up and makes a difference.

Give the Gift of a Meal to Someone in Need

Written Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 by Penny Hawkins

Because so much of the upcoming holidays revolves around food, they are an especially difficult time for anyone experiencing hunger. This Christmas, you can make the difference between someone in your community enjoying a hot meal or going hungry. It's easy to do...most organizations that help the hungry accept donations online. If each of us gave just a little, we could make sure that every hungry person in our area has the gift of a holiday meal.

I know that foodies and food bloggers are generous and caring people, and I hope that each of you will be moved to help the local or national food-related charity of your choice.

Here is a list of national charities that are in need of contributions (food or money) to help feed hungry people in your community. Please reach out to the charity of your choice and help them feed the hungry this Christmas!

Feeding America

Share Our Strength

ITS TIME TO GIVE BACK...

Written Sunday, November 8th, 2009 by TrishB

As Thanksgiving approaches, my stress level reaches its annual high as I worry about my menu, the number and size of turkeys I have yet to cook, and whether or not everyone will fit comfortably around my dining room table. I share this day, as many Americans do, with loved ones in the comfort of my home. I fill myself with all the holiday delectables and spend the remainder of the day either pretending to watch football or chatting with family and friends.

I must confess that I am often guilty of losing sight of the underlying spirit of this holiday: giving thanks for all we have. I become consumed with the myriad of tasks and ultimately the celebration, overlooking the millions of less fortunate Americans unable to similarly celebrate. Their fears are unlike mine. Many worry whether or not they will even have a next meal. They are not strangers living on the other side of the world. They live in every community, their children attend school with mine. With Madoff, the stock market crash, the unraveling of U.S. financial institutions, and the failure of the auto industry, this country has witnessed unemployment and homelessness reach epic proportions.

With these things in mind, this Thanksgiving I am pledging to make a difference in the life of others less fortunate and honor the true meaning and spirit of this holiday.

My motto for this Thanksgiving: DONATE. PREPARE. DELIVER OR SERVE.

There are so many different ways to help. Here are just a few:

Volunteer in a local homeless shelter, soup kitchen or food bank.
Organize a food drive and donate the food to a soup kitchen.
Visit a local hospital and spend time with patients alone this holiday.
Visit a nursing home. Bring your kids and spend time with the elderly reading a book, taking a walk or playing a game.
Contact the Red Cross, Salvation Army or other non-profit organization in your area and ask how you might help.
Instead of bringing flowers or a gift to your Thanksgiving host, give a donation to your local food bank, soup kitchen or organization helping those in need. Check out Feedingamerica.org.
Thank our soldiers by sending them care packages through organizations such as TreatsForTroops.com.
Sign up for a Turkey trot or community run or walk that donates its proceeds to those in need.

Or join me, along with HHM and BlogCatalog.com as they unite to help the hungry with their BROWN BAG PROJECT. Bloggers will unite by using their blogs to inspire others to help those who need it most. During the week leading up to Thanksgiving, take some time away from your holiday preparation. Contact your church, synagogue, clubs or school and ask them to help you locate needy families in your community. Then pack up your brown bags with non-perishables such as stuffing mixes, boxed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, canned corn, cranberry sauces, coupons for a turkey and pumpkin pie. Fill the bags with practical items in addition to delicious goodies. Get your kids, neighbors and friends to help you hand deliver them to these families. Attach a card saying "from someone who cares about you." It’s not about getting credit for what you did, it’s about making one day special for someone in need. Take pictures of you and your helpers packing these bags. On November 21, 2009 join us on HHM for a community discussion, share your experiences, and post your photos. If you can't take time to PREPARE, PACK OR DELIVER, please consider making a donation to a local food bank or other non profit organization.

Remember, now is the time to start making a change. As Anne Frank said, "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." Please join me!

Personalize Your Gifts This Year

Written Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 by Theresa H Hall

Candies make perfect gifts and since the holidays are just around the corner, I would just love to teach you the art of making some of these mouthwatering delights. The easiest way to go about this would be to write a series of posts about a few different truffles, candies, nut clusters and brittles, or jellied fruits.

When this candy making begins, there will be an on-going discussion for questions and answers, and you can share how your candy project is coming along. You might want to look at a few candy recipes while I get these posts written. Also, try an arts and crafts store for little wrappers and gift boxes. You can make a batch of three or four recipes and fill the gift bags and boxes for your favorite people. A variety of traditional sweets will make your gifts special.

Think about expending a small amount into quality products, there really are only a few you will need, and preparing for a real pastry class on this subject.

Remember how it felt to receive a hand made gift? That is because the gift giver took their time to share a part of them with you . We are also going to be working toward a major upcoming event, where we will ask everyone to give to someone who deserves to be helped. And this year there are many. There will be more about that coming up soon.

Personalize your gift giving this holiday season and have a really good time doing it.

Featured Community Member: Amybyrd21

Written Monday, October 26th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

Half Hour Meals community member, Amybyrd21 lives on a real working farm and chronicles her life there, in food, photos and more, on her blog, The Wayland Springs Cook. Besides being a very active member here, she also home-schools her children, cooks up a storm in her farm kitchen and writes a second blog, Amy's Favorite Food Products. She's one busy gal, but she took a moment to share more about herself with us.

Your blog, The Wayland Springs Cook is not just about cooking. What types of posts would one expect to find at your blog? My blog The Wayland Springs Cook is about homesteading, living off the land, pigs,chickens, bees, and cooking on the farm. The posts are generally about everyday life and about raising bees and pigs.

What kind of things might we find on a walk through your back yard? We raise bees (2 hives to start), 17 pigs at the moment, 39 chickens, 2 ducks, and 2 dogs. In the summer we raise tomatoes, onions, cabbages, potatoes, beans, peas, broccoli, okra, lettuce, watermelons, cantaloupes,turnip greens,corn, and peppers of all kinds.

What is the inspiration behind your blog? It started to let people know things about homesteading and a way to share my recipes. Now I use it for recipes and educating the public about pigs, bees, farm issues and green living.

Having a family and blogging can be a difficult to balance. How does it work for you? I blog at night when my husband is here to take care of the kids. This is my quiet time and a time that I use to wind down at the end of the day.

You've contributed so many recipes here at HHM, do you have a favorite in the bunch?
Bavarian Cheesecake. It is my favorite because it has a light and fluffy texture and a thin cake on top and bottom.

Name a handful of ingredients that you couldn't live without. Tomatoes, cheese, real butter, potatoes, and onions.

Share with us a day in your kitchen - what is the daily food like in your home? On the weekends we start out with a big breakfast of fried potatoes, sausage, bacon, homemade biscuits, gravy and eggs. Then at lunch we have sandwiches or leftovers from the night before. Dinner is whatever happens I never plan at all unless we have company. It normally consists of meat, potatoes, dried beans and corn bread. During the week the kids like to make ethnic foods and experiment with foods in the kitchen.

How long have you been a member at Half Hour Meals? Close to the first days it was launched.

What's your favorite thing about the site? Getting to meet different people with the same interest as I have and learning form them.

Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals? Yes I have made Sausage and Potato Pasties and Pumpkin Custard. We are hoping to try at least one a week for something different in the house.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them?
A foodie's paradise.

HalfHourMeals, Chef Clive & Don Lemon all meet at BlogWorld Expo

Written Saturday, October 24th, 2009 by TrishB

Last weekend I attended Blog World Expo, in Las Vegas, Nevada. I left my husband and kids behind and off I went. I walked, no, I ran onto the plane. Five days of freedom!

Blog World Expo is a great event. Its mission is to promote the interactive digital media industry. The affiliated entities, Blog Catalog, BrooWaha, and of course Half Hour Meals, were together a main exhibitor at the event. You could not enter the exhibit hall without seeing their booth.

Half Hour Meals had its own counter where member, Clive Berkman, chef and cookbook author, demonstrated the preparation of different dishes during the two day event. Without a large stovetop he whipped up delicious meals in less than one half hour.

On Day 1 he presented shrimp and grits topped with artichoke and spinach. Outstanding!

On Day 2 he made strip steak topped with a mushroom sauce. Over the top!

For dessert, he prepared melt in your mouth chocolate truffles.

Visitors in the conference center, tempted by the mouth watering aromas, lined up to snatch a taste. He received rave reviews from those lucky enough to sample his wares. Even Don Lemon, CNN news anchor, stopped by sucked in by the bustle of the booth and its offerings. He interviewed Clive while videotaping him for an upcoming segment, and then returned for a second portion of the shrimp. You can check out Clive live from Blog World Expo on YouTube by clicking on the link in our Half Hour Meal Community Discussions. You can also learn more about Clive’s unique perspective on life and creative cooking on his blog, “Cooking With Clive”. You won't be disappointed.

Not only did visitors come by to fill their empty stomachs, they also stopped by to discuss Half Hour Meals. I met several professional chefs including a restaurant owner from Hawaii. I was also surprised and thrilled to meet HHM's very own Dawn Hall. Dawn is also a cookbook author and was recently featured by Anne Coleman on her Half Hour Meals blog.

Most of those I met, however, were people who rarely or never cooked. They claimed to be either too busy or frightened to do so because they never really learned how to prepare a meal. Once I took them on a tour of the site they quickly saw how posts from the Half Hour Meal community and its blog authors could inspire and teach them how to easily and quickly prepare a delicious meal. They loved the concept of having an interactive cooking site at their disposal on which they could pose questions, and get timely answers from an engaged community.

So, all in all, the event was a huge success. I took some photos I would like to share with you (violating the ultimate rule – what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas).

I hope you enjoy and maybe I can get to meet you there next year!

Featured Community Member: MarilynDean

Written Monday, October 19th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

Marilyn Dean has a food blog a little different from the rest: it's about food in a way that most of us aren't thinking about directly - it's aprons. Not just any old apron, forget visions of mom or grandma at the stove here, these aprons are contemporary and range from functional to cute to, dare I say it, even a little bit sexy.

Marilyn's blog is an offshoot of her apron business, Susannah's Aprons where you can find nearly any type of apron you're looking for from vintage to children's and beyond. Here is my recent interview with Marilyn - read on for more insight into her blog world and the rest of her very full and interesting life.

Your blog, Susannah's {Kitchen} Aprons is not about food as much as it is about the kitchen in general and, of course, aprons. What is the thought process behind your posts?

It’s been interesting to watch the food trends in the past year. Thanks to Food TV, the recent movie Julie & Julia, and especially the current recession, we’re witnessing a huge return to the kitchen. Economic uncertainties have made dining out less affordable, and that’s created a nostalgia for good home cooking with family and friends.

In my blog posts at Susannah’s Aprons, I’ve tried to address this growing interest, which is especially prevalent among younger Gen Y Moms. I cover Vintage Apron Design, Hospitality, Religious Holidays, Recipes, and Food in the Media. (eg. the new 3D animated kids’ film “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.”)

No longer a symbol of oppression, aprons are a new way for smart modern women to express their style and creativity. We may not all be domestic divas yet, but many of us are willing to give it a try!

Susannah's {Kitchen} Aprons is your second blog. Tell us a bit about the first.

About four years ago, when my two children were preparing to flee the nest, I decided to go back to school to study theology. Blogging seemed like a natural place to share the things I was learning. I started Chrysalis as a “webzine for thinking Christian women” with no blogging experience whatsoever. It’s been a fantastic journey, and a wonderful way to meet like-minded SAHM and WAHM Moms.

The inspiration for my Vintage Apron site comes from Susannah Wesley. She's the famous home schooling mother of ten, including the English evangelists, John and Charles Wesley. Susannah's reputation as a woman of prayer is legendary. Historians tell us that while cooking, she often flipped her apron over her head. Hidden beneath her cotton tent, Susannah offered spontaneous prayers to God.

Has blogging changed the way you look at life?

Absolutely. They say the best way to learn is to teach. And thanks to reading others’ blogs, I’ve expanded my knowledge far beyond the classroom. Also, I’m an interior designer by profession, so my new blog, Susannah’s Aprons has given me the opportunity to express my artsy/creative side through blogging too. As I go through my daily routines, blogging is always on my mind!

Your aprons are fabulous - do you make them all?

Thank you. I wish I could say yes! I do sew—but not aprons. I use my sewing skills in my design work, including draperies, throw pillows, upholstery etc. All the aprons at Susannah’s Aprons are created by others. Like many online vendors, I have “affiliate” business relationships where I am compensated to provide a store front and advertising.

Share with us a day in your kitchen - what is the daily food like in your home?

As a new empty nester, I’m learning to cook for two again. I like to prepare dinner for my husband with care each evening. Since he doesn’t cook, he really appreciates my efforts. We especially love international cuisine including Mexican, Asian, Italian, Greek, Indian, British, French, and of course good old-fashioned American.

The recession has made me rethink our weekly food budget, which I’ve taken for granted for many years. Mindful of the hungry, I’ve begun donating 10% of my earnings at Susannah’s Aprons to a charity called Angel Food Ministries. Angel Food provides food relief for over 500,000 Americans/month who are struggling financially.

In what ways does having a family change the way you blog?

My husband and I will be celebrating our 31st anniversary next month. We still feel like kids, even though our two children are now grown. Our oldest daughter was married last summer in Hawaii, and our son just graduated from college this past spring. Since they are no longer little, I devote a good chunk of my time to blogging, Twittering and Facebooking. I also hope to write an ebook at some point in the near future.

Name a handful of ingredients that you couldn't live without.

You may laugh, but for “women of a certain age” like me, green tea and soy products have taken a front seat in my life—especially soy milk. More appealing ingredients that I must have include fresh garlic, high quality olive oil, fresh basil, sharp cheeses, and lime in all its variations. I’m a salt, savory, sour lover, with not much of a sweet tooth. Cumin is currently my favorite spice.

When and Why did you join Half Hour Meals?

Since Susannah’s Aprons is only three months old, I’m still exploring the vast world of “foodie” blogs. I found Half Hour Meals through a badge on someone’s recipe blog. I joined Half Hour Meals to mix with creative home cooks who might also want to buy a new apron for themselves or a friend.

What's your favorite thing about the site?

I love the social aspect. I’ve been surprised by the number of comments, and how supportive readers are. It’s really fun to know that members are actually trying out my recipes! When reviewing Susannah’s Aprons, Theresa111 kindly said,

“A store that gets my attention because its aprons and cast iron skillets. A must see because you might just want to order something cute to wear while you are preparing your next Half Hour Meal.”

Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals?

Not yet! However, I certainly will. I love to cook, and I’m always on the lookout for quick and easy recipes with a little international flair.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them?

In three words, I’d call Half Hour Meals an “online cooking community.” The site is easy to navigate, and has the potential to compete with my blogging as a tempting new hobby.

7 Good Reasons to Buy a Vintage Apron

You'll feel pretty
You'll feel like smiling
You'll feel more creative
Your cooking will taste better
Your kitchen will smell more inviting
Your family will purr with contentment
Your guests will thank you with love in their hearts

Featured Community Member: Rebeccasubbiah

Written Monday, October 12th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

Half Hour Meals community member, rebeccasubiah is not just a food blogger, she's also a mom and a dietician. Her meals are full of flavor, yet healthy at the same time and her blog is a wonderful read. She often hosts other bloggers and is a terrific addition to our community, as well.

Read on to learn more about Rebecca and her delicious blog!

Chow and Chatter is a great name for a food blog, where did
it come from?

I feel it captures what my blog is all about the header picture is from a Vietnamese restaurant, having a good meal with friends, it was fresh and healthy and mixed with good chatter.

What is the inspiration behind your blog?

Well I am a dietitian and I adore food and cooking cuisines from around the globe, I started it last december for fun, it was a great way to learn to write and share health tips keeping my professional brain working as a stay home mum. It has been a great journey, and a wonderful learning experience.

Has food blogging changed the way you look at food?

Yes it inspires me to keep cooking new recipes I see from blogs around the world.

Living somewhere so far removed from where you were raised has got to be daunting. How different is the food and culture from what you grew up with?

Well a lot of American food has European influences and the meat and two vegetables type of meal. I live in NC so the Southern diet is a bit different, we call biscuits scones in the UK and our name for cookies are biscuits!, also we don't have cornbread and grits. To be honest though the Southern diet can be a challenge for a dietitian as I say smiling.
Is Chow and Chatter your first blog? If not, what else have you written?

It is my first and my first love! I also blog for an Alaskan Seafood Company and have another gig up my sleeve, looking for ways to write to stay home.

How does having a family change the way you blog?

I am married and have a one year old daughter, so I put a focus on how to adapt ethnic foods for little ones (I wrote an article on this recently and got my inspiration from a question posted in the half hour meals community!).

Your recipes here at HHM, Aloo Gobi and Spinach Dal are Indian dishes - what's the story there?

Oh I am married to a South Indian, so a lot of my cooking is Indian, in fact my mum in law has been here, I have been learning so much.

Name a handful of ingredients that you couldn't live without.

Garlic, fresh basil, masala powder and onion. My Mum in Law is on a special religious diet with no onions and garlic now thats a challenge.

Share with us a day in your kitchen - what is the daily food like in your home?

Its a mixture of food from everywhere sometimes, Indian, Italian, Chinese, Thai, British, the more varied the better. I tend to cook when my little one naps, then re-heat it later.

When and Why did you join Half Hour Meals?

About 2 months ago, I was approached by Blog Catalog, its a wonderful site so happy to be part of the community.

What's your favorite thing about the site?

Well the community section, and of course browsing new blogs.

Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals?

I probably have I must confess I read my blogs on my daily reader and get them as and when I see them.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them?

Its a fun community of foodies with a shared interest and love of food and enjoying life.

Featured Community Member: MakeRoux

Written Monday, October 5th, 2009 by Anne Coleman

Community member MakeRoux is the owner of a blog that tugs at my culinary heartstrings; it's all about Cajun food! Even if you're not obsessed with Cajun cuisine, you'll want to stop by her blog and dig in to some of the most delicious recipes ever. Until then, read more about her and her blog here.

First, Make a Roux! is nearly two and a half years old, what advice do you have for new food bloggers?

My main advice is to keep at it. You may hit some rough spots where you feel like you've lost your cooking and/or blogging inspiration. Don't worry. You'll get it back.

What is the inspiration behind your blog?

The main inspiration behind my blog is my Cajun/French/German heritage and the food and customs of small town South Louisiana. I also like to entertain, which means mixing up cocktails and concocting new dishes for my friends to try when they come to visit.

Has food blogging changed the way you look at food?

It has. I can't say that I'd ever photographed food before becoming a food blogger. I think more about the way my dishes look now. From a sociological perspective, food blogging has made me very aware of food as a means of bringing complete strangers together to discuss what they're cooking and eating. It's thrilling to look at my blog stats and see that I've had visitors from Malaysia and Bulgaria!

You are a transplanted Cajun - has living in Southern California changed the way you see food? How often do you get 'back home'?

Living in Southern California and being away from some of my favorite ingredients, like andouille, crawfish, Gulf shrimp, and Steen's Cane Syrup, has been truly challenging. Cooking my favorite Cajun dishes while in SoCal requires advanced planning, paying for shipping, and/or lugging bags of food back from my two or three yearly visits home. The end results are always worth the wait, the extra money, and the sore shoulders!

One positive effect of the move on my cooking, is that I've learned to put a California twist on some of my favorite Cajun ingredients. I make some killer shrimp tacos with my Cajun BBQ shrimp recipe. A decade ago, if you'd asked me about eating seafood in tacos, I would have thought you were nuts. Now, I think it's delicious!

Is First, Make a Roux! your first blog? If not, what else have you written?

It's my first and only blog. I started it after I realized how curious my California friends were about Cajun food and culture. Lots of them also wanted access to some specific Cajun and non-Cajun recipes that I'd contributed to parties and potlucks over the years.

Are you married? Do you have a family? If so, in what ways does that change the way you blog?

I'm married to a wonderful man who loves to eat and who is also my biggest supporter. He is always game for trying anything I cook and, as a New Englander, he's been faced with lots of unusual dishes like riz au fevre and crawfish etouffee'. I have one stepdaughter, who is a bit of a picky eater. I blog fewer Cajun recipes than I'd like to because those dishes don't go over as well with her. I did, however, have a minor victory, which involved her eating some jambalaya.

Your recipe for Brown Butter Pumpkin Corn Muffins is next on my list of 'must-makes', what's the story behind the unusual blend of corn and pumpkin in these muffins?

I woke up a couple of Saturday mornings ago with a craving for some corn muffins. Even though it was 90 degrees out, I was thinking ahead to Fall, Halloween, changing leaves, and pumpkins. I figured some pumpkin would taste great in corn muffins and would keep them moist. Overall, I think the two flavors worked pretty well together.

Name a handful of ingredients that you couldn't live without.

First and foremost, I couldn't live without rice -- it's the basis of so many Cajun and Creole dishes. After that, I'd say that I couldn't live without beans, flour (Make a Roux) or crawfish!

Share with us a day in your kitchen - what is the daily food like in your home?

Weekdays are generally hectic. I may have a smoothie or some whole wheat toast and peanut butter for breakfast. Dinner can be anything from fish on the grill to red beans and rice. I usually go to my backyard and clip any herbs or pick any veggies right before I start cooking. After dinner, I pack lunches for the family. My lunch is typically salad from my garden, along with some cottage cheese or a poached egg with Creole seasoning. If needed, I'll start some beans soaking before going to bed.

Weekends are more involved. I might make some eggs, pain perdu, or muffins for breakfast. Lunch can be anything. For me, it is often a veggie sandwich or a cheese and fig preserve sandwich. I might cook a gumbo, which is too time-consuming to cook during the week. Sometimes, I'll keep it simple and have a small-scale, indoor shrimp boil, which we all really love.

At other times, I may raid the freezer for leftovers because I am busy baking cakes or cupcakes for friends.

When and Why did you join Half Hour Meals?

I joined Half Hour Meals on August 14th after recieving an invitation from blogcatalog. HHM looked like an interesting site, so I signed up.

What's your favorite thing about the site?

The rotating Meal of the Day recipes.

Have you tried others' recipes from Half Hour Meals?

So far, I've tried AngieAlaniz' Sangria recipe. It was delicious. There are several more recipes I'm hoping to try soon.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them?

Half Hour Meals is a user-friendly and highly accessible collection of recipes, food blogs, and people who like talking about food. You must visit it!

I think I'd like to spend a day with MakeRoux, but for now I'll sit back and read some more of her blog. Don't forget to check it out for yourselves!