Posts Tagged ‘food blogging’

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ITS TIME TO GIVE BACK…

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

imagesAs 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!

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Featured Community Member: Ashley Ramaker

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Half Hour Meals Member Ashley lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Ashleyand writes a delicious blog called Cheese Curd in Paradise that is all about her love of “simple but yummy dishes” (and Green Bay Packers football). Her recipes reflect these passions, focusing on ease of preparation and maximum flavor, with a few tailgating hints thrown in. Read on to find out more about Ashley and her world:

Your blog, Cheese Curd in Paradise, is a delightful, comfort-food filled look into your kitchen and your love of cooking. Tell us more about the inspiration behind your blog. I have been reading and inspired by other bloggers for awhile now. After lots of cooking and encouragement from family and friends I decided to start my own blog. The process of naming the blog was the hardest! However, one day I couldn’t get the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” song out of my head, and Cheese Curd in Paradise was created. Cheese curds are a Wisconsin favorite after all. My goal is to cook foods that are easy and don’t come out of a box. Also, I wanted the blog to represent foods that I love eating and cooking.

You’re a huge Packers fan- what are some of your favorite game-day foods to have while watching the game? Do you ever tailgate? Any menu suggestions for other tailgaters? It really depends on the day actually. Two Sundays ago I made rack of lamb with caramelized shallots and thyme crust with roasted potatoes and this past Sunday we ordered pizza. However, there are some very important staples that are most commonly seen at our house. Brats, potato salad, and beer! If I had to pick my ultimate menu it would be grilled brats, potato salad, baked beans, and a cold Miller Lite. I LOVE tailgating. I was at the Green Bay/Detroit game this year to enjoy a Packer victory. We usually go to one game a year because our season tickets are divided between our family members. What I find is best for tailgating is brats or hot dogs, and some kind of chips and dip (we had beer dip and pretzels this year!). Easy is best because it needs to pack up quick and go back into the trunk!  Make sure to bring a cooler for your beer, mini grill for your meat, and folding chairs! Some people really get into making crazy contraptions for cocktail making. This year there was a guy who made a blender with bike handles, and when he “revved” the engine out came a root beer and Jagermeister slush!

Green Bay Packers head coach, Mike McCarthy, is coming to dinner. What would you serve? I assume that the Coach doesn’t ever get a chance to tailgate being so busy getting ready for the game. I think I would have to get out the grill and make some brats! (this seems to be becoming a theme…). To go with the brats I would serve Campfire Potatoes, oven baked beans, grilled onions, and Grandma’s Apple Pie with cinnamon ice cream.

How long have you been blogging and how has blogging changed your daily life? I have only been blogging since July of this year and I love it! It has made me more aware of what I am cooking because I want to share it with others. Making nightly meals has become even more important to me.

Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? I sure do! I love that I can look back on the things I have made. I also love when my friends and family try the different meals I post! I think that blogging is a way I can show my love of cooking. I would someday love to have my own restaurant, but that is a long way off.  I actually work in politics for the US Congress (another love of mine).

Does being a mother change the way you blog? I actually don’t have any children. The baby in my picture is my newest nephew Drew Michael. I have have 5 nephews (Jacob, Alex, Gabriel, Isaac, and Drew) and 2 nieces (Skylah and Isabel). I love children and hope to someday have some of my own. I really do love cooking for children. They are honest about foods and can be open minded. My nephew Alex didn’t want to try broccoli until I told him it was what Superman ate. He ended up loving it, and he opened up really easily to Chinese food because he found the vegetables he likes in most dishes. The only small things in my house for the time being are 2 cats (Strider and Kramer).

Where does your inspiration in the kitchen come from? The  “mmmmmmm” factor. That noise people make after their first bite of something really yummy. That is what I go for with each dish. Also, trying different things and working with new challenges. My boyfriend Ron just found out he is allergic to mushrooms, cayenne, pineapple, and cabbage… so it will be a new challenge to work with (esp. the mushroom part!). I also like to use local and seasonal fruits and vegetables for my dishes. In Northeast Wisconsin we are lucky to have many family farms to buy from. Even the local stores will mark products that are made or grown in the area to help buyers. Time is another thing I look at when cooking. I work a lot and need to make foods that are both yummy and quick.

Ok….I have to ask…you live in Wisconsin, a state known for its cheese. What’s your favorite recipe using cheese? I almost can’t given an answer to this! That is hard… I would have to say Blue Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Chicken. I am a huge blue cheese fan (closely followed by cheddar). I think this might be tied with a breakfast casserole using cheddar cheese. One of my favorite cheese “items” is a cheese curd of course. In Wisconsin, you can buy them fresh from local farms. They are best when they are a squeaky and still a little warm.

You obviously have a special place in your heart for comfort food, and your recipe for Shredded Crockpot Turkey looks delicious. What is your #1 comfort food? Spaghetti with Meat Sauce. It took me forever to get that sauce down to taste close to my aunt’s sauce. It is so good.  Shredded Crockpot Turkey is so good too! It reminds me of Thanksgiving leftovers, and what can be more comforting than that!?

Why did you join Half Hour Meals? I saw an ad on another bloggers page and my first thought was- I need to be on there because that is me! Quick and yummy cooking.

When did you join Half Hour Meals? I joined about a month ago and some change.

What’s your favorite thing about the site? I love that I can look for recipes that fix my lifestyle. Also, it allows me to connect with other bloggers. From my short time in blogging I have learned that connecting and sharing stories is imperative to a successful and good quality blog.

Have you tried others’ recipes from Half Hour Meals? I have a few on my docket coming up soon. :)

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? A wonderful resource for foodies on the go!

Thanks for sharing with us, Ashley! I hope you all will stop by and visit Ashley’s page here at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well!

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Featured Community Member: Patti Londre

Friday, October 30th, 2009

Half Hour Meals Member Patti lives in Los Angeles and authors a fun-filled Pattiblog about unpretentious (“Larry approved”) food, her experiences owning her own food-oriented PR company, and the camp for food bloggers that she runs. From hanging out with Julia Child at IACP meetings to having actress Mandy Moore cooking in her kitchen, Patti’s life is quite busy and always fascinating. Add to that the worldwide travel adventures she shares with her husband Larry, and the comical antics of her pug, Sake, and Larry’s kitten, Penny, and there’s never a dull moment! Read on and get swept up in Patti’s world!

Your blog, Worth the Whisk, is two parts fun mixed with one part great recipes. Tell us more about the inspiration behind your blog. Thanks for the nice words! I started working in food at age 16, and earned my college degree in home economics. Pretty much every job I’ve had, including running my own PR firm for 25+ years, has been within the food world. Earlier this year, I was a guest speaker at the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) and decided to sit in on a session about food blogging. And *lightbulb!* It just seemed like a natural new challenge for my skills – AND my kitchen full of stuff!  Since I’ve always cooked, my collection of recipes, clips, friends’ recipes was also the inspiration. So many things collected, yet not cooked – now was the time!

Every cook has had at least one kitchen disaster. Tell us about your most memorable disaster in the kitchen, and what you did to turn things around. One Thanksgiving, my girlfriend Gail suggested we make the “turkey in brown paper bag” which meant slathering it with mayo and roasting in a supermarket bag to soak up the oil (folks, DON’T try this at home, I came to realize those bags are recycled and full of toxins). We oiled up that big bird and – ZOOM – like a giant bar of soap; it flew out of our arms and skidded across the kitchen floor.  We applied the Universal Five Second Rule and managed to wrangle it back into our arms, then wiped it off and kept going.

If Julia Child were coming to dinner tonight, what would you serve? I’ve had the opportunity to be around Julia a few times at IACP meetings and know she loved many things – except airline food. She ate asparagus with her fingers, the mark of a Swell Gal. I’d probably roast a lovely chicken with rosemary red potatoes, definitely asparagus plus make a foolproof chocolate dessert so I could sit and enjoy her company. No use trying to impress her, just feed her well.

Name the one ingredient you can not live without. Eggs.

Tell us what you eat/cook when you’re home alone. Usually a starch topped with butter. Brown rice, noodles, spaghetti, toast, bagel.  On the sofa.  Larry and I always eat at the table, so when he’s not here, sofa eating happens.

Where does your inspiration in the kitchen come from? Hunger, plus what’s in the ‘fridge.  We joke about “refrigerator management,” which means we need to eat what’s in there or cook with what’s in there.  Usually with the type of produce and proteins we have, an Asian or Mexican inspired meal can take place almost any day. 

I enjoy reading about your pug Sake, and Larry’s kitten, Penny. Do they get along? Yes, in an unbalanced way.  Poor ol’ Sake is 15, mostly deaf and quite blind, but we know he sees a bit. An orange maniac kitten flying at him from all directions happens several times a day and for the most part, he participates (Duck! Run! Watch out!). But he draws two boundaries – he won’t share a lap or a bowl.

How long have you been blogging and how has blogging changed your daily life?  Literally the day after I returned home from that IACP conference, I jumped on it, excited! Choosing a name, figuring out hosting, testing the name on my sisters, changing the name, buying a URL, designing the graphics, writing posts, deleting posts because they were lousy.  I took notes of my process, which now I am incorporating into my presentation at the Let’s Get Cookin’ culinary school in Westlake Village, CA, on January 27 called “How to Become a Serious Blogger.”  My schedule is fairly rigid now with planning what to cook, making the dish, photographing it, posting, producing the weekly newsletter, tweeting, guest posts and more. Luckily, we food bloggers get to eat what we blog about.

Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? Like lots of serious bloggers, yes, I really do. And because this is an industry still in its infancy, I decided to conduct a weekend bootcamp for food bloggers called Camp Blogaway in the mountains near Big Bear, CA. Sessions on bettering our photography, food styling, Photoshop, recipe writing, copyrighting, SEO and more will take place, plus lots of good old fashioned camp fun.Half Hour Meals was recommended via a tweet from a food blogger. I joined the day I saw the tweet, which was about a month ago.

Why and when did you join Half Hour Meals?

What’s your favorite thing about the site? Who doesn’t love meals you can make in 30 minutes?  It’s my favorite way to cook.

Have you tried others’ recipes from Half Hour Meals? Yes I have, soups especially. And pumpkin recipes right now, as I made a very large quantity of homemade fresh pumpkin puree and need LOTS of ways to use it up.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? An easy, fresh resource for realistic recipes by capable cooks. The clean, uncluttered site is a breeze to negotiate. Try it!

 Thanks for sharing with us, Patti! I hope you all will stop by and visit Patti’s page here at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well! Also, any of you serious food bloggers interested in attending Camp Blog-Away don’t forget to find out more by clicking here.

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Featured Community Member: Amybyrd21

Monday, October 26th, 2009

AmyHalf 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.

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Featured Community Member: NicoleMaro

Friday, October 16th, 2009

RedlipzHalf Hour Meals Member Nicole lives in Connecticut and authors a fun-to-read blog that takes us on a culinary journey as she recalls the foods she loves, meals she has eaten, and recipes she has created. She writes with passion and sensuality about the things she loves to eat like avocado, lobster, and the perfect slice of pizza. Read on to learn more about Nicole’s love affair with food.

Your blog, Re-Feast, is truly treat for the eyes and the mind! Your writing and photos take your readers back to the exact moment you ate and experienced a meal or a dish, and aptly express you love of even a simple ingredient like Edamame. Tell us more about the inspiration behind your blog.  I love eating, and I love writing – so I figured creating a blog and fusing the two together would be fun and a great way to share what I’ve been dining on.

Your love of certain things like lobster and the perfect slice of pizza shines through in the way that you write about them. It made me wonder, if you could plan your own last meal, what would you eat?  I’ve always wondered this myself, because I eat based on cravings a lot. If I had to choose though, I think I’d go with a filet Mignon topped with Guinness infused butter and caramelized onions, alongside some oven roasted asparagus and creamy garlic potato mash.

What is the one food or ingredient you can not live without? Avocados, hands down. I love them! I love them on their own, in salads, on top of burgers, guacamole, you name it.

So how goes your struggle to overcome your fast food addiction? Have you fallen off the wagon? If so, where and what did you eat?I’ve actually been doing pretty good, however I must admit I went astray once the McDonald’s Monopoly games broke loose – I ended my fast food famine with a wretchedly delicious mushroom and Swiss Angus third pounder. I annihilated it. I’ve been behaving since then…

How long have you been blogging and how has blogging changed your daily life?  I’ve been blogging since 2002 – I’ve had several personal blogs, one that I continue to post on currently, since 2004. Blogging originally gave me a great outlet to reach my family while I was living far away, and since I’ve moved closer it’s been a way for me share thoughts and food experiences to anyone interested in taking a read.

Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? Definitely  – I think I communicate best through writing, so I really enjoy being able to put my thoughts out there in my most comfortable medium. Plus, it’s just fun.

Does being a mother change the way you blog?  My online demeanor is different I suppose, being that the food I prepare and my thought processes surround what my son will agree to eat, and what is healthy for us. I don’t blog the way I did when I was in high school – I suppose my blogs are slightly more constructive now!

Where does your inspiration in the kitchen come from? I was never one to cook when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was pregnant, and I was craving food constantly – that food inspiration came to fruition. I would say my initial catapult into the world of food was because of late nights drooling over Food Network television, triggering an interest in creating some culinary masterpieces of my own…and so it began. 

You obviously have a special place in your heart for fast food, and your breakfast burrito looks easy and delicious. Any other favorites you want to share?Hmm..a twist on my favorite fast food, grilled cheese…but with avocado slices. I just posted about it on my blog, actually!

Why did you join Half Hour Meals? I was looking for a new outlet to explore recipes, exchange ideas, and find new food blogs to read through. I love any site that involves food and people that can appreciate it.
 
When did you join Half Hour Meals? I just joined a little while ago, back in September.
 
What’s your favorite thing about the site? I’m enjoying discovering great new recipes, quick recipes! and member blogs.

Have you tried others’ recipes from Half Hour Meals? I most recently tried Sarah’s focaccia bread pizza - great idea!

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? An awesome place to find recipes that are great quality and can be prepared quickly, along with an amazing community full of creative folks that love food.

Thanks for sharing with us, Nicole! I hope you all will stop by and visit Nicole’s page at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well!

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Featured Community Member: Rebeccasubbiah

Monday, October 12th, 2009

-DSC02077.jpg-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.

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Featured Community Member: SarahJ5454

Friday, October 9th, 2009

SarahHalf Hour Meals Member Sarah lives in Texas and authors an entertaining blog about her love of food and music, and the creative ways she combines them. She writes about her adventures in the kitchen and her foray into cooking class with humor and honesty, even eliciting a few belly laughs as you read about her attempts to get to know her knife. Read on to learn more about Sarah’s adventures in the kitchen.

Your blog, Sarah Sellers’ Blog, is a fun mix of food and music, and paints a clear picture of your love of both. Tell us more about the inspiration behind your blog. Sarah Sellers’ Blog was something I’ve wanted to start for a while now. I’ve been a performer my entire life and a lover of food, but it’s only been within the last few years that I’ve really discovered my love for cooking. I am a marketing analyst during the day, spending a huge percentage of my time marketing online. It just seemed fitting to combine three very important elements of my life, food, music, and the internetJ, into a personal blog. What better way to express myself then through the online food and music community!

I love your food and music pairings. If you could plan your own last meal, what would you eat and what would you listen to? Well, right off the bat I can say MEXICAN FOOD!! I am absolutely obsessed with everything Mexican.  I live in Texas so most of my experience with the cuisine has been Tex-Mex. So, if it were my last meal I would have to go all out. I would start out with a BIG bowl of chips and salsa, a side of guacamole, and chili con queso. For the entrée I would have to do a combination of chicken sour cream enchiladas, a crispy beef taco, and delicious fried chicken flautas!  I’m not much of a dessert person so I would top everything off with an ice cold, top-shelf margarita on the rocks! My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Now for the music selection, that is definitely harder to decide. I have so many favorites that span so many genres, but I will say that nothing soothes the soul, especially while eating, better than the classics. I love old school jazz and to me nobody sings it better than Ella Fitzgerald. Some Mexican food and Ella Fitzgerald…I think I’m starting to tap into some creative Mexican fusion…we’ll see how that develops.

If you could pick one singer (living or not) to come to your home for dinner tonight, who would it be and what would you cook? Again, this is tough as well because there are so many musical greats that I would love to have dinner with, but I have to stay true to my inspirations. I really love so many different types of music, but I have always been drawn to pop culture. Madonna would be an amazing person to have over for dinner. She has always intrigued me and I know she would have quite the story to tell.

I love to cook Italian food when I have friends and family over for dinner, and how fitting is it that Madonna is Italian. So, I would cook my shredded chicken and wild mushroom lasagna, topped with a creamy béchamel sauce, and served with a delicious Caesar salad. This is assuming that she would want to indulge that night in something delicious and fattening!

What do you think has been the catalyst for your recent awakening passion for food and cooking? I feel like cooking is in my blood. I am surrounded by amazing cooks in my family that have always sparked my passion for food. When I was young I was just simply intimidated by cooking. I didn’t think I would be any good at it. Once I overcame the fear, learned how to hold a knife, and took my mistakes in stride, I really started to love it. I have a long way to go until I can really call myself a true cook, but it’s really becoming a fun journey.

How long have you been blogging and how has blogging changed your daily life? My blog is very new, only about a month old, but I use to contribute to a celebrity blog out of Houston and I’ve always enjoyed the creative outlet of writing. It’s very exciting and now I’m always looking for fun things I can write about. My goal is to go from weekly writing to daily writing once I really get the hang of it.

Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? Absolutely! I think the internet is a beautiful thing, and what better way to express yourself and let out all of that creativity then through your own blog. There’s something very liberating about opening your life up to people and sharing your stories with others.

Does being married change the way you blog? My husband is an incredible writer and so creative. When I’m stumped and need something to write about, he really helps me tap into my creativity. He’s a great editor as well!

Where does your inspiration in the kitchen come from? My inspiration really stems from the desire to improve and try new things. We do have a few staples in our house, but for the most part I cook something new almost every night. I still rely heavily on recipes, but I feel like I’m building a foundation that will help me create some delicious dishes of my own. I get excited about trying new things. Using new ingredients and different combinations is a really fun experience for me. Experimenting with new foods and being able to enjoy the end result is the biggest driving factor.

You obviously have a special place in your heart for Tex-Mex, and your “Josh and Sarah’s Fresh Salsa” looks easy and delicious. Any other Tex-Mex favorites you want to share? Ahhh Mexican food, it makes me happy just thinking about it. When I go out to eat I usually stick to fajitas. They are simple, delicious, and what’s more fun than making your own tortilla filled with yummy goodness! When I cook at home I tend to make more tacos than anything else. I have a really simple go-to recipe where I just sauté onions, garlic, and seasoning; mix in some lean ground sirloin, and stir in some spicy refried beans at the end. Then, I like to cover the bottom of my taco shell with freshly made guacamole and sour cream, add the beef mixture, then top with fresh lettuce, red onion, tomato, black olives, and fresh salsa. Delicious!!

Why did you join Half Hour Meals? I stumbled upon Half Hour Meals while adding my blog to blogcatalog.com. I love online communities and was immediately attracted to an online community about food! There is so much you can learn from others and the combination of recipe sharing, discussions, and blog searching is right up my alley.

When did you join Half Hour Meals? I’m a Half Hour Meals newbie. I joined about two weeks ago.

What’s your favorite thing about the site? I love the recipe sharing and how you have the ability to rate and review each one. It’s nice to have a completely unbiased opinion of your food. When you’re fairly new to cooking like I am, helpful tips and advice are welcomed.

Have you tried others’ recipes from Half Hour Meals? I have yet to try any of the recipes, but the first one I want to take a stab it is the Tex-Mex Chicken Tacos with Chili Onion Rings by Sarah. You had me at Chili Onion Rings! Yum!

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? I was actually talking about the site the other day to a friend of mine, and I was saying that it’s a great online community where you can submit recipes, review others, and take part of the many online discussions. I can’t wait to get more involved and learn from all of the other foodies online!

Thanks for sharing with us, Sarah! I hope you all will stop by and visit Sarah’s page here at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well!

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Featured Community Member: MakeRoux

Monday, October 5th, 2009

-FirstMakeARoux.bmp- 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!

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Featured Community Member: Marla

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

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Half Hour Meals Member Marla lives in California and authors a blog about food and a healthy lifestyle. In reading Marla’s blog, Family Fresh Cooking, one thing comes through on the first page: her incredible energy! Part “energizer bunny” and part healthy-lifestyle cheerleader, Marla truly gets you fired-up and excited about eating and living healthier! Read on to learn a little more about her.

Your blog, Family Fresh Cooking is bright, energetic and chock-full of recipes and information. What is the inspiration behind your blog? I love food, great design and good clean living! I look forward to each meal of the day, it’s a good thing I have 6 meals to savor each day! As we know not all food is created equal. I prefer unprocessed, clean, healthy, delicious whole foods. With two small kids I need loads of energy to keep up with an active lifestyle. Feeding myself and my family high energy, whole foods is a passion. Balance is key, eating small frequent, clean meals are the main principles behind FFC. In FFC my goal is to inspire and reinforce the idea that healthy, clean foods taste great!!

How long have you been blogging and how has blogging changed your daily life?  People are always asking about my meals and healthy living lifestyle. Last October it was recommended that I should start blogging. After research I found that blogging opens up a whole new world of opportunities. It is a great forum to share ideas and create an inspirational exchange of recipes and healthy living tips. I tapped away for a number of months creating content and finally launched my site this past June. It is fun being part of such a large, active, ambitious community! When people ask me about my healthy lifestyle I direct them straight to my Blog.

Do you see yourself still blogging several years from now? Absolutely! Blogging has opened up my world immensely! It is so fun to have adult time again anytime, anywhere. You can often find me blogging at my gym on or off the machines :) I have huge goals that are based on the content in my blog. I am getting a great response and my fan base is growing daily.

Are you married? Do you have a family? If yes, does this (either one) change the way you blog? Yes, I am married to a wonderful, encouraging, supportive guy. He is a great dad to my 2 and 5 year old kids. In our family we want to see success for all, with health and happiness being the driving force. We are open to face new opportunities. We enjoy trying new foods, athletic pursuits and we always embrace cool travel opportunities. My husband and I just learned how to surf. Soooo fun and exhilarating! Launching my blog was a big step for me. I felt the need to share my inspirational ideas with the public. The only difficulty…..finding enough time in the day to create my posts! I wake each morning around 4:00am to fit in a yummy breakfast (my stuffed French Toast recipe) and to get some blog time in before the kids wake up.

Where does your inspiration in the kitchen come from? I have a keen sense of taste. I mostly enjoy flavor packed foods that provide a high energy, low glycemic response. I want to look and feel my best and I want the same for my family. I get daily inspiration from foodie magazines, websites and blogs. It is so fun going to the various markets and getting inspired by the fresh fruits, veggies, seafood etc….In order to stay in the best shape mentally and physically I focus on clean, fresh, unprocessed ingredients.

Your “In a Pinch” Crab Salad looked easy and delicious! Do you create most of your own recipes? Yes, I do create most of my own recipes. I use others as guide lines, but I always need to add my own spin. Lately I am hooked on the smoked paprika that is in this crab salad. It adds a huge amount of flavor to savory dishes. I enjoy finding unique hits of flavors to amp up the taste of a dish at the same time keeping meals light, healthy and well balanced.

I especially love how you give tips and variations with your recipes. What inspired you to include them? For me it is all about improvisation. With little kids I have learned to be very quick and steady on my toes. If we have all ready sat down to dinner and they are doing the whiny thing I need to think of quick healthy additions (or subtractions) to get them munching! We all love routines, but it is so fun showing how many changes you can utilize with one recipe. A slight ingredient twist can create a whole new flavor profile. Not only do I provide flavor variations, but I demonstrate how you can adapt the meal for your kids or how you can add or subtract healthy fats, carbs, protein etc…Also I show how to improvise for mini-meals as well. My recipes are often made in a big batch. I want you to have leftovers so you have healthy choices to grab from your fridge at all times. Ultimately we all want to avoid the “crash” from being too hungry.

Ever thought about writing a Family Fresh Cook Book? YES!! That is one of my goals with FFC. I have a huge passion to inspire a lifestyle of clean, healthy, yummy eating. I love cookbooks and it is high on my list of goals to create my own. Not only do I want to share my recipes in the book form, but my graphics and photos as well. I come from a design background, so designing the book would be a blast. Right now I take all of my photos with my iPhone because it is quick, easy and always within reach. Perhaps one day I’ll upgrade and pull out the SLR!! Maybe my niche can be photos from my iPhone!!

 Why did you join Half Hour Meals? It shouldn’t take forever to get a fabulous meal on the table. Half Hour Meals is a great website that shows how much can be done in a half hour or less to get those meals served. I pack 3 lunch boxes a day for myself and the kids, I always need new inspiration. Let’s not forget breakfasts, and dinners and mini-meals or snacks! It is a very inspirational website that I am honored to be a part of.

When did you join Half Hour Meals? I joined Half Hour Meals a few weeks ago and I am so pleased I did! There is a great community of like-minded folks with fabulous recipes and great energy! I love the ambition and diversity of the community.

What’s your favorite thing about the site? The vibrant community! There is a great diversity of the posts and the personalities behind them. HHM also has a wonderful layout and easy navigation. When I am surfing around looking for inspiration I need clutter-free, well thought out sources. HHM provides this for me. I appreciate that HHM highly values clean, healthy, home made foods.

Have you tried others’ recipes from Half Hour Meals? I am a protein junkie so the first thing I tried was the Herbed Lemon Butter Tilapia. Great recipe!! I used a little less butter and added some Turmeric because I love the golden color it adds to meals.

If others were to ask you about Half Hour Meals, how would you describe the site to them? The website covers many flavor profiles and it is very well designed. I enjoy how recipes are categorized in multiple ways. It is very user-friendly and you don’t need tons of ingredients to make the meals. There are loads of clean, healthy, yummy meals and you can always alter recipes to suit your dietary needs. I love that such a wealth of info is in one place! It is a fun community and there are always new posts being added and commented on.

Thanks for sharing with us, Marla! Please stop by and visit Marla’s page here at Half Hour Meals, and be sure to check out her wonderful blog as well!

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Featured Community Member: Domcondo

Monday, September 28th, 2009

-dom1.jpg-In South Philly there is a no-nonsense approach to life: you love the Eagles and you know how to order a Philly Cheesesteak. If you’re from an Italian-Amerocan family in South Philly, food reigns supreme and if you don’t know how to cook, you might not really belong there.

Half Hour Meals member Domcondo is one guy who definitely belonged there. He is no-nonsense about cooking, but fun at the same time. His blog is redolent with family stories and memories and great Italian-American recipes. You don’t want to miss the chance to read about him, but first here’s a little more about Dom and his food blogging life.

Cucina Domenico is just shy of a year old, do you expect a ‘second season’ from it? What is the driving force behind it?

Yes! Actually, I just put together a list of recipes that will allow me to do weekly updates throughout the rest of the year. I look forward to experimenting with many more recipes and sharing them.

Has food blogging changed the way you look at food?

It’s taught me to be more aware of my ingredient measurements. I’ve always gone with ‘a little of this’ and ‘some of that.’ Now that I’m sharing recipes, I want to make sure that they’re somewhat accurate.
It’s also amazing how many people are interested in talking about food and cooking. I’ve made a lot of new friends and have gotten lots of great feedback from posting weekly blog updates on Facebook.

You are an Italian living in Philadelphia, how is this different, from a culinary standpoint, than Italians living anywere else in the U.S.?

When you’re raised in an Italian/American household in South Philadelphia, you’re brought up on the best: the best breads, the highest quality meats, the freshest produce, the sweetest desserts, all while at the same time supporting our neighborhood shops and stores. We take pride in serving the best foods to our family and
friends. I still make sure to search out the freshest, top-quality ingredients, whether it be where I live now or when we go back to South Philly to visit family.

Is Cucina Domenico your first blog? If not, what else have you written?

This is my first blog. Many of my friends enjoy cooking, so we are always talking food. I had gotten a Myspace page, but didn’t really know what to do with it. One of my co-workers suggested that I post recipes on the page. That eventually led to the idea of starting a blog.

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

Yes, my wife Daria and I have two beautiful little girls, Julianna (age 5) and Ava (age 1). Being that we are both full-time working parents and enjoy spending whatever free time we have available with our kids, there’s obviously not much time in the day for yourself. And that’s fine, that’s what being a parent is all about. I like to consider my food blog to be a practical hobby. We have to eat! Plus, cooking has always been therapeutic to me. Now that Julianna likes to mess around in the kitchen with me, it’s fun to write about and take pictures of what we’re doing.

Your recipe for Pesto-Stuffed Salmon is so simple, but obviously full of flavor – what inspires the creation of recipes like this one?

I like the challenge of taking a simple, basic recipe and making it a bit more interesting without going over the top. Just a few tweaks here and there. I’m a graphic designer my trade. One of my teachers in art school always stressed the KIS method (Keep It Simple!). I try to keep that in mind, it helps me focus on not going overboard with ingredients if I don’t have to.

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

Definitely garlic and olive oil. They’re the basis to most of my dishes. I’m also a big fan of fresh herbs and spices. I also like to keep on hand a bottle of Italian dressing, a bottle of soy sauce and a jar of salsa. You can doctor up just about any dish in a pinch using one of those three ingredients.

Where does inspiration in your home kitchen come from?

Being from an Italian/American family definitely inspired me to want to cook. My mom, my grandmother, my aunts, my brother and his wife…they’re all great cooks. And my wife bakes like nobody’s business. Whenever we all get together, food and desserts are always involved and we always congregate around the kitchen/dining room table. I’m also inspired by the seasons of the year. I’m a big fan of the fall season and the fall spices, so I’m looking forward to soon trying a few new dishes with pumpkin, squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.

When and Why did you join Half Hour Meals?

I joined this past summer. I really loved the whole concept of the site and also saw it as an opportunity to share my blog with others who have an interest in cooking and blogging about it.

What’s your favorite thing about the site?

The variety on the site is endless! There are so many great recipes and different types of blogs…you can find just about any type of recipe that you want. It’s also great to see the different interests.
It’s very inspiring!

Have you tried others’ recipes from Half Hour Meals?

I haven’t tried anything yet, but I do have a bunch of recipes
bookmarked and plan on trying them out ASAP.

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

It’s a fantastic resource to check out different recipes and different ideas. It is incredibly user-friendly, and the options of searching by either course or ingredient is a big plus!

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