Hello my friends! This is one exciting week . . . Saturday is my birthday but more importantly, today is one year since I started my blog. I hope you've enjoyed it and if you want to read about how it all came to be, here's my story and how my blog got it's name. I've really been having a great time blogging: it's made me try new recipes, "meet" new people through their blogs, started conversations about cooking and food with old friends, and helped me be more conscious about what I'm putting in my body (and feeding my family).
One unanticipated benefit has been the convenience of having many favorite recipes in one place - a few times of week, I'm looking up my own recipes on here and it's easier than the bulging, unorganized folders full of recipes I've been using in the past. Here are a few highlights:
Recipe I don't know how I ever lived without:
Chocolate Cake
What I make every single week: Granola
Best "Meat" recipe (despite my blog's title, I've had more baking recipes than anything): BBQ Beef or Chicken Enchiladas
Proudest baking moment: Cherry Upside Down Cake
Best "no sugar & no white flour" recipe: Brownies
Favorite Ice Cream: Umm . . . I can't choose. So, check out
the list
To celebrate, I'm having my first ever blog contest giveaway. If you know me well, you know that I *heart* games and I was tempted to make this a game with a winner who had to do / know something BUT, what I'm really curious about these days is who is reading my blog. I hear from family and friends that all these other family and friends read my blog and I don't even know about it.
So, to win the big prize, you only have to leave a comment. You can only enter once and you need to do it by next Friday (2/19). I'll pick a number at random to choose the winner and announce the winner next Saturday (2/20). If you want to say something other than "hi," you can tell me a recipe you've made and liked or a recipe you want to try or how you heard about the blog.
The Big Prize: A package with something homemade, something chocolate, and something that will make cooking a little easier. I'll mail it to wherever you are and if I get around to it, I'll photograph it so you can see what you might win.
Thanks for reading! I'm excited about Year #2!
Note: A couple people have had trouble logging in to comment - just pick "Anonymous" which is the last choice in the "Comment As" drop down menu and put your name at the end of your comment. If that still doesn't work, email me instead of commenting at whatsformeat@gmail.com
One final picture - just because she's so cute and I know she's the only reason some of you check this blog! This is her first mug of hot chocolate:
Congrats for surviving 1 year of blogging, and...the loco bloggers.
ReplyDeleteI'll say a reHello then, again, Bec!
I don't remember how "I found you" but most of the "stuff" I find on the net is by accident while hiking toward another destination.
I find the great majority of blog readers don't leave comments. Even my close friends and family rarely leave a comment! But, sure they read what I have to say religiously.
And, then there are others who want feedback yet often don't leave much themselves.
Blogging is not easy, especially for canine non-writers like me. So, I figure the least I can do for loco blogger's is read & leave some feedback for them.
However, there is a loco Blog Initiation for newbies: attend a loco Gathering of Bloggers. There are gonna bee at least 3 in the next few months.
Ok, I hope this comment is the prize-winner!
Happy blogging birthday! I don't know how I first found your blog, but I always come back for the food and the sous chef.
ReplyDeleteHey lady! Your blog rocks - I'm always impressed at how regularly you update it. Happy 1st anniversary. ;)
ReplyDeleteI have a new recipe I really like... stuffed bell peppers. It's super easy and tasty:
Brown 1/2 pound ground beef. Cook 1/2 cup couscous according to package directions. Mix the beef, couscous, 4 sliced scallions, 1 cup crumbled feta, and 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots; season with salt and pepper. Stuff into 4 hollowed-out bell peppers and bake at 400 degrees, covered, until tender, 45-50 minutes.
Fun contest idea - the prize sounds wonderful!
Love u! Sar
Happy birthday Rebecca! I have a little something for you.
ReplyDeleteI have made several of your recipes. I really like the carrot & edamame salad, the chocolate espresso cookies. And I'm most looking forward to the muesli. I really can't believe I haven't tried it yet!
Love your blog. It's one of my favorite. You ought to start a blog on how you keep it all together--life that is. You're one of those women who can do it all with such grace.
Hope to see you soon!
Hey Becca Vi,
ReplyDeleteI don't have a recipe to share other than my fav marinate meat in whatever I have around... mostly starting with onion and garlic (maybe stealing citrus from my neighbor). I've been making variations of your enchiladas for years and recently used TJ's red sauce that was good and spicy.
Amber
Happy Blog Anniversary Bec! I can't believe it's been a year already!
ReplyDeleteAs we regualarly discuss, I've been reading your blog since Day 1. Afterall, cooking is at the top of our topic conversations, followed closely by our adorable children, wonderful husbands, and working out (or lack thereof depending on what we decided to bake instead!).
Keep up the good blogging work! Oh, and thanks for featuring my cookies on your blog!
Foodie Love & Mine,
~Stephanie : )
Happy blogday to you. And now I hear you have a little one on the way too. You'll be busy.
ReplyDeleteEntry by email: Judy
ReplyDeleteHey - Happy, Happy Birthday and lot's of other congrats too! We are gathering at my house before going to see my nephew Alex appearing in "A Few Good Men" I think I will make the cinnamon squares - just to tide everyone over on the longggggg trip to Newport! Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteLyn
Okay, I'm guilty and have never made one of your recipes. You do inspire me though with your healthy cooking (I thought I cooked healthy until I read your blog). I think the first recipe I try will be either the scallop one we had at your house or BBQ beef. I'll let you know. You do a wonderful job keeping up to date with this blog. It must be a lot of work and a lot of fun at the same time. You inspire me! XO Janelle
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a full year of blogging Rebecca! Its fun to check in here to see what you've been thinking about and cooking and writing. I'm guilty as charged, my favorite parts are the photos of Jenna, of course! But I do check in to find ideas and recipes . . . my favorites are your summer salads with grains. Do you know that the first words out of Jennas mouth every Thursday as she comes in my door are "Let's cook something out of your cookbook, Grammy Heidi" You've taught her well! You're an inspiration and a blessing to me - I'm so glad I thought you up! your mom
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the nice words and the ideas you've given me this past year of blogging. Congratulations to Amber for winning!
ReplyDeleteI guess I was a little late for the game, but I do read your blog and enjoy it very much! It took several weeks to reset all my bookmarks to the blogs I read after I got my new Mac, so I wasn't reading very consistently for a month or two, but now I'm back on!
ReplyDeleteLove Katie