Since it’s almost Fall, I thought I’d post a picture of this pumpkin bread for y’all.
This post serves as my entry into Foodbuzz’s Project Food Blog: Project Food Blog is the first-ever interactive competition where thousands of Foodbuzz Featured Publishers are competing in a series of culinary blogging challenges for the chance to advance and a shot at the ultimate prize: $10,000 and a special feature on Foodbuzz.com for one year. Starting next week, Foodbuzz will start the voting for the next food blog star, and I’ll repost a link for y’all to vote for me, if you think I should advance. 🙂 Thanks in advance for all of your support!
Most people think of cooking and baking as simply putting food on the table. I’ve been there. I used to think that way and just dreaded it. I started this food blog after I graduated from college, because I moved back in with my family and wanted to help my parents with dinner. My first ever blogged recipe was for turkey meatballs.
Those meatballs were quite the chore. I dirtied up tons of dishes, which I had to clean, and while my family appreciated the meal, we all knew it wasn’t mouth-watering, amazingness on a plate. It was discouraging, to say the least. Oh, and obviously, I really didn’t care how the photo looked. I just took a photo with my point and shoot and uploaded it.
After blogging for a while, I hit a point where I thought this was really boring. I got maybe 1 comment in a week’s time, I felt as unpopular as the last picked kid on the kickball team and just got super jealous of popular bloggers. I knew nothing big would ever come of this blog, so I just sort of lost interest.
After a couple of years of on and off blogging spurts, I realized that I shouldn’t blog to be popular. The competition out there is crazy, and I should do this for me. I thought back to the days when I could barely form a turkey meatball and looked at how far I came. I came to the conclusion that blogging isn’t about popularity….it’s about the moments you have in the kitchen and sharing them with others.
I remember the moment when I made my first batch of biscotti from scratch. It felt so amazing that something as simple as flour, butter, and sugar could come together to form biscotti. I always made bought them, and thought you had to be an authentic Italian bakery to get those to come out right!
I remember how proud I was when I made that first buttercream rose.
I was so excited when I didn’t make anyone sick after making my first pot roast.
I remember when the yeast actually rose for my first batch of rolls.
I remember hosting my first family get-together.
I found that blogging was so much more fun when I was able actually meet a personal challenge and bask in the moment, whether it be taking that perfect picture of a cupcake or making a dish I found to be intimidating.
While I’m not very well known in the blogging community, I feel that I should be considered to be the next food blog star. My blog is here to show everyone that recipes are completely approachable. Anyone can make an amazing meal or dessert for their families and friends. Â Before I ever blogged, I considered my kitchen accomplishments to include heating frozen skillet meals and baking rolls of cookie dough. I didn’t know the names of most ordinary produce. I thought a cup was a cup no matter what type of measuring tool you use. I’ve been there. I’ve messed up, and I still mess up.
It took me a while, but I find that I truly enjoy food blogging now. It’s not a career for me by any means, but it’s a huge passion of mine. I love knowing that my kitchen is a place where you can take simple ingredients and turn it into a great dish. It’s a complete transformation every time, and in my two and a half years of blogging, I don’t see the fun dying down anytime soon.
I agree with you 100%. You need to blog for you. I too have gotten discouraged by an empty inbox, but my personal satisfaction was ultimately what counted most! Good luck!
I agree with both you and Casey! I’m new to blogging and it has been an awesome creative outlet for me, but anytime I let the “no comment” thing start to get in my head, I just remember to do what feels right to me. Best wishes as we go through this wonderful challenge.
I have had many of the same experiences! It’s so funny to look back on my initial posts, and all the things I made and ate that just didn’t taste worth the time I put into them. Now, I do what I want and I get excited to share.
For me, though, I’ve gotten much inspiration from the food blogging community and learned of many new things to try. And yes, my photography has improved (as has yours – a great side-hobby!).
I’m glad you’ve found a happy blogging balance. It’s also nice to hear that someone who’s been cooking a while still messes up. I always try out new recipes on my husband and in-laws, so I always get really nervous about whether it’s good or not. But my husband gave me the best comment the other night; he said I’m turning into a “darned good cook”. 🙂
I feel the same way on a lot of days, but have also had the ‘aha’ moment that even if I have only one comment or 6, someone took time out of their day to read and comment-with 8 gajillion blogs, they took a moment. And believe me, it is more than I get from my family most days. It isn’t about the praise (although we all like to be recognized) it is about the joy of the dough, the smell of the cookies, the onions browning in butter-and a place to express that joy you feel.
Great post – so down to earth and inspiring! That remind me, I need to put together my first foodbuzz entry 🙂
love your post, Amy, and i literally lol’d about being excited about not making anyone sick with your pot roast…been there! I’ve watched your blog grow from the ground up and i’m thrilled with how far you’ve taken it in such a short period of time. best of luck in PFB – you’ve definitely got my vote!
Tara, you totally just made my day with this comment! I remember starting out and thinking that your blog was all sorts of awesome (and it still is!). Best of luck to you too! I voted for SLH!
I love this post! And I still get excited every time my bread rises, or I make a buttercream rose. I can tell that you have a passion for blogging!
Thank you so much!
that photograph of the pumpkin bread looks delicious, it’s so fantastically taken! good luck with the contest 🙂
I totally agree. It’s a compulsion! Cook, Eat, Write, Repeat. You have my vote. Check out my post at http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/1/view/638. Good Luck!
You’re right—being a little guy in the blog world shouldn’t mean you can’t be the next big thing. I’m voting for you!