Well 2013 has been a great adventure for my husband and I at Two in the Kitchen. In fact, I’m kind of sad to see it go as it is the year we decided to start a culinary blog. And what a FUN experience blogging has been so far!!
I debated about doing an end of the year “top recipes” round up like other food blogs are doing since we have really only been blogging for a couple months. But then I got to thinking about it and thought what a great way to reflect on the whole process! So this post is really about our journey so far as a blog. And I have to tell you that so far, it has surpassed my expectations!! So before I get into our top recipes, I am going to give a quick synopsis of how we started our blog:
First, my husband, having attended culinary school, and I being an avid baker, had always talked about having a restaurant. But this was never a serious option as we both have full time careers with Erik being in the business world, and I as a high school history teacher. But we always thought that we would like to do something with food.
So a little over a year ago I noticed a friend of mine had a blog; a home school/ life lessons type of blog (Charliebrownteacher.blogspot.com) -love ya Becky!! 😉 and I was quite intrigued and wondered what it took to run a blog. So I began researching and discovered a whole new intricate, multi-layered world. I found out what it meant to self-host rather than using a free hosting service. I learned about terms like “themes”, and “widgets” and “plug-ins”.
I started learning about food photography and bought a nice DSLR camera because, of course, on- line, people eat with their eyes! I got a web designer (The Pixilista)to create our blog since I wasn’t comfortable with the technology side of it myself . (Jessica does great work!!) And our blog was launched in early October.
I took the first couple weeks to log in several posts before going public on Oct. 25th, 2013. And since then, it has been more fun than I ever imagined. I love learning new things and meeting new people through blogging! And let me tell you: The blogging community is the MOST supportive group of people I have ever met!!
I can’t wait to learn more about blogging in the coming year! I’m even going to my first blogging conference: The Six Sister’s Build Your Blog Conference in Salt Lake City in February. (Can’t wait!!! -Anyone else going???)
So, since we have only been blogging a couple of months, I thought I would stick with our 8 most popular recipes:
Number 8: Lemon Supreme Pie. A Baker’s Square copy cat. I could eat the whole thing myself!!
Number 7: Nutella, Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed Breakfast Braid. I literally just posted this. But hey; It’s Nutella, and it’s easy. Enough said!! 😉
Nutella, Peanut Butter and Banana stuffed Breakfast Braid
Number 6: Baked Caramel Apple French Toast. This was the first recipe I posted on our blog. It’s one of my favorites!
Baked Caramel Apple French Toast
Number 5: Apricot Glazed Pork Chops. Stuffed with fontina cheese, sage and prosciutto, this is one of my favorite meals that Erik has made for the blog!!
Number 4: Salted Caramel Shortbread Brownie Bars. Amazing!!
Salted Caramel Shortbread Brownie Bars
Number 3: Candy Cane Crunch Trifle. What a great Christmas treat!!
Number 2: Orange Sriracha Glazed Chicken Satay. These are so tasty and delicious!
And the number 1 recipe on Two in the Kitchen for 2013 was: Mesquite Pork Tenderloin! This was our first recipe to be featured on another website. Six Sister’s Stuff nonetheless!! That didn’t really mean much to my husband (Though I was jumping up and down!!) My husband knew he made a good recipe when he google imaged the term “Mesquite Pork Tenderloin” and ours was the first image to pop up!!
So 2013 has been a fun year for us here. I want to thank everyone here who has supported us!! It’s been fun to read all the comments, “meet” new people and hear from those who have made and enjoy our recipes. Erik and I are excited to share more great recipes with you in the New Year! Happy New Year to you all!!
Marcie says
You look like you’ve been blogging for years! Honestly, your photos are gorgeous and your dishes look incredible — I’m sold! That lemon supreme pie and shortbread brownies really get me. I’m loving what I see and I can’t wait to see more. Happy new year!
Renee says
Thank you Marcie, you are very sweet! My husband and I have been cooking and baking for years but the blogging part is new! ( and quite a lot of fun, right?) It helps that Erik went to culinary school and is so creative in the kitchen. ( Just like you!!) I am excited about this New Year for cooking, baking and blogging!! Happy New Year to you as well! 🙂
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker says
WOW! I wouldn’t have guessed you have only been blogging for a year. Your recipes and photographs always look amazing! What a great first year. I can’t wait to see what 2014 brings 🙂
Renee says
Thank you for the compliment Zainab! I think it helped that I did a lot of research for about a year before my husband and I started our blog. And I practiced photographing food a lot before I got up enough courage to have my pictures go “public”. So I feel like I’ve been doing this for a while even though we have really only been up and running for a couple months!! (since October) Congratulations to you on your 1st year “blogiversary”!! I can’t wait to get there myself!! (Though I’ve got a while to wait.) 🙂
Kelly says
Your photos and food always look awesome! You are doing a great job and look forward to seeing what else you make this year 🙂 Here’s to a wonderful 2014 and Happy New Year!
Renee says
Thanks so much for your encouragement Kelly! Happy New Year to you!
Becky Rassi says
You commented on my Facebook post and I gave myself a big ol’ facepalm. I saw this post while perusing on my phone and thought, “I will come back and write a proper comment when I am at the computer.”
Fail.
It is so edifying to know that my little hacked-up, neglected spot in the blogworld helped inspire your professional, fantastical spot in it!
So excited to visit your kitchen on a regular basis. Glad you make sure our lives collide regularly. Thankful that you have become MY friend over the past 15 years (and not just Clay’s!)
Love you dear Renee! AND we love Johan, er Eric, too!
Renee says
Becky, you seriously just brought tears to my eyes! You absolutely inspire me, in more ways than one! Especially the way you are continually trying to seek after God’s purposes for yours and your family’s lives!! You never give yourself enough credit in my opinion! 🙂 I look forward to each of your posts on your blog as I always find myself reflecting on some aspect of my life when I do (and see I have a lot to work on!!) I am thankful to count you as a DEAR friend and someone I very much look forward to talking to and spending time with. I love you and Clay dearly and I can’t WAIT till we get together again (SOON!!!)