Weekly Menu

These Weekly Menu recipes allow you to get out of that same ol’ recipe rut and try some delicious and easy dishes! This week I highly recommend making the Aunt Nettie’s Orange Cranberry Nut Cake, the Pressure Cooker Honey BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs and brown rice and the Ultimate Roasted Beef Tenderloin Filet!

Happy Sun Monday folks! Jet lag is a REAL THING folks! If you followed my Instagram and Facebook stories last week you saw that I was one of the most amazing Foodie conferences in Utah. It was the Everything Food Conference that, while the focus was on food blogging, it covered an array of bloggers (fashion, fitness and so forth). This conference was unlike any other conference I had gone to as it literally was non-stop from sun-up to sun-down (but in the best way). I first attended a Foodie Bootcamp that focused on food photography, styling, plating and composition which is something I really needed help with.

I’m not a photographer, I’m an Engineer and Chef however as a blogger/entrepreneur I quickly had to know that I had to wear 47 other hats; one of which including photographer.

Food Photography and Food Styling

If you look at some of my very first posts (well okay you can but just look at the recipe, not the hideous pics) you’ll see how I’ve vastly improved. It’s honestly been from educating myself along with trial and error. While that’s a great way to learn, that’s not how I learn best. I’m a visual person meaning I prefer a classroom type setting. I want that 1:1 interaction. I’m a “show me once and I’ll retain it” type of learner. And this is what that bootcamp offered. 1:1 training/mentoring/help with some of THE BEST food photographers in the business.

While I feel confident in my photography skills, where I felt I lacked skills in (and still do although Joanie Simon from The Bite Shot told me to stop saying this) was the design/styling. I still struggle with the design part of it. I, personally, don’t feel I have a design eye but both she and Skyler Burt from We Eat Together disagreed. When I was struggling with plating and shot they both gave me some really simple, but solid advice. Skyler said, “You’re over thinking it. Get out of your head and just shoot.” Being an Engineer for most of my life this is actually pretty hard. I’m a high analytical person but he’s right.

I was fretting over a shoot for a hummus bowl and wanted to have some pomegranate seeds on the counter outside of the bowl looking like they fell out or were dropped. Me, being me, literally ‘placed’ them one by one on the counter. It looked crappy and staged. Skyler said, “Is that how you drop things? Normally they drop in the middle in a pile with a few stragglers on the sides. He then scooped them up, placed them in my hand and said, “Now drop ’em and take the shot.” I did this – without thinking, without over analyzing and the shot turned out gorgeous.

Starting a Blog

With this conference I realized that there are millions out there that are brand new to blogging OR want to start a blog. I’m working on a series to help those that are brand new or even those that have been in the blogging world but need help from the ground up. I’ve been doing this for almost 9 years and want to be able to share my expertise and knowledge. I WISH this type of info was around when I started.

I’m going to be real in this series sharing with you the basics – how to get started to the costs. You guys know me and know that I’m transparent when it comes what it takes to start a blog, to work with brands, to making this your full-time job. So many bloggers out there jump in feet first, uneducated in the blogging world and expect to make tons of money overnight. If that’s you, you will fail. I’m sorry to say that but you will. BUT I can help you fix that and help set you up for success. I’ve been you and I can help. So stay tuned for that.

For now, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter to not miss out on this series! I will be updating that as well and creating different newsletters – one for blog recipes/posts and one for Blogging 101!  Stay tuned!

Weekly Meal Prep Recipes

Below I’ve put together some easy and delicious meal prep recipes that can help with dinner or lunch for the week. Plus dessert as well, you always have to have dessert!

With that, have one fantabulously amazing week!

♥ Monday – Chicken Barbacoa Soft Tacos
♥ Tuesday – Sheet Pan Smoked Kielbasa with Herbed Potatoes and Green Beans
♥ Wednesday – Mom’s Comfort Beans & Weenies Tater Bake
♥ Thursday – Pressure Cooker Honey BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs and brown rice
♥ Friday –  Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Prosciutto Pizza with Balsamic Drizzle
♥ Saturday – Hearty Healthy Vegetarian Lettuce Spoons
♥ Sunday – Ultimate Roasted Beef Tenderloin Filet
♥ Dessert of the week – Aunt Nettie’s Orange Cranberry Nut Cake