Growing up, both of my parents prepared meals. My dad made simple meals – things like fish sticks, hot dogs, and tacos. My mom was the one who made meals that required more cooking. She made lasagna, pizza, and enchiladas.
As children, we enjoyed both and we didn’t care. We were happy to eat and happy to be together.

(my first time making homemade enchilada sauce from scratch – no cans)

(continental hotel breakfast on our 19th wedding anniversary)

(shopping for produce at Earth Fare in Johnson City, TN)
When I first started food blogging earlier this year, I started with the name Homemade Living because, most everything I do nowadays for my own family is homemade. But as I created posts, I realize the name wasn’t working for me. I love food, in general, and while home cooking is the main part of the story, it’s not everything. I want to preserve memories associated with all food – my own home cooking, the dishes we eat at restaurants and foods on the shelves in the grocery store. I want to preserve the food memories I have from my childhood, the cooking memories I have been part of with my own husband and children, the new memories we create daily, but also to celebrate all food.

(tackling Vanilla Crème Patissiere for my Pâte à choux – first time too)
And why do I have what it takes to be the next food blog star? Because while I am crazy-passionate about documenting my own recipes and food memories, I am also equally as excited to inspire others to do the same. I believe to be a food blog star, you must inspire others, and that’s what I aim to do. If you have memories of food and cooking, I will challenge you to document them, in whatever way works best for you.
So, let’s start – tell me one of your food memories. Or share a link to your own blog where you have a post of food or cooking memories. Either works. I would love to read it.
Until next time…happy cooking memories to you all!
Note: This post was created as part of my participation in Project Food Blog at Food Buzz. For the first challenge, we are asked to create a blog post about what defines us as a food blogger — and why I think I have what it takes to be the next food blog star. This would be that post.
@lickmyspoon says
Yum! Your homemade enchilada sauce looks delicious. I'm really happy that I found your blog, I too believe that memories and food play a very important key in life. The best is when your memories revolve around food. 🙂 Good Luck!
Jason Wong says
Home cook meals are always the best if they are not burnt half-way to the table.
Lindsay says
Great post! That sauce looks amazing! I just gave you a vote! You can check out my entry here: http://tinyurl.com/2ec2hlq Thanks and Good Luck!
lynn @ the actors diet says
food = memories = happiness. glad to have found your blog!
CrystalsCozyKitchen says
My dad also prepared simple meals – actually we wouldn't let my mom make grilled cheese sandwiches but requested my dad make them – mom would burn them because she'd be busy doing other things. Dad always made them perfectly.
Good luck with PFB! I cast a vote for you… If you'd like to check out my post it's here: http://bit.ly/9JXLNL
KELLY says
What a great topic for your first post. You've got my vote. Good luck on the contest.
Kelly
Sounding My Barbaric Gulp!
http://www.barbaricgulp.com
"Becca" says
My mother cooked for us a lot when I was younger – not so much once my parents divorced when I was 12. But from there, my dad taught himself how to cook, and it was never anything that my mother had made in the past. One of my favorite food memories was chatting about a new recipe or a new way to make an old recipe with my dad on the phone once I was "all grown up and on my own." I miss those days now that he's gone, but every time I make a recipe that he "tweaked" as his own, it's as if he's sitting down to dinner with us.