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AnnaShortcakes

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AnnaShortcakes

Tag Archives: blogging

Top 10 Recipes of 2013

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by annashortcakes in Food Details, Kentucky Proud

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

2013, blogging, collection, milestones, recipe, resolutions

I love the New Year because it gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the past year. This past year has been a rough one for me personally. It forced me to stretch my personal boundaries and dig deep into my well of inner strength just to make it through. But, like all things, even bad times come to and end, leaving you will lessons learned and even more courage/faith in yourself.

This year has also been one of growth for the blog as well. AnnaShortcakes had 41,965 views this year, with an average of 115 views per day. That’s over 200% more views than last year! I can’t wait to see how the blog changes and grows in 2014.

Thank you so much for reading AnnaShortcakes!

Top 10 Recipes of 2013

Rustic Manicotti

manicotti

Lavender Liqueur

lavender-liqueur

Rosemary Garlic Grilled Chicken

rosemary chicken

One Jar Refrigerator Dill Pickles

pickles

Thai Crab Soup

thai crab soup

Vietnamese Shrimp Quinoa Salad

shrimp salad

Mustard Marinated Grilled Brussels Sprouts

brussels-sprouts

Spicy Crispy Chickpeas

chickpeas

Coconut Cranberry Chocolate Granola Bars

granola

Limoncello-Gin Cocktail with Thyme

gin cocktail

 

In My Kitchen – January 2013

02 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by annashortcakes in Food Details

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

blogging, citrus, January, kitchen, tools

2012 was a year of growth.

Growth of this blog – AnnaShortcakes reached 20,000 views and featured 253 new posts.

My cousins and I at Big Ed's Pizza in Oak Ridge, TN.

My cousins and I at Big Ed’s Pizza in Oak Ridge, TN.

Growth of this novice chef – I tried new things like wine tasting, smoking meat, canning Pear Vanilla Jam and Lemon Curd, gardening on my own (normally done with my extended family), and traveled to new places like Mount Vernon, Virginia and Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.

I can’t wait to see what the New Year holds. I am adding a new monthly post called “In My Kitchen” inspired by Fig and Lime Cordial‘s Celia. I have already added a Twitter account; you can follow me at @annashortcakes.  I also plan to travel more, try new foods, and continue my search for fantastic new recipes.

In my kitchen…

DSC_0156

… is the KitchenAid Stand Mixer Attachment Pack that includes a slicer, a grinder, and sausage stuffer attachment. A gift from my thoughtful hubby. I cannot wait to try it out. If you have meat you want fresh ground, we can go halves on the meat. I hope someone brings me a deer carcass. I am going to use the grinder to quick chop all kinds of summer vegetables to speed the canning process for my mother-in-law’s tomato soup recipe.

In my kitchen…

DSC_0157

… is a gorgeous Pampered Chef baking stone. Thanks to my in-laws for this awesome gift. I can’t wait to bake like crazy!

In my kitchen…

DSC_0160

… is a bowl full of real Florida grapefruit. Picked by a family friend from the tree in their yard, these grapefruits are way better than any you might buy in the store. And the uglier they are, the better they taste.

In my kitchen…

DSC_0161

… is a bottle of Cranberry-Lime Infused Vodka ready for me to buy the limeade concentrate so we can try the crantini.

What is in your kitchen this month?

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

08 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by annashortcakes in Food Details, Southern

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

awards, blog, blogging, community, food, inspiration

Thanks for mypenandme for nominating me for any or all of three blog awards. Accepting all three seems selfish so I picked the one with the prettiest widget: Very Inspiring Blogger Award. I love the old fashioned styling.

1-very-inspiring-blogger-award

The Rules for the Award:

1. Display the award logo on your blog,
2. Link back to the person who nominated you,
3. State seven things about yourself,
4. Nominate fifteen other bloggers for this award and link to them,
5. Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirement

Seven Things About Myself:

1. My toenails are always painted. Have been since I was in 5th or 6th grade.

2. I love Law and Order, especially SVU.

3. Everyone in my extended family drives a Toyota.

4. I love NPR’s Fresh Air. I listen to every episode.

5. I am going to the FoodBlogSouth 2013 conference in Birmingham.

6. I am reading the new Thomas Jefferson biography by Jon Meacham.

7. I prefer winter clothes over summer clothes but I certainly like the summer season better. There are so many fun things to do in the summer!

And The Nominees Are:

Charlotte au Chocolat

Emmy Cooks

Masako and Spam Musubi

The Southern Lady Cooks

TasteFood

CutterLight

Griffin’s Grub

Old World Garden Farms

Melting Pot

Savory Salty Sweet

Meatballs & Milkshakes

Cook Eat Live Vegetarian

No FRIES for 365

Chica Andaluza

One Man’s Meat

Be sure to check out these awesome blogs! They are mostly food related but each of them is unique and wonderful in their own way…. Happy Saturday!

 

A Brief Break?

26 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by annashortcakes in Food Details

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

annashortcakes, blogging, cooking, fall, food, recipes

Apparently I need a bit of a break from blogging.

Not because I am starting to enjoy it less.

Not because I am out of recipes.

Not because I haven’t been cooking (you know that’s not true).

But because LIFE seems to have other plans for me. I will be back, sooner rather than later.

We’ll talk soon,

annashortcakes

My First Blog Award!

06 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by annashortcakes in Food Details

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

awards, blog, blogging, community, thanks

Thanks for Nancy Creative for my very first blog award- One Lovely Blog Award!

Don’t you just love the graphic?

I am so thrilled to accept this award. Per tradition, I am required to share seven facts about myself not previously shared. This is going to be hard….

1) My favorite place in the world is the beach. I prefer Gulf beaches to Atlantic beaches. I have never seen the Pacific (unless flying over it in an airplane counts).

2) My favorite movie is It’s A Wonderful Life.

3) I love love love to read!!! And I keep a log of what books I have read and when I finished them. Nerdy, I know.

4) I collect National Geographics. I own over 300 and will take donations anytime 🙂

5) For the first time ever, I do not own a pet. I always had dogs as a kid (as many as 7 at one time). Of course, since I grew up on a farm, there were always animals around. I miss having a pet and am campaigning for my hubby’s consent to get a teacup pig.

6) I started this blog to help improve my writings and cooking skills. I think both are coming right along.

7) I DO NOT PLAY SPORTS! I am completely inept. You do not want me on your team. Trust me!

And I must also nominate 7 blogs to which I will pass on the award. Decisions! Decisions! There are so many…. I will give it my best shot!

1) Masako and Spam Musubi– A wonderful blog that combines history, Japanese and American culture, and the joy of family. This is my new favorite blog… You really should check it out!

2) Williams + Bench = Wench – This blog is authored by a lovely friend and describes her adventures across the nation and in her new marriage. Becca is one of the few people I have met who are genuinely kind, good, positive, happy, and a living example of her faith. Love her!

3) Georgia About– This blog is a walk through Georgian culture. I love that each day I get a lesson about the food, beautiful places, or people of Georgia. Very well written with some great photos!

4) Losing 100 Pounds– I love that this blogger has embraced what we all fear- fat! She has taken on her “morbid obesity” with courage and grace. I enjoy following her successes and failures with each blog post. Even if being overweight is not a personal struggle, you can still learn a lot from this blogger as she changes into the person she wants to be.

5) Savory Salty Sweet– Elizabeth does a wonderful job making food/cooking accessible to all. Most of her recipes are healthy, all of her photos are pretty. This is the perfect blog for normal people who don’t have tons of specialty ingredients and tools that often making cooking seem out of reach.

6) Old World Garden Farms– I very much enjoy watching the progress of these 3 acres change from an overgrown lot to a beautiful “mini-farm”. It makes me have hope for my own little 2 acre plot.

7) Portraits of Wildflowers– Every day features a new post containing a gorgeous photo along with the Latin name and a short description about the featured fauna. This is a post I look forward to daily!

Posted One Year Ago: Hoppin John

One Year for Annashortcakes!!!

29 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by annashortcakes in Food Details

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

anniversary, blogging, celebrate, food, one year

It’s hard to believe but here we are! ONE YEAR! When I started this, I had no idea how rewarding blogging would be. I have made new friends, learned new culinary skills, and explored different ingredients. I am so glad to be here, at this milestone, looking forward with great excitement to the next year.

Thank you so much to all the viewers-

My family- So many of them have passed on my link to their friends. Thank you!

My Friends- For telling me about the fantastic foods you have eaten, tried in your own kitchen, or flavor combos that have inspired you. My friend David was the one who inspired the Salad with Salt-Roasted Beets, Pecans, and Blue Cheese, an amazing flavor combination and a dish I could never tire of.

The blogging community- Such a kind, supportive place where you can learn how to make new things (I want to try this Jewelry Cork Board), where you can meet fantastic new people (Greg and Katherine, Rosemary, Karen, Celia, Ashley, and Cecilia, to name a few), travel to new parts of the world (like the country of Georgia), and see beautiful things every day (like these gorgeous flower photos by Portraits of Wildflowers). Suffice it to say that the blogging world is phenomenal! You all have taught me so much and opened my eyes to a whole new world!

And those who just stumbled across Annashortcakes by accident. I wouldn’t be here without you!

To celebrate, I thought I would recognize some milestones of the blog.

Post with the Most Views~ Calico Beans~ October 17, 2011 with 615 views

Post with the Least Views~ Raspberry Cheesecake~ November 22, 2011 with only 1 view 😦

Post with the Most Comments~ Brie, Basil, Bacon, and Blue Grilled Cheese~ June 4, 2012 with 14 comments

Busiest Day at the Blog and It’s Post ~ Roast Beef with Mushroom Gravy~   June 16, 2012 with 176 Views

Commenter with the Most Comments ~ Greg at Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide~ 160 Comments

The First Recipe Post~ Enchilada Verde with Mexican Rice

My Favorite Post ~ Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Brie Grilled Cheese~ April 7, 2012

Total Number of Views~ 9,607

(Not the 10,000 I had hoped for but pretty dang close!)

Total Number of Subscribers~ 89

Total Number of Posts~ 241

Total Number of Comments~ 795

I am so happy to have reached this milestone with your love and support. Thank you for all that you have done to help me reach this point. Stay tuned for more adventures in food, flavor, and technique as I continue to explore this great foodie world!

What Should I Fix Today?

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Annashortcakes- A Food Blog

Annashortcakes- A Food Blog

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