Happy 5th Blogoversary!!!! Will somebody pinch me?! I honestly cannot believe that I have been blogging since my first post back on January 19th, 2011. That is FIVE WHOLE YEARS of posting consistently 1-2 times a week. 260 weeks, 1,825 days of committing myself to this foodie journey. A journey that has taken me to places I never dreamed.
I never imagined this blogging thing would become a life’s passion and so much more than just a hobby. I’m so proud of the progress I have made as a chef (I had some embarrassing moments like these and these) and the strides I have taken as a food photographer (with hands-over-eyes emoji moments like this and this). I’ve thought about updating old recipes with better photos, or removing some posts that didn’t go over well, but the truth is, my blog is not just about the recipes and the photos, it’s about my journey.
I love when I meet up and coming foodies who are thinking about starting a blog. I always tell them to go back to the old days of BIB, and they’re always wowed by my progress. I think it’s such an important lesson for all of us, in whatever stage we find ourselves – as mothers, daughters, teachers, musicians, you name it – we can all get better at what we do, we just have to practice!
This is so true of photography, my photos are constantly evolving as I’m learning to find my photography voice. But as a foodie too – I’ve learned never to say no to anything, and my willingness to try new things has really opened up my palate. I’ve learned to love foods and spices I used to hate (like fresh ginger and brie) and not to be afraid of making my own bread or learning new cooking techniques. I have become quite fearless in the kitchen and for that I am thankful.
I’m so grateful to you, my loyal readers, who encourage me to challenge myself and wow you with fun and original twists on traditional foods, healthy spins on comfort food, and delicious baked creations which I used to detest. It’s all you. {Insert emoji kisses here}
To show my appreciation, I decided to ride the funfetti wave, because you all seemed to love last year’s funfetti cake which was so popular, it went viral! I love the idea of using the same theme for my Blogoversary each year (I wish I had thought of it sooner), so I’m going to stick with the funfetti thing for many more Blogoversaries to come!
These cute little funfetti pecan clusters are made with 5 pecans, to celebrate my 5th year of blogging! They’ve got the most incredible artisan caramel and I hope you give them a try!
In the meantime, as we head into my SIXTH YEAR (ahhhhh!), I’d love to hear from you. What would you like to see on the blog this year? What are some of your favorites from years past? Have there been any BIB kitchen fails? Please share in the comments below!
Happy Blogoversary! Cheers to many more, and hopefully a cookbook too, very soon!
Blogoversary Funfetti Pecan Turtles
2 cups pecan halves
1 recipe caramel
12 oz. good quality white chocolate
colored sprinkles
Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until warm and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cool and set aside.
Prepare the caramel as per instructions and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes until caramel has thickened and is no longer runny.
Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon small dollops of white chocolate onto the baking sheet, using the back of the spoon to smooth it into a small circle. Arrange 5 pecan halves onto each chocolate circle, as pictured. Continue making circles of chocolate, then adding pecans until you have used up your pecans. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for a few minutes, until the chocolate has set up.
Remove the pecans from the fridge and top each cluster with caramel. Refrigerate again until caramel sets.
Place a spoonful of white chocolate over the caramel and top with colored sprinkles. Return to the fridge or set aside until chocolate is firm.
VARIATION: If you don’t want to make caramel from scratch, you may use store-bought caramels. Melt the caramels over a double boiler with a splash of heavy cream or milk and stir until smooth.
NOTE: If you make the caramel from scratch, you will have some left over. Pour the leftover caramel into a parchment lined pan and make caramel chews as per instructions.
Related Posts:
1st Blogoversary Mulled Wine
2nd Blogoversary BBQ Brisket
4th Blogoversary Funfetti Cake
