My Blog Turns 15!
Fifteen years ago, when I was young and full of hope, I started a recipe blog.
It was called mykitchencafe.blogspot.com
If you recognize the blogspot address or either one of these original logos below, it means you’ve been around a long time…and…you probably deserve an award.
A few years after I started My Kitchen Cafe, I swapped out the blogspot address for a real, live dot com and it has been Mel’s Kitchen Cafe ever since (with no shortage of logo changes until I finally hired a professional, ha).
It would be impossible to describe all the changes that have occurred over the last 15 years. Both personally and in the internet/blogging landscape.
When I first started my blog, life looked a bit like this:
Whereas now, “life” has increased in the number of humans…and in wrinkles. 😉
Some days, it’s hard to wrap my brain around the fact that I’ve been sharing recipes in this space for 15 years. THAT’S A LONG TIME!
My kids don’t really remember life before “mom had a blog.” Sometimes, neither do I!
Funny story: when my kids were little, little, I’d spend our days doing kid/mom things and making a concerted effort not to be on the computer. However, the minute my kids went to bed, I would rush to my computer and do all the blogging “stuff” on my to-do list. Inevitably, as kids do, mine would wander out of bed and into the office to find me and ask for a drink or want to tell me a random story to delay bedtime or just sit on my lap for a minute (you know, because I HADN’T JUST SPENT THE WHOLE ENTIRE DAY WITH THEM). 😉 During this time, a teacher at church told me that one of my kids had announced to his class: “my mom likes to play games on her computer every night after we go to bed.” I didn’t know whether to laugh or feel mortified (both!). Turns out, all that time, my kids thought I was hiding in the office to play games when they went to bed! We had a quick family discussion about how mom goes into her office at bedtime to work on her food blog…not to play solitaire until the wee hours of the morning. 😂 But honestly, I think they still told their friends and teachers and friends’ parents for years that I was a late-night internet gamer.
Photo Growth
My kids’ shoe sizes and the number of animals we have acquired over the years aren’t the only things that have changed either. HAVE YOU TAKEN A DIVE INTO THE ARCHIVES TO SEE SOME OF MY OLD PHOTOS?
I mean, my goodness. Talk about before and after growth. 🤣
Things Change but My Motives Haven’t
I could write an entire blog post about how, outside of family life, things in the blogging world have changed so drastically over the last 15 years.
Over the years, the online world of food blogging has become less simple and more strategic.
Less relatable and more robotic.
Less carefree and more calculated.
It’s not all bad. It’s just different.
I started my blog as a way to share recipes with my mom and sisters who didn’t live near me. I never had any intentions of becoming a “full-time” blogger.
In fact, I was completely freaked out when a few months after I started putting recipes up on my blog I received a comment from a stranger saying they had made a recipe and liked it. I thought for sure that person was an internet stalker coming after my children.
Turns out, that first blog reader was a perfectly nice, normal human being who still follows my blog after all these years (hi, Kim!). Millions of readers have followed!
Years ago, I did a blog post called “This is Why I Blog”, and I could honestly repost that word for word because I still adhere to the same philosophies I always have about blogging. If you haven’t read that post, please do. It might give you some insight into why I am the way I am and why I blog the way I blog.
While blogging has changed infinitely over the years, my motives have not. Just like when I started putting recipes up on the internet late in 2007, my reasons I still do so are the same: to share my favorite, tried-and-true recipes with the world.
My blog started out as a hobby.
Now it is equal parts hobby and full-time job!
I never would have thought 15 years ago that my readership of about five people would grow into millions! What a tremendous, awesome opportunity and blessing it has been for me.
Some Fun Stats
For those who like geeky number-type stats, I thought it would be fun to share a few details/facts/numbers that help give a big picture look at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe!
At the Beginning (from about 2007-2010):
- Revenue/Income: $0
- Blog Visits: 50-1,000 per month
- Additional Employees: 0
- My Time: 10-20 hours/week
The Middle Years (2014-ish):
- Revenue/Income: part-time
- Blog Visits: 750,000-1,000,000/month
- Additional Employees: 1 part-time virtual assistant (5-10 hours/week)
- My Time: 30-40 hours/week
Current Years (2022):
- Revenue/Income: full-time
- Blog Visits: 3,000,000-4,000,000/month
- Additional Employees: 1 part-time virtual assistant (10-20 hours/week) plus a few contracted employees to help with videos/projects
- My Time: 20-45 hours/week
A Note About Income and Revenue
Things can get kind of weird when people talk about money (and heaven knows, I don’t want things to get weird between us!), but lots of people have been curious over the years if my blog makes money.
It does! But it didn’t always.
For the first several years, I made approximately zero dollars.
Around 2010, I started putting display ads on my website (first just on my own with Google Adsense and then with a long since outdated company, Foodbuzz through Federated Media). I remember literally falling over with excitement when I got a check one particular month for $125. I couldn’t believe I was getting paid that much to talk about recipes I loved!
I later changed ad networks to AdThrive and then switched to Mediavine in 2016 and have been with them ever since.
A VERY simplistic description of how ad networks, like Mediavine, operate is that they work directly with ad exchanges and companies to service and display all the ads you see on my website (and they work on the ad technology and gaining new ad customers so I don’t have to!).
I am paid based on a revenue split – meaning, I don’t pay Mediavine directly for their work servicing ads, rather, Mediavine and I split the revenue that comes from the ads on my site.
I can choose which ads I want displayed. Although that system isn’t always perfect, which is why you may occasionally see a questionable ad, like an alcohol ad, even though I have alcohol ads disabled in my ad settings. Please feel free to always report those ads, by the way! You can do that by clicking on the Mediavine logo in the lower right hand side of the ad and selecting “report ad” (see screenshot below).
Over the years as I’ve worked hard and traffic has increased and my ad structure has changed, my blog has grown to provide a full-time income for me and my family.
My income comes from: the ads you see on the blog, Amazon affiliate links (and L’Chef affiliate links when Bosch mixers are on sale), and Prepear menu planning subscriptions. I know ads can be annoying – and because of that, I only run about half of the ads available to me through my ad network – but those ads serve a purpose to help pay the costs of running and hosting a website, pay my employee and contractors, and compensate me for my work on the blog.
My Virtual Assistant(s)
I’m blessed in that my sister, Emily, is my virtual assistant! She started working with me in 2013 and she is a lifesaver. She schedules posts to Facebook, answers emails, works on Prepear menus, does tons of behind the scenes work updating recipes and categories on the blog, and more.
Her help allows me to focus more on recipe testing, taking all the photos, writing the posts, answering comments, interacting on Instagram, occasionally taking a nap, and maintaining the authentic voice here on the blog.
And since I’m deep in the middle of this acceptance speech (?? kind of starting to sound like one! haha), I would be remiss if I didn’t give a huge shoutout to my faithful partner and best friend. He’s the unpaid assistant around here.
Brian has been my biggest champion since the beginning. And as the resident taste tester (all those pictures on my blog with one bite taken out?? Yeah, thank Brian for that effort), he offers the support, compassion, brain gasoline, and endlessly patient listening ears that keep me and this blog putting one foot in front of the other.
The Numbers Game + Blog Visitors
2020 was a huge year for internet traffic. Because of the pandemic shutdowns and increase of at-home cooking, my visits per month were at a record high that year – nearly 10 million per month! But things have gradually slowed down and my traffic is actually less than it was a few years ago.
The thing is, I rarely check my stats. I can’t really tell you month-to-month how many visitors I’m getting or if it is waxing or waning.
The numbers game can be debilitating (both in traffic and with social media), and I’ve just chosen not to play it so that I stay better focused on my overall intentions. I monitor and check things out now and then, but I don’t dwell on it.
However, I did do a fun little check for this post to see where my visitors are checking in from!
United States: 81.38%, Canada: 8.35%, United Kingdom: 2.53%, Australia: 1.35%, South Africa: .56%, New Zealand: .36%, Philippines: .35%, India: .33%, Germany: .29%
The Right Way to Blog…Or Not
Many bloggers in this food space are intensely savvy. They do keyword research and create their recipe posts strictly around what Google wants (with the goal to get high up in search results). They network with companies (and each other) and grow virtual empires. They publish books and videos and create products.
It’s amazing to watch and see. I love it!
My strategy, which should come as no surprise, is more of the homebody, naturalistic, girl-next-door approach. Meaning: I don’t network all that much, I don’t do keyword research, I don’t do sponsored posts.
I make a recipe. I squeal in delight. I force my family to taste it and review it. I make it again. And likely, again. And then I post it for you, because if I don’t, I want be able to sleep at night.
That’s not to say I don’t work hard at this gig. I do! Blogging is a ton of work (certainly more than just taking a pretty picture of food and slapping it up online!).
I set priorities for certain projects (like email growth, etc), and I’ve always put high emphasis on staying up to date with SEO principles and technology updates, but at the end of the day, I’m still an old school blogger who just wants a space to share my favorite recipes with the world.
Which means sometimes I turn a blind eye to “best practices” and do my own thing. I don’t do this to be ignorant – it’s really just a survival skill to preserve my mental health and ensure I continue to keep blogging.
For me, this space, is about so much more than numbers and stats and money and notoriety. It’s truly about human connection and sharing good things with you.
A Day in the Life
My schedule has shifted and changed over the years. Now that all of my kids are in school full-time (and one has graduated high school), I try to get all my blogging work (particularly) computer work done during the day instead of staying up super late to tackle my to-do list.
I don’t set specific “work hours” but it naturally ends up that about two days a week are spent on the computer side of blogging. Writing and publishing blog posts, answering comments and emails, coordinating projects with my sister-VA, and working on other techy-stuff.
Once I get my kids off to school, I feed farm animals, do scripture study, write in my journal, exercise, and (sometimes) shower, before diving in to blog work from about 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with laundry and other household/farm chores scattered in there.
Additionally, I end up spending another day or two a week bustling around the kitchen to test and photograph recipes (I use natural light, so right now during the winter, I have to get that done before 4 p.m.).
I usually make about 5-6 new recipes a week. Sometimes just for fun. Sometimes to test them (again) and/or take photos. I know, I need to get a life and/or diverse hobbies, but I can’t help it! I love food and making new recipes.
My kids always have Fridays off school, so I try to fit the blogging work in Monday through Thursday; however, inevitably there’s an evening or two that it spills over and I work in my office from 8 – 11-ish p.m.
I don’t shy away from saying I work from home or that I have a full-time job. But I do consider it a serious blessing that my job is this blog and that even though it requires hours and effort, I’m able to set my own hours and schedule.
And doing so allows me the flexibility to volunteer in my daughter’s class, do church and community service (right now I’m helping at a refugee organization, and it is life-alteringly rewarding), run errands when I need to, take a break from everything and help one of my kids or work on a house project, or just aimlessly waste time on the internet searching for watermelon carving knives.
To Sum it All Up
While my focus is mostly on really good recipes, over the years, I’ve also shared gift guides and Friday Thoughts (used to be Snapshot Saturdays!) and glimpses of real life.
At the end of the day, I’m a very average, real human who has a lot of highs and a lot of lows. And I don’t do a great job of pretending like those things don’t exist. Normalize real life. That’s my motto. 🙂
I have no idea how long I’ll continue to blog. If asked, some days my answer would be “forever” and other days the answer is more like “um, ask me tomorrow – I may have pulled the plug on the blog by then.”
The truth is, even with my laid back style, it’s hard work. Something is always going on (or breaking!) behind the scenes and there is a lot of management that blogging requires besides the delicious pictures of food and brand, new recipes.
I get tired and burned out.
But the reason I always, always end up sitting at my computer at midnight NOT playing solitaire 😉 is because of you guys.
Seriously.
It’s Because of You
If it weren’t for the real human connections I’ve made with you over the years, for the comments you leave and the stories and experiences you share, for the notes that tell me how a recipe has impacted your family or changed someone’s life for the better, for the hilarious anecdotes and the heartbreaking life experiences…if it weren’t for that, I’d be long gone.
I tell my family all the time that it’s ok I never leave my house because I have millions of friends online.
And, ok, I know that sounds completely weird, and if my kids said that back to me, I’d definitely get them professional help.
But.
It’s also true. Thank you for sticking around. For being my virtual friends. For making this a space that I want to come back to day after day.
Love your guts. 😘
Also, a special shoutout thank you to all of you who leave comments/ratings/reviews on recipes after you’ve made them. This makes such a huge difference! For me, and for those who scroll through comments to get ideas/variations/suggestions when they are planning to make the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave comments and reviews and ratings!!
What’s to Come
Well, first of all, count on the best of the best new recipes to continue popping up here! I have some exciting new recipes coming your way. My goal is to get you 4-5 well-tested, fantastic recipes each month in 2023.
Additionally, I’m planning:
- lots of updates to many of the recipes that have been on here for over a decade (not changing the recipe, per se, just updating photos and recipe notes, etc).
- some additional content projects that will likely involve hiring another assistant to help with marketing and development
- site updates and changes to make the website sleek, savvy, and even more SEO-friendly
- continuing with Friday Thoughts posts now and then
- and a few other things swirling around in my brain
I get asked all the time if I’m planning to do a cookbook. I have a cookbook started on my computer – some content, lots of ideas, etc. But every time I get close to signing a publishing contract or going the self-publishing (or hybrid) route, I can’t ultimately commit. It feels stressful and wrong. I think my biggest hangup is that my first priority is to continue to publish a wide range of amazing content on my blog, and I don’t think I can manage a cookbook and the blog. Additionally, I’m not sure I really have anything to offer the cookbook world that hasn’t already been done. So. We’ll see! Never say never!
Anything you are dying to see on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe? Let me know below in the comments! I love getting suggestions from you!
The End, Finally
And herein lies another extensive novel-like post about nothing all that important, which will surely garner some hate mail from those that “just want the freaking recipe already so stop blabbering,” but hey, 15 years in, it’s hard to change these long-winded stripes.
OK, BYYEEEE. 😘 Here’s to the next 15 years!
If you have any other questions about blogging or Mel’s Kitchen Cafe or just want to tell me about YOURSELF (yes! that’s a good plan!), leave me a comment below!
In case you didn’t clearly hear me earlier in the post: I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU!
The Comments
Thank you for all of your heartfelt comments. They’ve made me laugh and cry. I’m just so grateful for each of you. For the good humans you are. The efforts you make in your own lives. The affirmations you’ve allowed me to feel that this blog is “more than just a blog.” I’m just very grateful to be here with all of you.
Thank you for all of your suggestions, as well! I keep a running list of things you would like to see on the blog, and I’ve taken note of all of them!
To answer a few questions coming through in the comments:
- Where do you get ideas for new recipes? I have so many recipe ideas swirling around in my head, it’s a miracle I ever get to sleep! I’m so anxious to share all of them with you! I find inspiration from recipes you share with me (I LOVE GETTING NEW RECIPES FROM YOU SO MUCH – thanks for sending them to me!). I also get inspiration from a few recipe magazines and social media. But a lot of my recipe inspiration just comes from me thinking about food nonstop and figuring out recipe mashups I want to make.
- How many times do you make a new recipe before posting it? At least twice, but for baking recipes, usually an average of 3-4 times (with some recipes taking a few more testing sessions).
- How many of your recipes are original or modified from other sources? There are a lot of both! Although I would submit that there’s probably no such thing as a truly original recipe anymore since there are so many recipes “out there” already. I always cite a recipe source if I’ve used a recipe as inspiration or modified it. But there are some recipes I’ve come up with on my own from all those ideas swirling around my head (and many other recipes from my childhood)!
- How adventurous are your kids when it comes to eating? My kids eat everything I make. They don’t always love, love certain ingredients (I have a tomato hater and a mushroom hater and a bean hater; they power through it), but they’ll eat it. I have two kids that love to try new things and will eat anything. They’re the ones at restaurants that order something unusual and fun and will dig into sushi with me and Brian. The other three go straight for the mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. 🙂
My girls have me hooked on your recipes! Michelene lives in Eagle, Idaho and Katie Ives in Highlands Ranch Co. You are invited to come to our pie day, March 14, @ 3:14 in the afternoon. (We use a ton of your recipes) Oh! I am the mom, Karie living in North Ogden, Utah! Thank you for your strong convictions about the Church! You inspire many.
I loved hearing your story! I have my own online business and have so much I can relate to!
And believe in that cookbook!! I always think to myself that yours would be my go to if it was an option! My son and I cook together every Sunday and he loves flipping through a cookbook to find what we should make. So I vote YES!!!!
Happy Blogiversary! I enjoyed reading this post! And your recipes are the best!
I have to say, besides loving your recipes, I love your blog! I love that I’m not spammed with a million ads that I’m continually closing just to see the recipe. Thank you for keeping it simple so that I have a desire to come back to this super user-friendly place! I LOVE the free menu plans that you have posted. The crock pot beef stew is my go to recommended recipe.
I got married in 2007 and yours was the first blog I found when I decided I wanted to learn how to actually cook (instead of just warming up food) for new and growing family! Since then I have mastered so many things including bread making (something that always intimitaded me) largely because of you! I just keep coming back for more! Your blog is always the 1st one I reference. Thanks so so much, Mel!! On a side note, when you moved to southwest ID I was excited because thats where I live and I thought maybe one day I’ll run into Mel in Costco or something! Well this past summer I saw a couple cute teenagers at the water park and recognized them (from your blog, of course) as your boys. I thought, yes! This is my chance to finally meet Mel! But then I realized that following them around so that they would hopefully lead me to you would be a very creepy thing to do! So alas, I still have not met you in person but if I do someday it will definitely be to say thank you for sharing great recipes, uplifting messages and your hilarious sense of humor than often makes me laugh out load. You are truly the best!
Ditto to just about every comment here! We love your recipes and your style! My friend and I joke about trying a new recipe from “our friend Mel” all the time. You do such a great job and we are so grateful for you!! <3
Mel, congratulations on 15 years! I think I found you (via a friend) in 2010, and you’re my first stop for recipes. I appreciate that you choose to limit ads so we can actually READ the post 🙂 and get to the good stuff. It’s noticeable compared to other food bloggers! And as for the cookbook – don’t do it unless you really want to. I’ve decided I just prefer to use recipes online nearly 100% of the time; I love pulling the recipes up on my phone, ipad, or laptop wherever I am.
I am cooking for my family of 6 in Nashville, TN; I have twin 12-year olds with nut allergies and twin 10-year olds, and they are picking some of your recipes to start cooking/baking now too! I love to make meals for friends in need or gatherings, so I appreciate the huge range I can find on your site and the allergy-sensitive notes.
Thanks for making this your passion and work!
Congratulations! Thank you for your hard work and dedication! Your blog is my go-to for recipes for at least the past ten years. I love your positivity and your excited info (not babble!!) before each recipe. I have learned so much about cooking and baking from you. I miss old-school blogging as well, so your Friday Thoughts are always some of my favorite posts.
Congratulations! . I love your style! We make recipes from Melskitchencafe every week. My family and friends ask about the recipes and I share your site with all of them. The ingredients are pantry staples and the details you provide in the recipes make preparation and completion a snap.
Keep up the great work! We all appreciate it!
I’m here to collect my award for following you for at least ten years! (I remember the first logo!) I’m so happy for all your success and glad that you continue to share amazing recipes with us all. You are a woman with excellent taste and an incredible heart.
Love your guts back so so much! You’ve been a huge part of most of my adult/married life. Don’t know what I’d do without you and your fabulous recipes, real life sharing, sunblock wearing, tear wrenching story telling and random thoughts. I’ll be here for another 15 years too!
I found your blog 8 or so years ago and many of our family favorites are from you (Korean beef bowls, weeknight spaghetti, easy chicken cordon bleu, garlic alfredo…). I jokingly say that the recipes are from “My friend Mel,” Thank you and congrats!
What a wonderful post! Thank you for your delicious recipes and being a down to earth genuine person. Looking forward to many more fantastic recipes. Thanks again.
I just love you, and your recipes to feed a family have immensely blessed my life! You are a breath of fresh air in the internet and I love the real life you bring to it. I visit your site probably multiple times a day and always can’t wait to see what you’ve put up next. I appreciate you and hope for that next 15 years!!
Thank you. Really.
I loved reading this about your journey!!! I seriously feel like we are friends even though I’ve never met you! Just followed you since almost the beginning. My kids all know your name and I’ve recommended you to friends over the years who have then met you at the finish line of your race with one of your cakes she had baked or still follow you today as well. You have made so many lives better, and we all appreciate you!! If I lived close by, I’m sure we would be friends, but virtual friends is good too :).
This blog is the absolute best. 90% of the food I make are Mel recipes!! So you bless my family pretty much every day with your gift of food. You should make Mel sweatshirts or other swag to sell!!
Congratulations on 15 years, Mel! When I got married a little over 10 years ago I literally had no idea how to cook. By the grace of God I quickly found your blog and you have truly taught me how to cook (and bake)! My husband and 3 kids all know that a new recipe is more than likely from you. Thank you for all your hard work over the years! I’m a confident cook and my family is fed well all because of you. Can’t wait to see what’s coming next!
You’re one of my heroes! Thank you for helping me to be a rockstar in the kitchen!!
No need to stress about the key Google words because if I’m looking for a specific recipe I just come to your website and use your search box because I trust you and your recipes!
Your white chicken chili was the first recipe I ever made and it’s still in a regular rotation at our house who knows how many years later.
My family and I love you Mel! You really are the only place I go for recipes because I trust you so much. You post things my family will really eat – all but that one picky eater but that’s not your fault.. Thank you for all your hard work and I know you said talking about money is weird but I believe you’re worth every penny you earn and much much more.
Thank you thank you for all this amazing content! Your recipes never fail I made a new one tonight, hawaiian grilled chicken, and of course it was quick, easy and a hit with everyone in my house. I am always recommending your recipes and if I ever want to make something I check your site first. Thank you!
Hi! I love your blog and am trying not too feel old (I remember the blogspot days!). I identify with your sister- I am my sister’s virtual assistant for her vanilla bean company (IndriVanilla.com) so feeling the kindred spirit. We adore all your recipes but especially your vanilla bean white chocolate cheesecake recipe – it is posted often in our vanilla Facebook group (Indri’s vanilla bean group)! If you ever had the inclination we would love to see more vanilla bean recipes!
I’m super glad you don’t accept free products and keep the authenticity real but check us out for a vanilla bean source – I’m happy to answer any questions. Our small family business is based in Hyrum, UT. <3
I am so grateful for your website. I have for many years used your recipes for many special occasion and family dinners. Thank for your efforts and your Consistency.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks again
Love your blog, your fun and exciting recipes that don’t take outlandish ingredients, and your down to earth nature!
I love the food posts, the Friday Thoughts, the gift guides, etc. I read them all. I don’t comment a lot, but I’m always keeping up. Thanks for everything!!
Hi Mel – Congratulations!!! You have grown an amazing job and meaningful connection out of a hobbie and you have managed to stay authentic, engaged and faithful all the while still enjoying what you do and why you do it! I think that is spectacular!!!
I have been following your blog and making recipes for at least 10 years. I loved reading all these details. A lot of this is stuff I’ve been curious about. Thanks!!
I have a couple of questions and a couple recipe suggestions.
1. On average how many times do you make a new recipe before you finalize and publish it?
2. And what do you think the breakdown is of recipes on your site between ones you have gotten from another source and modified versus once you’ve come up with yourself?
3. How adventurous of eaters are your kids?
Suggestions: have you ever tried a chocolate snickerdoodle recipe?
I wish you had a recipe for a layered cookie bar that had a buttery oat base and crumbled topping with chocolate in the middle. I’ve tried a few recipes from other sites for this kind of thing and discovered that I don’t like the taste (or texture) of the chocolate layer when it’s made with sweetened condensed milk. But the recipes I’ve seen use that. Hmmm.
Thankful for all your hard work and amazing recipes! I’ve been following you for a long time (rarely comment though) and you are always my go-to for anything. Not to mention, you have taught me so much about baking. Anyway – I have some amazing Georgia pecans that I want to use and I’m dying for a really great sticky pecan bun recipe. Please do one! I’ve searched your site and haven’t found one.
Blessings to you and your family!!!!
I’ve been following you since early days! I think your sweet and sour chicken recipe got me to your blog! You helped me learn how to cook! Your straightforward style and ease of recipes has been so helpful! Thank you!
I love your recipes, your posts, and you. I follow your farm page also. Thank you for sharing yourself and your recipes with us. Cooking is one of the ways I show my love and your recipes get used to share a lot of love.
Yours is and always has been the first website I go to for recipes. So many of my family’s meals are fueled by Mel’s! Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
Thankful for all your hard work! My family eats well because of you and has for years!
So glad you’ve stuck with it all the 15 years! Love reading your words just as much as I love your recipes. Bless you!
Thank you for sharing your life and love of cooking with all of us! I have made countless recipes from your blog and can always count on them being winners! Your Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars and Cheryl’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls are well known among our family, friends, and coworkers. On another exciting note, after years of looking at your Bosch Mixer, I finally purchased one on Black Friday. I can’t wait to use it! Happy 15 years of blogging!
What a ride the first fifteen years have been for you and your lovely family! I look forward to the emails with your writing, recipes, and heartfelt updates . You never disappoint so keep on writing, testing, and loving what you are so good at and the rest of us will keep looking forward to your emails with all the Mel’s nuggets to help us be the best bakers we can be! God Bless You and your darling family!
I remember finding your blog when my husband was in gradschool 15 years ago. I was home with 2 little girls and wanted my husband to come home to home baked goodness. Whenever I’m looking for a recipe, your site is my go to! Congratulations on 15 years!!! Hope to see you continue for many more!!
Me and my family love you Mel! We love that you are the girl next door, and that you make very delicious and tasty recipes for us to enjoy! You are our favorite go-to website for new recipes. You make cooking fun!
Congratulations on 15 years of awesome recipes, Mel. I have so many favourites on your site that I have made through the years. Love your clear instructions and notes. Would love more vegetarian and/or vegan recipes in the future.
Congratulations on 15 years.
Happy 15 years!!! Love your blog, love your posts, love your recipes… you’re hilarious and real and just pure wonderful. My fam and I are super grateful you do this awesome stuff!
Mel- the reason I have been coming back to your site year after year( yes, I remember all the photos in this post!) is that you clearly are here to care for your readers. It shows that you could do what so many others have done (no judgement!) and prioritize making your space as profitable as possible. It also shows that you haven’t done that and this makes this whole little food blog seem safe and a refuge against all the noise in the world. Thank you for that. And I forever hope that I will somehow run into you at Costco (I live in Meridian) and we can geek out together about how amazing it is that The Lord brings people together over a food blog. Congrats!
Now that you have thanked us (your loyal followers) it’s time for us to turn the tables and tell you how grateful we are for YOU. Not just the recipes, but the honesty, the inspiration, oh yes and the recipes! I love that you are smart and savvy, but have resisted the urge to go high end glam with recipes that no one wants or can afford to make. Keep on keeping it simple. You are valued for exactly who you are, warts and all.
Eight years ago my mother, whom I had been carrying for, passed away and before the word was even out, a good friend dropped off a whole batch of Healthy Applesauce Muffins (with chocolate chunks added, because who doesn’t need more chocolate?) She figured I could use a quick breakfast item for my kids while I sorted things out. I was touched by her kind act and the muffins were delicious. When I asked for the recipe she directed me to her favorite blog site, yours. Your recipes are great and reliable, but honestly I really enjoy the “blog” portion the most, because you so real and open. I find that very comforting, like talking to a good friend. So many blogs are formulaic and canned, and if I want need a recipe on another site I always “jump to recipe”. But on your blog, I always read the whole post, regardless of the recipe; not to say that I don’t print a lot of them, especially in the baking department! Thanks for such a great blog over the years, and keep it up.
Congratulations! I’ve followed your blog for several years (since I was a young wife with no idea how to cook) and have loved every single recipe I’ve tried. I’m so grateful for you and the time you’ve put into this! Thank you!
I just adore you and your amazing recipes!
Even my pickiest eaters will at least give your recipes a chance. Thank you so much for keeping up with your happy and delicious corner of the internet!
Thank you and congratulations, Mel!!! You are a household name here and our family loves your recipes! They are our go-to’s and we are so grateful for what you put out to the world to share. ❤️
Your blog is my tried and true recipe stop! Over 10 years strong with you… keep it up! Couldn’t do this mom/cooking gig without you.
Thank you, Mel, for sharing your recipes and family life with us. I’ve looked and cannot find a recipe for Bread Pudding on your site- my mother always made it for Christmas from bread that was toasted, etc and had a wonderful vanilla/ milk sauce to put over it as desired when cooled. Unfortunately, my mother is dead so the recipe is gone…
Thank you for being real, for being you! I love your tried and true recipes! Happy 15 years Mel!
Congratulations, Mel! Thank you so much for blogging all these years. Your recipes have completely shaped not only my cooking but also our family traditions! I love how down to earth you are and how every single one of your recipes is such a hit. I’m a huge fan!!