Celebrating Two Years of The BakerMama: A Delicious Journey of Food, Family, and Blogging
It’s truly incredible to reflect on the journey of The BakerMama, marking a delightful two-year milestone filled with culinary adventures, cherished family moments, and countless delicious creations. What began as a hopeful endeavor has blossomed into a thriving community, and I’m bursting with gratitude for every step of this flavorful path. This milestone isn’t just a mark of time; it’s a celebration of growth, learning, and the unwavering support that has fueled every step. From humble beginnings to becoming a go-to resource for home bakers and cooks, this blog has truly become a cherished part of my life, intertwining with the beautiful chaos of motherhood and the joy of sharing food.
The Genesis of a Food Blog: From Aspiring Baker to Gold Medal Blogger
Let’s rewind to the summer of 2012, a pivotal moment that set the wheels in motion for everything you see today. I decided to take a leap of faith and apply for the coveted position of baking blogger for Gold Medal Flour. At the time, the idea of writing a blog was entirely new to me. I had never crafted a blog post, nor had I ever considered the intricate art of photographing food. My experience was solely rooted in the joy of baking and cooking for my family, not capturing it for an audience.
The call came as a genuine surprise, a moment of pure disbelief and overwhelming excitement. To be selected for such an esteemed role, especially with no prior blogging or food photography experience, was an immense honor. I was thrilled, eager, and admittedly, a little nervous about diving headfirst into the dynamic world of food blogging. The prospect of sharing my recipes and culinary explorations with a wider audience was exhilarating, albeit daunting.
As part of the application process, I submitted a mock blog featuring two of my most beloved recipes. These culinary creations weren’t just entries; they became the foundational posts of The BakerMama, standing as testament to the delicious journey that lay ahead. Even today, these two recipes remain firm family favorites, frequently gracing our kitchen and bringing smiles to our table.
Signature Recipes That Launched The BakerMama: Still Family Favorites
These initial recipes truly captured the essence of what The BakerMama would become: approachable, comforting, and utterly delicious. They represent the heart of my cooking and baking philosophy, inspiring countless home cooks to create their own memorable meals.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies {3 Ways}
This recipe holds a special place in my heart, not only for its irresistible flavor but also for the precious memories it evokes. It’s a wonderfully versatile recipe that allows for creative variations, ensuring there’s a perfect cookie for every preference, from classic chocolate to nutty additions. Looking back at the accompanying photograph of my son, Baker-man, when he was just a baby, fills me with a rush of nostalgia. It’s incredible to witness how much he’s grown and changed since then, a poignant reminder of how quickly time passes and how many wonderful life events have unfolded alongside The BakerMama’s own evolution. These cookies are more than just a treat; they’re a connection to our past and a source of ongoing delight.
Oven-Fried Chicken & Waffles with Maple Gravy
This extraordinary dish quickly soared in popularity and remains one of my most requested and personally cherished recipes for its comforting yet indulgent qualities. If you’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing the delightful combination of chicken and waffles, or even if you’re a seasoned enthusiast, I wholeheartedly encourage you to try this particular oven-fried version. It delivers all the crispy, savory satisfaction of traditional fried chicken, perfectly complemented by light, fluffy waffles and a rich, sweet maple gravy, all achieved without the hassle and mess of deep frying. It’s an absolute showstopper, an ideal brunch option, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that consistently earns rave reviews.
The Evolution of Food Photography: A Journey of Learning and Passion
Reflecting on my early posts, it’s clear that my food photography skills have undergone a significant transformation and evolution over these past two years. While I firmly believe there’s always boundless room for improvement and creative growth in any artistic endeavor, I’m genuinely proud of how far I’ve come from those initial, somewhat rudimentary attempts. What started as a mere necessity for effective blogging – showcasing my culinary creations – quickly blossomed into a profound and fulfilling passion. I never anticipated how much I would truly enjoy the intricate process of styling food, playing with light, and ultimately capturing the inherent beauty and deliciousness of each dish through a camera lens. This year, I am resolutely committed to further honing this newfound skill, eagerly looking forward to enrolling in a dedicated food photography course to elevate The BakerMama’s visual storytelling to new heights, making every recipe even more enticing.
A Life-Changing Announcement: The Day The BakerMama Began and Our Family Unexpectedly Grew
The day Gold Medal Flour extended their offer for the baking blogger position is a moment forever etched permanently in the tapestry of my memory, not just for its professional significance, but for a deeply personal and utterly life-altering revelation that occurred simultaneously. I was in the joyful, albeit chaotic, midst of frantic preparations for my son Baker’s first birthday party, which was scheduled for the very next day. My heart was already overflowing with excitement and anticipation for this sweet celebration of my precious baby boy, and the wonderful news from Gold Medal simply amplified the sheer joy and heightened the festive atmosphere.
Amidst all the happy hustle and bustle, I began to notice some undeniably unusual sensations. A distinct and persistent feeling of nausea, coupled with an almost insatiable hunger that felt profoundly different from anything I’d experienced before – even for someone who, like me, is perpetually hungry! This wasn’t the usual craving for sweets that typically defines my palate; in fact, I had a complete aversion to anything sweet at all. This peculiar shift in appetite and taste immediately brought to mind my first pregnancy with Baker, when similar symptoms had been the earliest, unmistakable indicators of new life taking root. The only other time in my entire life I hadn’t craved sweets was during those initial, transformative months of expecting Baker. Before my wonderful husband, Brandon, and I could pop open a celebratory bottle of wine to toast to my exhilarating new blogging adventure, an undeniable intuition guided me to take a pregnancy test.
Approximately three weeks later, our lives were not just delightfully turned upside down, but completely reimagined, when we received the confirmed and incredibly exciting news: we weren’t just expecting again, we were expecting twins! A beautiful, double blessing was on its way!
Embracing the Beautiful Chaos: Juggling Blogging with Newborn Twins
The news of impending twins sent me into a delightful, yet incredibly intense, tremor that lasted for three days straight. I was absolutely ecstatic, overflowing with joy, but simultaneously, I felt a profound sense of being wonderfully overwhelmed. The thought of embarking on a brand-new professional venture as a Gold Medal blogger, while simultaneously preparing to navigate life with three precious children under the age of two, was certainly a moment that called for deep reflection. Intense questions arose: could I truly balance the demands of a growing blog with the relentless, yet rewarding, needs of two newborns and a toddler? Would I be doing justice to either role, or stretching myself too thin? However, a deep and unwavering conviction settled within me, a knowing that I would forever regret not pursuing this incredible blogging opportunity. And oh, how profoundly, immensely glad I am that I decided to press forward and embrace the challenge!
To proactively prepare for the imminent and doubly joyful arrival of our twins, I meticulously planned, wrote, and created an impressive four months’ worth of blog posts in advance. This foresight proved to be absolutely invaluable, granting me the precious gift of time to fully immerse myself in those beautiful, demanding, and often sleep-deprived first few months with our newborns. Once the twins gradually settled into a more predictable sleeping schedule and established regular nap times, a familiar creative energy surged within me, and I felt ready, truly ready, to return to the heart of my home: the kitchen. It was then that I eagerly resumed creating, developing, baking, and meticulously photographing the yummy, family-friendly recipes that The BakerMama is known and loved for. It has undeniably been a whirlwind, a beautiful, exhilarating, and sometimes challenging blend of joy, exhaustion, and immense personal and professional satisfaction. Every single “yummy” moment, every shared recipe, and every milestone, both big and small, has been a cherished and integral part of this incredibly fulfilling journey, reaffirming my passion daily.
The BakerMama: A Dream Realized, My Cherished Fourth Baby
I feel an indescribable sense of blessing to be living a life where I get to pursue two of my most profound and cherished lifelong dreams on a daily basis: being a devoted and loving mama to my incredible boys, and a passionate, creative baker and blogger. The BakerMama isn’t merely a project, a hobby, or even just a job; it truly feels like my fourth baby, lovingly nurtured with endless dedication, creativity, and heartfelt passion. This vibrant platform allows me to seamlessly combine my deepest passions, sharing both the comforting art of home baking and cooking, and the genuine, often messy, joy of family life with a wonderfully supportive and engaged community. It’s a testament to the power of pursuing one’s true calling.
Charting Our Own Course: The BakerMama’s Independent Journey and Future Vision
In April of this year, The BakerMama embarked on an incredibly exciting new chapter, bravely venturing out as an independent blog while still proudly continuing to contribute delicious, inspiring recipes and engaging content to the esteemed Gold Medal Flour baker’s blog twice a week. This strategic and heartfelt transition has been an absolute dream come true, offering significantly greater creative freedom, expanded opportunities, and the invaluable chance to further develop and articulate the blog’s unique voice and diverse offerings. It’s immensely gratifying and deeply rewarding to watch this little blog grow and flourish, with the heartfelt hope and unwavering vision that it continues to bring a generous helping of love, culinary inspiration, and abundant yumminess into countless homes and kitchens, fostering connections through food.
The Unwavering Support System: My Amazing Family and Inspiration
None of this incredible, multi-faceted journey – from early morning baking sessions to late-night blog posts – would be remotely possible without the constant encouragement, patient understanding, and unwavering support of my truly incredible husband, Brandon. He is, without a shadow of a doubt, my number one fan and my most honest, discerning taste tester – a self-proclaimed “tough cookie critic” who always gives it to me straight, ensuring every recipe is perfected! His profound belief in me, his readiness to lend a helping hand, and his patient, consistent encouragement every single day are invaluable gifts that I cherish beyond measure. Thank you, my love, for being my rock, my partner in crime, and my biggest cheerleader. I truly couldn’t navigate this amazing life and this evolving blog without you by my side.
My sweet boys are the purest, most profound source of my daily inspiration, constantly fueling my drive to create wholesome, delicious, and genuinely family-friendly food, and to make every moment spent in our kitchen a fun, engaging, and educational adventure. Whether they’re right by my side, eagerly “helping” (or sometimes just making a delightful, flour-covered mess!), or simply offering their enthusiastic taste-test verdicts with beaming smiles, their infectious joy in food is a constant, heartwarming presence. And when they’re peacefully napping or tucked snugly into bed for the night, Brandon and I absolutely cherish our precious “date nights in,” discovering immense enjoyment and creative fulfillment in crafting amazing new dishes, sometimes just for the two of us, and often preparing elaborate, celebratory feasts to share with our beloved friends and family. We are, at heart, a passionate family of foodies, brimming with a large, insatiable appetite for life and all its wonderfully delicious possibilities, always seeking to create and share joy through food.
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Amazing Community: The BakerMama Family
To each and every one of you who faithfully follows along, takes the time to read my posts, and courageously tries my recipes – please know that your engagement and support mean the absolute world to me. There’s truly nothing more rewarding or heartwarming than hearing your stories, seeing your photos, and knowing that you’ve made one of my recipes and enjoyed it immensely with your own family and friends. That profound connection, that shared joy experienced around the kitchen table, is precisely why I pour my heart and soul into what I do. It’s the driving force, the ultimate reward, behind every recipe developed, every photograph taken, and every story shared on The BakerMama.
Here’s to many, many more wonderful years filled with countless culinary adventures, deeper heartfelt connections, and an abundance of unforgettable fun and delicious yum!
With much love and heartfelt gratitude,
