When I first got married, I really had no idea how to cook anything. We loved food and couldn’t afford to eat out much. I hate fast food with a passion, so I had to learn to cook! I started watching cooking shows and searching the internet for recipes I thought we would like. I eventually came across Stephanie, from Plain Chicken’s blog and instead of being one of those blogs where I would pick out 1 or 2 things to try, I started bookmarking recipe after recipe! (This was before the days of ‘pinning’). She makes such creative and family friendly recipes. When I found out she was from Alabama too, loves cats and a fellow Auburn fan that doesn’t like seafood? Well, my girl crush grew 10 fold!
I eventually not only learned how to cook, but fell IN LOVE with cooking. I started this blog last September and fast forward to a couple of months ago, when Ashley from The Hill Hangout approached me about forming a facebook page called Southern Roots Recipes. I was on board anyway, because I was already a big fan of Ashley’s blog, (I met her through Deep South Dish‘s facebook page which I will be telling you about in part 2). Then Ashley mentioned STEPHANIE from PLAIN CHICKEN was going to be in the group, I FREAKED out. We are talking, full on dancing around my house. The first time Stephanie messaged me on fb, I took a screen shot on my phone and sent it to my mom. HAHA!
So now that you know what a dork I am, I will tell you some of my favorite recipes from Plain Chicken:
| Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls(we call this crack bread) |
| Bubble Up Pizza |
| Grilled Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta |
| Butterfinger Cake |
| Best Steak Marinade in Existence,Southwestern Skirt Steak,Grilled Balsamic Skirt Steak(basically, she showed us how to make grilled flank and skirt steak absolutely delicious! They are our favorite cuts of beef now and so much more affordable than other types!) |
Stephanie was kind enough to let me interview her for my little blog! She is so nice and down to earth! Here is what she had to say:
What made you decide to write your very first blog post and what was the recipe?
My blog started as a personal recipe storage space. I would bring food to work and people would ask for the recipe. I could never remember where I got it, so I started the blog. My first recipe post was forToasted Pecan, Caramel, Butterscotch Oat Squares. It was just a recipe I found and made. The blog has changed SO much since that first post!
How long after you started blogging, would you say, it became more of a part time job/full time job and less of a hobby?
It became a serious hobby about 3 years after I started. I started blogging full-time 2 years ago.
You started your blog before facebook and pinterest had taken over the world. To a newbie blogger like myself, it blows my mind to think of doing it that way today. How did you get your blog out there then?
It was definitely hard! I posted my blog onal.com(Alabama news site) and that got me a lot of traffic. The blog really, really took offafter Pinterest though.
What did you eat yesterday?
Breakfast: Protein Shake Lunch: ham sandwich/chips Dinner: honey dijon chicken/rice/peas Dessert: small brownie (I made it for the blog, so I had to try it!)
As a newbie blogger, I am astounded at the time I am spending on social media trying to get myself out there. How much time do you spend on the computer a day/week?
I spend way too much time on the computer! I probably spend on average 10 hours a day (if not more) on social media, blogging and researching.
On average, How many new recipes do you develop a month?
I post 4 new recipes a week, so I develop around 16-20 recipes a month.
What is your favorite local restaurant and favorite out of town restaurant?
Favorite Birmingham Restaurant: Gianmarco’s – we love to sit in the bar and the food is fantastic! A close second is Saw’s Juke Joint. I can’t get enough of their smoked wings and Sweet Tea Fried Chicken Sandwich! Favorite Out of Town Restaurant:probably Carnevino at the Palazzo in Las Vegas. LOVE their blood orange martinis and the food is top notch!
How do you stay in shape, eating all that delicious food? What is your exercise regimen?
The most common question I get asked is “How do you not weigh 300 pounds?” Everything in moderation! I walka lotand do workout videos. We just joined a gym and I’m walking on 10 incline for about 45 minutes at least 5 days a week (unless we are out of town)
It seems like you aren’t a fan of seafood, by your blog recipes and what you order at restaurants. Am I right? (I don’t eat any seafood, at all, maybe why I noticed?)
The only seafood I will eat is crab. I know seafood is delicious, but fish are just creepy to me! I don’t even like to get in the ocean. I stick to eating cows, pigs, and chickens.
What is the all time most popular recipe on your website?
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls– If you haven’t tried it, you should. It is awesome!
If you had only 1 meal left, what would you pick?
Homemade Lasagna – I could eat the whole pan! My love forlasagna rivals Garfield.
Other thanwww.auntbeesrecipes.com(
The Country Cookhttp://www.
Southern Bitehttp://southernbite.com
Bake or Breakhttp://www.bakeorbreak.
——————————————————————————————————————————–
How fantastic is she? You can follow Plain Chicken yourself here:
Website:www.plainchicken.com
Twitter:https://twitter.com/plainchicken
Pinterest:http://www.pinterest.com/plainchicken/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/plainchicken.fan
Stay tuned for part 2 of my blogging inspiration! I interview Mary from Deep
South Dish! You aren’t going to want to miss it!
<3Aunt Bee
