I nearly missed my 6th anniversary but luckily checked out the date just in time!
So much has changed in 6 years. When I started out, after encouragement from hubby, I knew nothing about blogs, social media or anything remotely techie. What I did have however, was a life long love of food and Home Economics (won the school prize and went on to study at A Level).
So much has changed in 6 years, the early posts were shot on cheap digital camera and uploaded straight into a post with no editing what so ever. No wonder I was managing to do about 3 recipe posts a week back then, I was completely taken with blogging. So it’s been a very steep learning curve and I’m constantly learning new things.
Now the blog is not the hobby it once was the posts are less frequent as there is a whole circus that has to take place for every recipe post now. My dining room has become my studio and I’m wearing all the hats a big business has departments for.
I would like to give a big shout out and thank you to hubby for being the technical department as without him there would no Fab Food 4 All! He recently installed the new them update which you may or may not have notice!
So to celebrate Fab Food 4 All’s 6th anniversary I thought I’d share my Top 10 Recipe Picks – some popular and some not so popular dishes that I think deserve a spotlight!
Quick Poached Egg & Garlic Spinach Bagel
This has become one of my favourite brunches and my kids love it too. Whenever I come across some reduced spinach I usually make this. Wash it down with a glass of orange juice to release all the iron in the spinach!
Tomato, Carrot & Dill Soup
This is quite an old post and never really got the love it deserved. I worked in catering briefly and this soup was one of the top sellers which I re-created from memory. So if you haven’t tried it yet I thoroughly recommend, it has a lovely creamy, garlicky vibe to it.
Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs)
Frikadeller were my favourite dish as a child and I still love them today. Having a Danish mum means that many of my culinary influences are Danish. These meatballs are light and almost fluffy compared to your usual type of meatball and made with pork mince.
Quick Nicoise Style Salad
I love salads when the weather gets warmer and I think this Quick Nicoise Style Salad is my absolute favourite. My family love it too and as my daughter became a vegetarian recently I omit the tuna for her and give her extra boiled egg instead. I’m sure we’ll be having this very soon as it’s a really quick meal to put together.
Banana Pudding
Whenever I have a bowl full of bananas go over-ripe on me they always get turned into Banana Pudding, it has a lovely crispy exterior and gooey middle. Simply delicious served with ice cream!
Banana Cake
I seem to be a bit banana obsessed! This is my mum’s recipe and just like when I was a child, the chocolate topping never gets a chance to set before the family demands a slice. Do try it, I’m sure you’ll love it too!
Chocolate Melting Moments
This is a recipe that I begged for on my last day at college from the canteen ladies. The thought of never having one of their Chocolate Melting Moments again was just unbearable. I remember having to scale it down a lot as the quantities were for a canteen full of hungry students! Still love these cookies that live up to their name!
Blackberry & Apple Jam
All my jams are like are like children to me and it’s difficult to have favourites but if I had to pick one it would be my Blackberry & Apple Jam – it’s one of my most popular posts each year due to not only its taste but the fact that I simplified the process by using just one pot instead of 2 to cook the fruit!
Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd
I was very late to making Lemon Curd but my granny used to make it a lot. For years I’d had my granny’s half written recipe in my index box, so a few years ago I decided to give the very scant instructions some clarity. It was so incredibly quick, easy and delicious that I kicked myself that I hadn’t made it years ago! It’s developed quite a fan club too as I often see it being recommended on Twitter!
Strawberry & Coconut Milkshake
During the summer months we’ll often have this Strawberry & Coconut Milkshake as a dessert as it’s made with ice cream and so delicious and refreshing. Lets hope the sun comes out soon and we’ll start having this again!
So it just remains for me to thank you the reader for being with me whether it’s been for 6 years or 6 minutes! There definitely wouldn’t be a blog without you and I have to admit that your wonderful comments fill my heart with joy.
I might have virtually held your hand while you’ve been making jam or brought back your love of cooking. To me this is the most important thing, helping you whether it’s with something technical or to get you out of a cooking rut and if you’ve never cooked before (I did that post for students) then to sow that seed.
I must also thank all my fellow food bloggers for keeping me on my toes and all your moral and practical support, again I couldn’t do this without you. Finally I have to thank all the wonderful brands I’ve worked with, some of whom saw my potential from very early on, that belief spurred me on and allowed me to become the professional food blogger I am today!
So here’s to the next 6 years and beyond!
Keep stirring!
Camilla xxx
PS: Breaking news, the day after I posted my Top 10 Recipe Picks, Fab Food 4 All got into Vuelio’s Top 10 UK Food Blogs list which I have longed to be in so I’m totally thrilled:-)
Pin my Top 10 Recipe Picks for later!
Kate - gluten free alchemist
Congratulations! Great choice of recipe pics. I have to say though….. I am a sucker for the lemon curd, which looks so good! x
Camilla
Thanks Kate, the Lemon Curd is amazing:-)
Sisley
Happy Blog anniversary! What an amazing blog – please keep it going for at least another 8!
Your recipes are so good – I can’t wait to try more of them!
Camilla
Thank you Sisley, I can’t see me ever giving this up, I love it too much:-)
Claire @foodiequine
Congratulations on your 6th Birthday! I’m just a wee bot behind you with my 6 years approaching in August. You are absolutely correct that so much has changed in that time – what will the next six years bring I wonder? Out of the recipes you’ve shared here I really fancy giving the Frikerdeller a try.
Camilla
Thank you Claire, yes who knows what things will be like in another 6 years! You should definitely try the Frikerdeller:-)
Emma
Happy blogiversary!!! What a fantastic range of recipes. I knew at least one of the jams would be on the list ๐
Camilla
Thank you Emma, it was difficult to stick to just one LOL:-)
Corina Blum
Congratulations on your 6 year blogiversary! I love the look of those Danish meatballs.
Camilla
Thank you so much Corina:-)
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
Happy blogiversary!! You were actually one of the first bloggers I came across when I first started blogging nearly 3 years ago!! Your blog was on my list of blogging inspirations in my very first blogging notebook ๐ And loving the new theme. – though I liked the old one too.. You are very lucky to have a ‘tech department’ I have to figure it all out myself. I have my fingers crossed my kids will soon know far more than I do and can become my ‘tech department’. Your comments about ‘a whole circus’ made me laugh. I remember when I started out 3 years ago and how quick I could get a blog post out: a few quick snaps, a very short blurb, a recipe and a share on FB and maybe Twitter. I thought that was all there was to it…oh no, how much I had to learn….the process is so much longer these days and I am sure practically every day I add an extra thing to my process!! But in a funny way I love it more for all those extra steps…(well maybe not ALL of them) Here’s to many more years blogging ๐ Eb x
Camilla
Aaw thanks Eb, I had no idea about that. You have done very well in a relatively short amount of time. I remember one of the first blogs I followed was that of a vicar’s wife and it was literally just a snap of the dinner on the dining table but I loved it as it was real food cooked with love. But times move on and now and so it all takes a lot longer. I must admit I have become a perfectionist and have to get every detail as good as I can get it, so the circus can take quite a long time lol:-) My son is doing a computer science degree so I am spoiled for geeks:-)
Debbie Webb-Lopez
Happy Anniversary!
Camilla
Thank you Debbie:-)