I spend a LOT of time thinking about this blog — thinking about you, my readers! I had been thinking about food blogging for quite a while before I actually took the plunge. I spent sixteen days rafting the Colorado River in October — an incredible opportunity and a great excuse to forget about technology — when I really decided this is what I wanted to do. I was working at a job I was less than thrilled with, and began to really see that life is not worth doing something you don't enjoy! Therefore, when I started Bake Break five months ago, it was partially out of frustration (e.g. why am I not doing whatever I want and making a living from it?), and partially because I knew I would love it. LOVE it. I was totally right: I love it.
The last five months have taught me a lot, not only about baking, photography, and the interwebs — but about myself and what I want to do with my life. All of this thinking (err, obsessing?) has me researching other successful food blogs, and what it will take to make Bake Break a highly successful blog. Granted, successful has many definitions — I'm already feeling successful! I do have goals for the blog, which will only be achieved by growing my readership — a task you can help, and already have helped me with!
To the point: THANK YOU. Thanks for reading. Thanks for eating things I make. Thanks for eating the things I make and DON'T post (and keeping them to yourself, shh). Thanks for the feedback, positive and constructive. Thanks for the pins, the follows, the retweets, and the "likes." Thanks for the suggestions! Most of all, thanks for believing in me. This feels like the first time I have really put my mind to start something tangible, and actually followed through on it. While I was doubting my own determination and capabilities, none of you seemed to doubt me for a minute: thank you.
Giveaway
As a thank you to all of my readers, new and old, I'm doing a giveaway! I know this probably makes you think of beautiful Kitchenaid Mixers and Le Creuset goods — I'm hoping to be able to give you these kinds of things some day, but for now... COOKIES! I'll make a batch of my Neiman Marcus $250 Cookies and ship them to THREE LUCKY READERS! If you need references to check on how awesome these cookies are, I can give you plenty.
This giveaway is now over! Winners (Gretchen, Tina, and Laura!) were chosen with a random number generator, and have been contacted!
REQUIRED FOR ENTRY
1. Leave a comment telling me about a recipe you've dreamed up and would like to see on Bake Break! If that's too challenging, just tell me your favorite kind of cookie!
Optional Entries:
You must leave a separate comment for EACH additional entry to count
2. Follow @thekitchenpaperblog on TWITTER
3. Tweet the following: “I just entered in a #giveaway to win delicious cookies from @thekitchenpaperblog! You can enter here: http://thekitchenpaper.com/2012/04/goals-gratitude-and-a-giveaway/"
4. "Like" Bake Break! on Facebook
5. Pin any photo from Bake Break! on your Pinterest account
6. Sign up to receive Bake Break! either by e-mail or in your RSS feed.
If you already do any of the above, make sure to still leave a SEPARATE comment for each one telling me so!
The boring stuff: Contest is only open to US residents. Contest runs from Tuesday April 10, 2012 through 11 pm, MST, Friday April 13, 2012. Winners will be drawn at random and notified via email. Winners will have 48 hours to respond before a secondary winner will be chose. These cookies contain nuts, gluten, and dairy.
Good luck!
Alfie says
white chocolate chip!
Tori Snell says
Hey Mary,
It's been a while, but I wanted to tell you I've been reading your blog and think it's fantastic! I'm still a college student and too lazy to actually make anything for myself, but I love looking at your stuff. Keep it up!
Dave Heberly says
Chocolate chip oatmeal
Dave Heberly says
I already like you on Facebook, I would like to win cookies please.
Margaret says
The desserts are beautiful and delicious and I need to STOP eating them. How about some easy, one dish, suppers that make great left-overs for lunches at work? Vegan or vege are best though meat is okay. Love the NM $250 cookies!
Derek Loudermilk says
My favorite cookies are the Nieman Marcus $250 cookie!
I am hoping you will find a way to emboss my favorite foods with little messages-or possibly a bake break logo!
Derek Loudermilk says
I tweeted too!
Tom says
Gourmet backpacking or river rafting meals?
Mary says
Lemon bars!
Laura says
I'm glad Stephanie told me about your blog, cause its really one of my favorites. You feel more relate-able than other food blog authors (I follow quite a few). I appreciate your hard work! I can't think of any recipes I've created myself ... there's a reason why I read food blogs - to find great recipes! So my favorite cookie is probably those Lofthouse Style cookies with buttercream frosting 🙂
mary says
Thanks, Laura! Glad you're enjoying the blog 🙂
Gretchen says
Chocolate chip cookies- the $250 kind!
Kathy says
My favorite cookies to make since before you were born are your Aunt Mary's Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies in the Brownell cookbook celebrating your great grandparent's 51st wedding anniversary, except that I cut the sugar way back.
Barbara says
Lemon squares. Lemon tarts.
Your blog is great, wonderful to follow your adventures in baking and beyond .
Wehaf says
I love oatmeal raisin cookies best, but I also love baking with other dried fruits, especially figs and dates.
Tina Bark says
I like you on FB! And in real life:)
Tina Bark says
A recipe I dreamed up (and made- turned out awesome) was a fusion desert- Thai brownies. I made super rich brownies from scratch using 400grams of really good dark chocolate, and I added lemongrass, ginger and lime zest. YES!
Sometimes brownies are a bit heavy...do you think you could recreate that in a cookie?
Tina Bark says
...and I now receive Bake Break by email- Hooray!
Tina Bark says
I just pinned your S'Mores Cookies on my Pinterest board... they look like Heaven in a cookie, I want to make them right now!
elizabeth says
Any kind of crumble cake/coffe cake with crumble on top. I love those and never have made one. Your cookies look beyond delicious!!
I just found your blog and I'm so glad I did!
Debbie Brownell says
The cookie I make the most is the $250 ch.chip/oatmeal raisin. I added 6 oz. of butterscotch chips a couple of times to rave reviews. My favorite cookie that my Mom makes for us at Christmas is a Sugar Twist.
THE BAKING APPRENTIC says
My favorite Cookie is definelty an Oreo. I would love to see an easy recipe on that! =)
The Baking Apprentice
Hillary says
I learned an awesomely simple hot appetizer "recipe" (if you can call it that) a few years ago and love how classy it looks relative to the time and effort put into it. However, it uses processed "Boursin" brand cheese and I think it'd be more appealing with a homemade and non-preservative heavy creamy cheese filling -- basically, a homemade savory white cheese / cream cheese / herb blend. (The recipe is: white button or Parisian mushrooms, de-stemmed, placed top-down on a rimmed baking sheet, filled with cream/herb cheese, sprinkled with sea salt, and baked for 10 minutes at like 350.) I always like appetizer / cute presentation ideas if I'm ever scrambling for something to take to a potluck, etc. I love all your blog photos and the presentation of your food!
Hillary says
I like you on Facebook 🙂
Hillary says
And, I now will get your blog via email! The potential cookies-arriving-at-my-door possibility is very motivating!
Gretchen says
I LOVE my Grandmothers pecan balls- they melt in your mouth!
Alix Elsen says
Dude. Mary. Love the blog. Been stalking it since you started it up.
I'm actually a terrible cook, but I've recently moved to an apartment with a larger kitchen and ample cookware - I've resolved to train myself in the art of baking and then move on to more fancy-pants dinner plates.
I do know a few good cookie recipes (well, I like them at least), but my boyfriend won't eat any of them. Let's put it this way: he likes the Albertson's bakery "candy" cookies. He did mention the other day while we were in the baking aisle at the grocery store, however, that he would eat oatmeal cookies if I put butterscotch chips in them... I've gotta try it, of course!
Also, I love breakfast sandwiches. My morning staple is buttered & toasted Dave's Killer Bread (now available in Missoula, MT :D), cheddar cheese, spinach and/or alfalfa sprouts, fried egg(s) and yellow mustard. Mmmm... great jump start to my morning.
Anywho, would love to hear about any breakfast-sandwichy stuff you might know. And, of course, I'm desperately looking for tips on how to (gently) ease unhealthy eaters and junk food addicts into wholesome shit. I will eat any vegetable you put in front of me. Others in my household? Not so much.
mary says
Haha glad to hear it! I will definitely work on getting some things for picky eaters up here... also: JEALOUS about Dave's Killer Bread! I love that stuff!
We've yet to really come to Missoula, but if/when we do, I'll let you know!
Alix Elsen says
+follow on Twitter 🙂
Anna says
Love the blog! And this is a really hard question to answer... shortbread would probably be right up there towards the top. Followed by Russian Tea Cakes (Mexican Wedding Cookies).
Anna says
I just twittered it too 🙂
Blake Kaplan says
I'd like to see a chocolate cheesecake recipe on Bake Break.
Blake Kaplan says
I followed on Twitter
Blake Kaplan says
I tweeted.
https://twitter.com/#!/blakekaplan/status/1908534...
Blake Kaplan says
I liked you on FB.
Blake Kaplan says
I subscribed by email.
tina bark says
Thank you soooooo much! I am the happiest winner EVER!