16 Years of Sharing Family Recipes
16 Years of Sharing Family Recipes: My Blogging Journey Since 2009
When I hit “publish” on my very first blog post back in 2009, I had no idea that I was stepping into a journey that would shape my life for the next 16 years. Blogging was brand new back then. There were no “how-to” guides, no blogging blueprints, and certainly no Pinterest strategies or TikTok tutorials. It was just me, a Blogspot.com template, my camera, and a desire to share the recipes I was cooking for my family.
I had just started my MFA at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and my background in art and technology gave me a unique perspective on blogging. But even with that, there was still so much I had to figure out on my own. How do you make your site look good? How do you take photos that people actually want to click on? How do you write in a way that feels both personal and useful? These were all questions I had to stumble through—without Google or YouTube tutorials to guide me.
The Early Days of Blogging
In 2009, the blogging world looked nothing like it does today. Most people didn’t even know what a “blog” was. Platforms like Blogspot made it easy to start, but they were also extremely limited. Looking back at those early posts makes me smile—my photos were dim, my fonts were default, and my layouts were simple. But what I had was passion. I wanted to share recipes that made my family happy, and I hoped that maybe they’d make someone else’s family happy too.
Back then, it wasn’t about SEO, algorithms, or ad networks. It was about connection. My first comments from readers felt like the biggest achievement in the world. Someone out there—someone I didn’t know—was cooking my recipe in their own kitchen. That was magical.
Finding My Voice
As I balanced my MFA studies in San Francisco with blogging, I started to see the connection between my creative education and my blog. My background in technology helped me tinker with code when I needed to. My art classes helped me improve my photography and styling. Slowly, the blog stopped looking like a hobby and started to feel like something more.
I realized that my real strength was creating approachable family recipes—comforting, easy meals that could be made on a weeknight but still felt special. Over the years, I leaned into that niche, and it became the heartbeat of My Family Dinner Ideas.
The Growth Years
From 2009 to now, the growth has been both steady and surprising. I went from just a handful of recipes to more than 1,000 posts published. That number still amazes me. Each recipe represents not just food, but a little moment in my life.
I’ve learned about SEO, photography, social media, and marketing along the way. Some things worked, some didn’t, but every step taught me something valuable. The truth is, blogging has changed dramatically since 2009—but the love of sharing food has never changed.
Why I Keep Going
Sixteen years later, I still feel that same spark when I share a recipe. I still get excited when readers tell me they made one of my dishes for their family dinner. That sense of connection—knowing my kitchen is connected to kitchens all across the country—is what keeps me going.
Blogging has given me not just a platform, but a legacy. It has given me the space to create, to grow, and to connect with people I never would have met otherwise.
Looking Ahead
As I reflect on the past 16 years, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Blogging has changed, yes, but so have I. I’ve gone from a graduate student just figuring things out to a seasoned blogger with thousands of loyal readers and a library of recipes that continues to grow.
And I know this is only the beginning. There are new recipes to share, new stories to tell, and new readers to welcome into the My Family Dinner Ideas community.
So, here’s to 16 years of family recipes—and to the many more to come.
