Smarty Cooking School: Food Blogs

It just dawned on me that while I write for a blog and follow a ton of food blogs…I don’t think I’ve ever written about my favorite ones! The irony is that one of the questions I get asked the most (besides, “what’s your favorite recipe” or, “how do you keep from over cooking chicken breasts”) is probably “what are your favorite websites or blogs to find recipes”? Not gonna lie, there are a TON that I look at, but I definitely gravitate towards some more often than not.

Ok…so, can we be honest for a second? There are a million blogs that while the photography is gorgeous (white on Rice), and the premise is most awesome (I mean, who doesn’t want to eat all whole foods and serve their children homemade snacks with a smile), the recipes themselves (while I’m sure are great) don’t fit a lot of realistic lifestyles with busy schedules, kids, jobs, time constraints and lets face it…what everyone in the family will actually eat! That being said, blogs like 101 Cookbooks and My New Roots are worth a look – healthy eating never looked so beautiful!!!

Moving on from photography, lets talk about the writing for a second. A great food blog should be all about, well, the food right? Right? Well, yes…but I also love a good laugh and some creative writing. For that, hands down, one of my favorites has to be Culinary Bro Down. Seriously, stop what you’re doing (after reading my entry of course ;o) and check him out – great eats and hilarious, witty writing. With excerpts like, “The only nutrition labels I read are on energy drinks, and that’s only to see how many of them I’d need to drink before caffeine toxicity kills me. It’s generally like 18-25, so there’s a solid buffer zone. Still reassuring to check though.” With gems like that, you know you’ve stumbled upon a keeper.

For those of you who love experimenting with different ethnic flavors, definitely check out Aunt Clara’s Kitchen, Muy Bueno (great video clips on this one), Cynthia Presser and Pati’s Mexican Table. There are so many amazing international cuisines out there, and these four blogs are packed with some amazing and approachable recipes that are worth trying out!

Soooo, Pinterest. Who doesn’t love pinning an amazing looking recipe on Pinterest? The problem is that with so many different options, how do you know which ones will be hits and which ones will be a disappointing waste of ingredients and time? Unfortunately, there are more than a few of those. For those hits however, make sure to check out where the recipe originated from, and chances are there will be more recipes from that blog that you’ll love. That’s how I found these blogs that I have gone back to over, and over and OVER again: The Recipe Critic, Bake Bree, Will Cook for Friends, Cooking Classy, Damn Delicious, Chef in Training and Skinny Taste.

How about you Smarty’s? What are your favorite food blogs?!! Do tell…..