Food Fun Family

How To Use Yummly: Tips and Tricks For Bloggers

Lolli — Fri, 08 May 2015 18:43:58 +0000

About a month ago, another blogger friend of mine recommended that I sign up for Yummly, a site to browse through, collect and share recipes from your own site and around the web. My initial thought was not another social site…but I figured it was worth a little bit of my time to at least look into it.

Imagine my shock when Yummly became one of the TOP 3 REFERRERS of traffic to my site within the first week.

I am now singing Yummly’s praises, and I have helped and encouraged several of my friends to sign up for and start using Yummly as well. Since several of my friends had questions about how to get started on Yummly and what to do once you get there, I decided that a post on how to use Yummly was in order.

Even if you’re not a blogger who posts recipes, I think you’re going to LOVE the site!

Getting Started on Yummly: Sign Up, Profile and Preferences

Signing up for Yummly is simple and quick. Just click the sign up button in the top right corner and choose your preferred method of signing in.

I was pretty excited when one of my recipes was showing up on the sign up page!

Once you’ve created a Yummly account, I’d recommend taking just a few minutes to fill out as many fields as possible in your profile (you can find your profile by clicking on your name in the top right corner of the page). You can link to your blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest pages there so that they show up in your profile.

Next, fill out your taste preferences. Add any food allergies or special diets or ingredients that you don’t like as well as your favorite cuisines.

Filling out as much as possible in your profile will make the recipes that Yummly recommends to you even better. (The other thing that will help your recommendations be a better fit is “Yumming” more recipes, but we’re not quite there yet).

How to Add Recipes to Yummly

Once you’ve got your Yummly account created and your profile set up, you’ll want to start adding recipes. All recipes you “Yum” will be filed into your “All Yums” Collection, but to get the most out of Yummly, I recommend adding each recipe to relevant categories, or Collections, such as Cookies or Desserts. I also added a “Better in Bulk Recipes” category to my own page so that I can have a place to store all of my own recipes that I’ve yummed.

To add a recipe to a Collection, click on the Yum button on the recipe you’ve just added. A menu box will drop down with a few pre-selected categories. Feel free to create a few of your own Collections to customize your page even more.

When I first started out on Yummly, I kept my Collections very broad, but now that I’m using it more and more, I’ve started adding more specific collection titles. For instance, instead of just having one place for all Desserts, I’ve added “Chocolate,” “Cookies,” “Cakes and Cupcakes,” etc.

Note: Recipe titles and images are generated automatically from your post and cannot be changed at this point. I often have recipes that take a while to process. Some instantly pop up with the image and recipe description, and others take days. If you notice your recipes are showing up without an image or a link to your blog page (more on that below), there is not much you can do about it but wait. You haven’t done anything wrong. They are simply processing.

Add a Boorkmarklet or Social Share Button

There are 2 ways to make adding recipes to your collections (and encouraging readers to add your recipes to their collections!): social share buttons and the Yummly Bookmarklet. The bookmarklet is easy to install (following the directions here) and is handy when I’m visiting other blogs with recipes I’d like to add to my Yummly collections. Any time I find a recipe I like, I just click the Yum bookmarklet in my browser toolbar and it’s added automatically. I can either add it to a collection right then or go to my Recipe Box on Yummly later to add it to relevant collections. This is what it looks like when you’ve successfully added a recipe (like this one on NellieBellie.com) using the bookmarklet:

I also added a Yummly social share button to all of my posts 2 days after I opened my Yummly account, hoping to encourage readers who are already on Yummly to add my recipes to their collections.

If you use SumoMe, Shareaholic, Simple Share Buttons (that’s what I have at the top of my post), AddToAny, E-MAILiT, or GetSocial you can add the Yum button. If your social share buttons don’t support Yummly, then ASK them to add it! The more people using Yummly and the easier it is to share, the better! You can also add your own Yum button directly to each post if you prefer.

Another fun tool that I haven’t started using yet is the Yummly Rich Recipes Plugin for WordPress, which not only makes your recipes Yummly-friendly, but adds an easy way for readers to Yum your recipe right from the recipe itself.

How to Set Up and Customize Your Publisher Page

The great news is…if you or someone else has started yumming your recipes, then a publisher page has already been automatically created for your blog!

To find your publisher page, locate one of your recipes on Yummly that has already processed. You should see your blog name near the bottom left side of the recipe card if you’re viewing from your Recipe Box, or on the left side on top of the recipe image if you’re viewing the recipe page. Click on your blog name, and you’ll be taken to your publisher page.

The next step is to fill out this form so that Yummly can update the information on your publisher page, like a description and profile image.

Note: If any recipes that you have added are not showing up on this publisher page, it just means that the recipe has not been processed yet (is not yet live on Yummly).

Watch the Traffic Come!

Of course, there’s never any guarantee that a site is going to bring you traffic, but Yummly has been fantastic for my blog, surpassing Pinterest most days! I spend a few minutes each day adding new recipes that I find, either through the recipes that Yummly recommends to me or through Facebook groups of bloggers that I admire, etc. One of my recipes is currently on Yummly’s homepage as one of the most popular on the site (I got lucky!) but even without that popular post, I’m still bringing in several hundred new visitors a day from Yummly.

How it works: When you click on a recipe on Yummly, you’ll be brought to a page that looks like this:

Users can see the ingredients and basic nutrition facts about a recipe on Yummly, but they have to click the button near the bottom to “Read Full Directions on (Blog Name)” to get the instructions.

Why I like Yummly so much:

Traffic aside, the 2 things I love most about Yummly are:

It’s simplicity of design and functionality: It’s easy to browse through recipes or search for recipes with specific ingredients. I’m not distracted with a bunch of other things. Yummly has delicious recipes. Period.
Yummly has great recommendations for me: Because I’m using Yummly regularly, the recommendations are getting better and better. Unlike other social networks that are flooded with information that I might not want or need to see, Yummly feels like it’s customized just for me. I love that.

Another thing that I am just starting to try out is sharing Yummly recipes directly from the site, since they have several sharing options right there. I’m curious to see if I get more yums that way!

Are you on Yummly yet? If not, I highly recommend that you come join me there!

Note: The spoon image used above is from stock image site Graphic Stock.

10 Things You Should Pack in Your Carry On #TravelTools

Lolli — Sat, 02 May 2015 13:15:53 +0000

Many thanks to CLEAR for sponsoring today’s post about travel tips and for inspiring me to enroll for a better travel experience! All thoughts and tips are my own.

I love to travel.

But let me clarify. I love the destination. I love getting away from the everyday routine. I love seeing new sites and experiencing new things.

But I’m honestly not all that fond of the ACTUAL travel part, at least when it comes to flying. Most of my flights that require a plane trip are to the opposite side of the country, which means long waits, long flights, and altogether long days….

I’m not complaining. I would rather take the trips and endure a day of oh-I-feel-horrible and I-got-2-hours-of-sleep-before-heading-to-the-airport and how-long-is-this-security-line-going-to-take-already?? in order to have the experience that each new trip affords. I’m no expert by any means, but I have certainly learned a thing or two that have helped ease the “pain” of the travel day significantly. I discovered one of those things on my last flight to and from California.

I was approaching security at San Jose to head back to Baltimore and was initially confused by which line I should enter. The line to the right was full of waiting passengers holding their boarding passes and IDs (that was the “normal” line). The line in the middle was significantly shorter – a family of 5 had just walked in (that turned out to be the TSA precheck line). The line on the right was empty, inviting….NO WAIT. That was the CLEAR line.

My interest was peeked. What is CLEAR? (Interestingly, I was approached shortly after I got back to do this campaign with CLEAR….what amazing timing!). But I’ll have more on that later…

I headed to the line with EVERYONE else in it. Luckily, I had plenty of time to wait. And wait. Because that’s what you do in those lines.

Back to those tips I’ve discovered that make the travel day go as quickly and easily as possible. Here are 10 things to pack in your carry on bag for a pleasant day of travel.

10 Things Every Traveler Should Pack In Their Carry-On

THE ESSENTIALS: I’m sure it goes without saying that your carry on bag should include, at minimum, your phone, wallet, and ID and any medications you need to take on a daily basis.

EMPTY WATER BOTTLE. Since I can’t bring water through security, I like to bring an empty water bottle in my carry on bag and fill it up once I’m past security. Yes, I know I can free water and soda on the plane OR buy a water bottle in the airport, but when I can save a few bucks AND have an easier container for my drink (the lid comes in very handy so I can take a drink on my schedule throughout my flight (no tray table needed).

SNACKS. I always feel better after a long travel day when I can have some snacks on the plane (the peanuts and pretzels just don’t cut it for me). I usually have to miss a meal while I’m flying, so snacks carry me through til I land.

NON-ELECTRONIC READING/WRITING MATERIAL. Airlines have loosened up on their rules about using electronic devices on board, but it’s still rough to power down my devices during take off and landing and have nothing to do. I always carry a small spiral notebook and a pencil when I travel, and have come up with several of my favorite blog posts during long flights. But as an life-long lover of books, airplanes are one of my favorite places to get lost in a paperback novel. It’s a great excuse to read for hours and hours.

PORTABLE CHARGER FOR YOUR ELECTRONICS. Whenever I leave the house, my cell phone inevitably drains its battery faster. To avoid arriving at my destination with a dead battery, I like to travel with a portable charger (also, using my own portable charger helps me avoid needing to share the charging stations with a dozen other people at the gate).

LOTION AND LIP BALM. Flying always dries out my lips and my hands. To avoid having to take out another liquid at the security check point, I’ve started traveling with my homemade lotion bars, which serve as both lotion and lip balm. I just stick a bar in a small box/container (like an upcycled mint tin) and grab it whenever I need to sooth my skin.

LAYERED CLOTHES. Regardless of the time of year that I’m traveling, I always dress in layers, because I never know when I’ll be freezing cold or stuffy and hot during the travel day. I usually have periods of both. And if I don’t need my light jacket or sweater for warmth, then it can double as a neck pillow. Bonus! I also wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off (and comfy to walk in) and leave the big jewelry and belts off so that I don’t have a bunch of extra accessories to take off and put back on again for screening.

TABLET OR COMPUTER. Because I never really have a day off, even if I’m heading on vacation, I always travel with a laptop computer or a tablet. Lately, I’ve been traveling with both so that I can use my tablet for movies and entertainment features and get work done with a full keyboard and access to my website on my laptop. The last time I flew, I used my new Lumia 2520 tablet with a keyboard to do both at once. The split screen allowed me to watch TV on one side and type in Microsoft Word on the other side of the screen. It worked so well that the guy sitting next to me commented at the end of the flight that HE wanted one, too.

ANY ESSENTIALS YOU MUST HAVE WHEN YOU LAND. These may include a change of clothes, a tooth brush, wall charging plugs for those essential tech items that are in your bag, medicines for headaches, antacid, etc. While I rarely have a problem with lost luggage, I’ve had checked suitcases not show up on the flight…including the last time I flew!

CLEAR MEMBERSHIP CARD. This may just be the most important new item in my travel bag. Have you heard of CLEAR?

WHAT IS CLEAR? Here’s the run-down:

CLEAR is a membership-based service that allows travelers to get through airport security faster. A CLEAR membership costs $179 annually, or about $15 a month. You can add a spouse to your account for $50 and kids under 18 are free if they are traveling with a CLEAR member.

Where is CLEAR available? CLEAR is now open in 11 major airports with more opening very soon. Current airports with CLEAR lanes are San Francisco (SFO), San Jose (SJC), Las Vegas (LAS), Denver (DEN), Houston (IAH & HOU), San Antonio (SAT), Dallas (DFW), Orlando (MCO), Baltimore (BWI), Westchester (HPN), and Miami (MIA) coming soon.

Bonus! CLEAR is now also expanding into select Major League Baseball parks around the country. CLEAR members and their families can now get into the game faster (with an expedited security screening process) with just a tap of their finger. More information coming soon!

How to become a member: To enroll in CLEAR, you must present either an US Passport or US issued Permanent Resident/Alien Registration Card PLUS an approved secondary ID (State Issued ID, Drivers License, Military ID, or Foreign Passport). All IDs must be valid, unamended, and unexpired. You must be at least 18 years old.

Ready to give CLEAR a try? You’re in luck! I’ve got a unique code for 2 FREE MONTHS of CLEAR! Just visit their site and enter code CLEAR2M29to get your FREE 2 month trial membership. Feel free to pass this special on to friends and family who are going to be traveling soon. You will love the CLEAR advantage when traveling!

Time Management Tips – How to Make the Most of Your Time

Lolli — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 22:21:32 +0000

I am blogging on behalf of Ingo Money and received compensation for my time from Ingo Money for sharing my views in this post, but the views expressed here are solely mine, not Ingo’s. Learn more about the Ingo Money mobile app at https://www.IngoMoney.com, or connect with the Ingo community at https://www.facebook.com/ingomoney.

My husband loves to quote Benjamin Franklin, and one of his favorite Ben Franklin quotes is, “Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff that life is made of.”

We all know that there are 24 hours in each day – no more, no less. But I’m guessing that each of us have wished at some time in our lives for an extra hour in the day. Oh, what we could accomplish with just a little more time!

I try to remind myself whenever I sit down to evaluate the effectiveness of my time management that there is more to do than anyone could accomplish in a day. It is important to not get discouraged about the things on my to-do list that don’t get checked off. It is also critical to remember that not all tasks are equally weighted. Some tasks are simply more important than others.

While I don’t profess to be an expert at time management, I do have some tips to share. We’ll consider this as much of a personal reminder for myself as it is a resource for the rest of you!

Time Management Tips – How to Make the Most of Your Time

1 – Make a to-do list – my first tip is to make a written to-do list. A day without a list of tasks that need to be accomplished is a day without direction.

I am reminded of the quote from Alice in Wonderland:

“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. Which road do I take? she asked. Where do you want to go? was his response. I don’t know, Alice answered. Then, said the cat, it doesn’t matter.”

To make sure that I’m focusing my time on the most important things that I need to get done each day and each week, I start with a list. My list is constantly changing as tasks are completed and needs change. My to-do list not only gives me direction, but it helps me to know where I should be spending my time. It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment to see things getting done!

2 – Tackle the most important things first – Prioritize your to-do list and start working on the most important and/or time-sensitive items first. I know that the big tasks tend to feel like weights on my shoulders until they are done, making it harder for me to be productive on the smaller, easier tasks I often try to slip in first. When I accomplish the important things first, that weight is lifted, and I start the rest of my tasks with a sense of accomplishment and a clear mind.

3 – Don’t multi-task – I used to view multi-tasking as a valuable skill to have. Who doesn’t want to be seen as someone who can juggle a dozen things at once, gracefully? Sadly, attempting to multi-task has killed many hours of productivity for me. When I want to truly manage my time well and get the most accomplished in the limited time that I have, I have to turn or tune everything else out and FOCUS. Example? I haven’t checked Facebook or email since I started writing this article. Not only do small distractions take time away from the task at hand, but all of those distractions, while they might be important in their own right (and, no, Facebook, I am NOT talking about you), make it more difficult to get back into the groove of whatever I was trying to do.

4 – Learn to say no – I have a tendency to want to please and so I say yes to things much too often. It is important to place enough value on my own time and the items on my to-do list that I don’t ruin my chances for success by taking on too many responsibilities. Be reasonable and realistic with what you agree to do.

5 – Take a break – Yes, taking a break or two in the middle of your day will actually help boost your productivity. A good time manager knows that not every minute of every day can be spent going forward at full speed. A few minutes of rest and relaxation (and maybe a reward here and there!) will help you avoid burn out (that state where nothing gets accomplished!) and manage your time for the rest of the day.

Introducing the Ingo Money App

Ingo Money is a mobile app that lets you load funds from checks to a participating Prepaid card – and it is the next greatest tool for time management for busy women like you and me. I know that I am not a fan of running to the bank (a sure productivity killer) and I love the convenience of shopping with a Prepaid card.
Using Ingo Money is easy. Once you’ve enrolled a participating Prepaid card, just take a picture of your check with your smartphone and send it to Ingo Money. If you’d like your funds within minutes, you just pay a small 1% or 4% fee depending on the check type (with a $5 minimum). If you don’t need funds right away, you can wait 10 days and your funds will be loaded onto your card for free (provided the check does not return unpaid, of course). To learn more about Ingo Money, please visit: https://ingomoney.com

Ingo Money in Minutes Instant Win Game

To show just how easy it is to use the Ingo Money mobile app, Ingo has created the Ingo Money in Minutes instant win game on Facebook. Every day from now through 2/11, you can have the chance to win one of four $20 e-gift cards just by answering what you’d be doing and where you’d be with all the time you’d save using the Ingo Money app.

Bonus – every time you play the game or someone plays through your share link from the game, you’ll receive a sweepstakes entry for a chance to win the grand prize of $500 towards the smartphone of your choice. To play the Ingo Money in Minutes game, visit: https://www.facebook.com/ingomoney/app_568471623239261

What To See and Do in Washington DC #marriottvacay

Lolli — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 13:58:58 +0000

As a Washington DC local now for 15 years, I have become accustomed to friends and family members from other states calling to ask my advice about what to see, what to do, and where to stay while traveling in the DC area. While I have a few personal favorites, I am both a creature of habit and (can I admit this?) lazy when it comes to being a tourist in my own hometown area, and I struggle every time friends ask for travel advice.

Then, after the few moments of guilt, I realize that regardless of what we see and do on a regular basis (or rather, what we don’t do in our historically rich hometown) the importance lies in the memories that we make. And memories can be made anywhere.

What To See and Do in Washington DC

Some of our personal family favorites include walking the National Mall to see the multitude of monuments (and I totally recommend the climb up to the top of the Washington Monument….as long as you don’t have little kids that will want to be carried), a tour of Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum as well as the Natural History Museum (granted, ALL of the Smithsonian museums are worth a visit. Not only are they FULL of fascinating things to see, but they are completely free), the National Zoo (technically another Smithsonian….but how often do you get to visit an enormous zoo for free?).

There are several quirky locals-only kinds of activities that we love to do, like watching the planes land overhead at a park just outside of National Airport or grabbing lunch at our new favorite DC restaurant.

The fact remains, whether I’m acting like a tourist at home or trying to make myself at home in a distant area, I stink at planning vacations. I’m much more of a “tell me what to do and print me off a schedule and map” kind of traveler.

Washington, DC Trip Creator

Luckily, there are incredible resources available for everyone visiting the DC area, whether they are locals who need touristy help or travelers from across the world. I am completely smitten by this new interactive Washington, DC Trip Creator from Marriott International – a leading hospitality company with over 3,800 properties in over 74 countries and territories around the world.

With the Washington, DC Trip Creator, anyone visiting the DC area (for a day trip or a family vacation) can see a traveler-friendly interactive map of attractions with the related costs and websites for more information. No longer do I need to feel like a friend giving bad advice when I recommend what to see and do in the DC area.

Have you traveled to Washington DC before? What were your favorite sites, or where do you hope to go someday?

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Creating the Perfect Holiday Atmosphere

Lolli — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 11:00:14 +0000

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Glade®. The opinions and text are all mine.

I’ve never been much of a decorator. I’ve never had the touch. I’ve also never had the money (or even the space in my house) to buy all of the beautiful holiday decor that I see at my friend’s houses.

And yet, I feel like each holiday season I create a wonderfully warm and inviting holiday atmosphere. My house might not be a perfectly decorated Christmas wonderland, but I’ve found that I don’t have to spend a fortune or invite an interior decorator over to bring the holiday spirit into my house.

How to create the perfect holiday atmosphere

With these 3 simple steps, your home will be ready for holiday entertaining or holiday relaxing (because we need a little of both during this buy season!).

Holiday decor – I always put up a Christmas tree as soon as possible and we get together as a family to hang our traditional ornaments – some that we’ve collected together and some that I’ve held onto since my own childhood. Once the Christmas tree is up, we decorate every cabinet top and shelf and table in the house with things we’ve collected over the years – nativity sets from family trips and handmade gifts from friends and family. Our house is a mish-mash of holiday nick knacks we’ve gathered, but I love it.

Holiday music – I love Christmas music! Playing classic Christmas always makes it feel like the holidays, no matter what it looks like outside (snow on the ground or green grass growing everywhere?) or inside (Christmas trees with decorations or none at all). I put my Christmas playlist on and it’s the holidays no matter where I am.

Holiday scents – The smells of the holidays bring back memories from the Christmases of my childhood. This past week, I got a Glade® Sweet Holiday Treat candle…and instantly I was instantly brought back to my favorite Christmas memories. Whether I’m baking my famous holiday goodies to share with neighbors or cooking a Christmas dinner feast or burning a holiday-inspired scented candle, the scents of the holidays bring back memories like nothing else.

This year Target is featuring special limited edition holiday scents that create the perfect holiday atmosphere, whether you’re getting ready to host a Christmas party or just relaxing in front of the Christmas tree in your PJs. There’s definitely a scent that will bring your holiday memories flooding back.

The Glade® Holiday Limited Edition Collection includes:

Glade® Sweet Holiday Treat
Glade® Apple Cinnamon Cheer
Glade® Sparkling Spruce
Glade® Pure Vanilla Joy
Glade® Frosted Berry Kiss

All the scents are only available only at Target beginning November 4 and are Limited Edition for the holidays.?

Enter the Real Simple “Add a New Sparkle” Sweepstakes

Real Simple is running the “Add a New Sparkle” Sweepstakes for Glade® from November 4 through December 16, 2013 at Realsimple.com/addanewsparkle

100 winners will receive a $10 Target Gift Card (so you can purchase a Glade® Winter Collection product!) plus a copy of Real Simple Celebrations.

Get festive this holiday season with the Glade® Limited Edition Winter Collection available exclusively at Target. Inspired by the best feelings of the season, the Glade® Sweet Holiday Treat scent lets you indulge in the irresistible scent of rich cocoa, toasted nuts, and creamy caramel. The 2013 Glade® Limited Edition Winter Collection was inspired by the nostalgic, spontaneous, snowy, moments that build up to the holidays. Creating memories with loved ones defines the season and the holiday lineup from Glade® is just as memorable.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Glade®. The opinions and text are all mine.

10 Easy Food Photography Tips

Lolli — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 16:00:28 +0000

These 10 simple food photography tips work together to take any level of photographer, regardless of camera or experience, to the next level with their food photography! Try some or all of these tips when you’re taking pictures of your next recipe, but remember – The most important tip to keep in mind when choosing the “perfect” shot is that your food in focus. No amount of props or composition will make a blurry shot look better.

10 Basic Tips to Improve Your Food Photography

Remember – you can implement these tips with any camera, even a smart phone, regardless of experience. As always practice makes perfect! Play around until you start getting shots that you’re proud to show off!

1 – Shoot a LOT! – In this digital age, there’s no reason to hold back and EVERY reason to snap away! When you’re taking pictures of food, the focus and focal point make a huge difference in the aesthetic appeal of the picture and small changes (keep reading for ideas!) can make an ok picture into an unforgettable picture. Even professional photographers take a ton of photos and throw out the majority. Remember – you can always delete a dozen or two bad photos from your computer, but you can’t un-eat food after the fact.

2 – Use natural light whenever possible – Natural light (ie, light from the sun, through a window, etc) is the best light to use in almost ALL photos, from people to landscapes to food. Flash is relatively taboo in food photography as it makes food flat and very unappetizing. My rule is that if my house is so dark when my food is ready that I need my flash, then I’d better just save a portion and take pictures the next morning. Remember – it’s ok to set up a miniature photo shoot in another room (don’t limit yourself to the kitchen!). Find your available light and use it!

3 – Composing shots – Experiment with multiple angles – rotate the food around and rotate yourself around, too! See how your food looks from straight above, from different angles, each side, and from the level of the food. Think about what colors are in your food and how to “play” off those colors and make the dish look as appetizing as possible.

4 – What’s in the background? (Get rid of visual noise) – Don’t be so focused on the food you’re shooting that you forget about the visual “noise” going on in the background. Clear off counters and tables and be aware of reflections in dishes and glasses.

5 – Be comfortable and confident with some basic photo editing – You don’t have to own Photoshop to be able to edit your pictures like a pro. I recommend using a free program like PicMonkey to adjust a few key aspects of your pictures – especially white balance, exposure, and sharpness/clarity. One of the things I notice frequently about my food photos is that the coloring is “off” in the straight-out-of-camera photos. Colors – and the entire plate of food! – really come alive (and look more appetizing) when the white balance is properly set. Don’t be scared off by a term like “white balance” – just adjust your colors so that your food doesn’t look too green or blue or red. Try to match the colors on your screen as closely as possible to the colors in the original food. PicMonkey is also great for adding a recipe title to your photo (hint – this makes your pictures extra Pinterest-friendly!)

6 – Take advantage of props…but don’t go overboard! Use simple solid-color napkins as an accent color under your plate, add a cute wooden spoon, or use a white foam core board for the backdrop. As I’ve gotten more into food photography, I’ve gradually collected quite a few simple props – solid-color plates (small salad plates work best!), place mats, wooden cutting boards, cake stands, and backdrops. This is something I’m still working on! Remember – “props” can be as simple as a glass of milk next to your plate of food or a rolling pin and scoop of flour in the background. Props can add character and interest to otherwise boring foods.

7 – Details, details, details – Before you shoot, check your plate and table for stray crumbs or drips of sauce, and clean off smudges and finger prints on glasses and dishes. Sometimes you need to get rid of messes…and sometimes you need to add some “messes” to create texture and interest. A drizzle of sauce, when added on purpose, can look great (it also makes the food seem more “real”). Don’t forget the value of garnishes, as well, such as parsley, cilantro, or a lemon wedge. I also love adding a few of the individual ingredients to the shot. Don’t forget that the cooking process itself can lead to some wonderful shots, too. Take pictures of the chopping, the stirring, and the mixing!

8 – Dig in! – I love to take several shots of the “whole” food and then dig in…and I’m not talking about eating it all before I’m finished taking my pictures (my kids all know better than to eat anything until I’ve given them the go-ahead!). Slice a big piece of cake and show off the texture, or cut into the roast. Remember that sometimes the inside of your food shows your recipes off better than the outside.

9 – Work quickly – When dealing with food that is hot or cold, be sure to work quickly. The faster you take your shots of food, the fresher it will look. You can get your shoot ready with props and plates all set out and then serve up the main feature as soon as it’s ready. No one wants to see melted ice cream, drippy frosting, or wilted lettuce.

10 – Zoom in – Don’t be afraid to get in close! Grab some zoomed-in pictures of your dishes. The entire plate doesn’t need to be visible in each shot, and it’s totally ok to cut food out of the frame. I love to cut a slice or grab a spoon or fork full of food and take a close-up of a “bite” of the food that I’m featuring. Readers will feel like you’re offering them a taste test!

What do YOU love to see in food photography? What shots stand out the most to you? If you have any additional tips, please share them below!

Note: This is the photography tips portion of a workshop I am presenting this weekend at the Digital Family Summit in Baltimore. I do not consider myself a fabulous food photographer, but I do know how to handle a camera AND I know how to cook delicious foods, so in that sense I am an expert, right?

Food photography has been one of the main things I’ve been working on this past year, and although my food shots are nowhere near the gorgeous shots I see on Pinterest, I am still thrilled to share a few of the things I’ve learned…and am still learning. All the photos included in this post are my own and may not be the ideal examples of each point, but should help give you some inspiration.

As a bonus, each of the pictures above links to the recipe. Enjoy!

Now who’s ready to take some pictures of food?!

10 Ways to Be a Good Safety Patrol #ReeseWrites

Reese — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 02:53:04 +0000

I’d like to introduce you to my newest writer at Better in Bulk – my 10 year old daughter, Reese, who just happens to know a LOT about being a good safety patrol.

Reese has been eager to start blogging like me (she is an awesome writer of fiction, and I might just convince her to share some of her short stories here in the future) and today we took the plunge, showed her the ropes around here, gave her a few topics to chose from and started #ReeseWrites.

As a 5th grade patrol with duties before and after school, Reese’s main responsibility is to make sure that the younger kids who are walking to school and back home each day get where they need to go safely. She was one of the first patrols in her grade to pass off the patrol certification, and she is passionate about being a good patrol!

Now it’s time to turn the time over to Reese:

How to be a good safety patrol

Being a patrol can be tough sometimes because you have to get up early every day and leave on time to get to post before the other kids start walking to school. Being a patrol can also be so much fun because you get to see some of your friends and spend 20-25 minutes with them in the morning and afternoon. You also get to miss a little bit of class!

I personally think that being a patrol is both tough and easy, but I really just like to laugh and have a good time. Being a patrol makes me happy, and I hope I can make other people be happy and safe. I like being a patrol and hope that the time won’t pass by too quickly because it’s really fun.

Here are some tips for being a good safety patrol:

10 ways to be a good patrol

Always show up to post on time
Do all of your regular duties and anything else the adult crossing guard asks you to do
Be nice to the people around you
Demonstrate responsibility to the younger kids (be a good example and do what you want them to do)
Respect the school building and remind other students to, too
Don’t be loud or too silly
Never let kids cross the street by themselves
Do your part to prevent accidents and help kids when they need help
Pay attention to what’s going on around you
Wear your belt and badge proudly (remember that other kids are watching you)

Were you ever a safety patrol?

Have any topic ideas for #ReeseWrites? Leave your questions or suggestions and Mom will pass them on!

PS: Just like my mom, Lolli, “Reese” is my nickname on the blog, just to be safe. I love the internet but Mom always reminds me to be safe and not give out too much information!

How to Enhance Photos Using Fonts: A PicMonkey Tutorial

Lolli — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 04:42:18 +0000

A few years ago a fellow photographer called me out for not including photos in my older recipe posts. Yep. Me. A professed lover of photography (I never claim to be great at it!) would write posts – recipe posts, even – and not include pictures.

Back in the early days of blogging – the days before Pinterest and Instagram and before everyone used Facebook and Twitter for blog sharing and promotion – images within blog posts were simply not as important. Or at least that’s what I thought. I put up pictures to show off my cute kids and the adventures we’d been on. I certainly didn’t consider how an image could enhance my blog posts, improve my SEO, and drive mega traffic to my blog.

I am now convinced that the quality of the images that I put up in my blog posts is perhaps the number one determinant of how well the post does. A strong image can catch the attention of a Facebook fan or a Google+ reader or a Twitter follower or (especially) a Pinterest enthusiast…and lead to more clicks and more shares of your content.

BUT. Not every blogger is a strong photographer. And, even as a photographer, not every picture that I take is top quality. I realized, particularly with the growing popularity of Pinterest, that a good picture wasn’t always enough to carry a post.

Side note: Of course, I realize that blog post content is a huge factor in blog success, but in this case I’m just concentrating on that first impression and what motivates readers to both click over to read and then stay to finish. Good content will ensure that people keep reading and keep coming back for more.

As Pinterest grew, I noticed a trend growing in popularity as well – the trend to add text to a blog post picture. Particularly with my tutorials, tip posts and recipes, I found that adding the right text and using the right fonts in a picture not only enhanced my photos AND posts, but it increased my traffic significantly. This post about 7 Simple Ways to Encourage Kindness in Kids went viral on Pinterest, and I attribute it to the right combination of photo and font:

I started going back through my old posts that I felt were Pinterest-worthy and have slowly added pin-friendly photos like the one I added below which ended up reviving a 4 1/2 year old post on tips to improve your photography. This one took off on Pinterest as well.

How to enhance photos using PicMonkey fonts

Despite the fact that I own and know how to use Photoshop, I turn to PicMonkey DAILY to add text to my blog post pictures. I used PicMonkey’s free service for months (no strings attached, but limited access to fonts and other design elements) but recently upgraded my account to PicMonkey Royale (on my own dime) because I proved to myself that I would use it everyday. It was worth it for me.

It’s easy to add fonts to your pictures using PicMonkey. Simply click “Edit a Photo” to upload the photo you want to enhance, click on the “P” in the menu on the left side to select fonts, and then click “Add text.” Click within the text box to start typing. You can move the text box to a different part of your picture, change the size of the text box or the font, change fonts and colors, etc. Get creative!

But just plopping down a few words and mixing and matching fonts is not a guarantee of success. There is an element of design that must be followed. Here are a few tips that I try to follow:

Match the “mood” – try to match the theme or feeling of your photo and blog post with the style of font that you use. If your post is kid-related, like the post I wrote about Back to School Tips for Parents and Kids, then a child-like font is perfect to use (I especially love PicMonkey’s chalk font for “writing” text on chalkboards!). If your post is more sophisticated or serious, stick with a font that reflects that and stay away from the cutesy fonts.

Try ’em out! – I rarely use the first font that I try on a photo. I always change things around until I am satisfied with the way the font and the picture look together. One of the things I love most about PicMonkey is how easy it is to try things out. If I don’t like it, I just try something else. On my latest recipe post, I tried several fonts before I found the combination I liked the best.

Mix ’em up – I enjoy mixing up the fonts. Sometimes. Using different fonts can enhance your image by adding emphasis to a word or two, as in the picture of my two boys (looking so little here) in a post I wrote about turning everyday moments into family memories. I wanted to emphasize “everyday moments” and so I used a curvier font AND changed the color of the font as well.

Just beware: not all fonts go together well. Two cursive fonts tend to be too much to put together. Two thin fonts may not stand out enough. Make sure that the styles are complimentary but contrast enough to add that zing you’re hoping for. Since there’s no hard fast rule that says “use A and B together but not A and C” you just have to use your best design eye. Don’t trust your eye? Ask for a second opinion!

Know when to use fonts – Remember that not every post needs a text-enhanced photo. Don’t over-do the use of titles on your pictures, but use sparingly for the best impact. PicMonkey fonts are also fabulous for tutorial posts, like the Popsicle stick puzzle tutorial that I posted a few weeks ago. I was able to put directions directly on each step of the tutorial as well as a title on the posts’ main image.

Go forth and share – After you’ve enhanced your photos with catchy titles, (don’t forget to add alt and title tags to your pics…alas, that’s another tutorial) be sure to share them wherever you can. Pin the post to Pinterest, use Tweetpic to post to your twitter account with a link back to your post, add it to your Facebook page….etc (and always chose that photo with text added!).

How do you use fonts in your blog photos? What style (from other bloggers) has the most impact for you – what makes you want to click over?

How to Organize Your Fridge, Make Homemade Tater Tots, and More

Lolli — Fri, 31 May 2013 12:00:21 +0000

About a month ago, I wrote a recap of the several articles that I had written for other sites (Spring is in the air…shoes, exercise, puzzles and more) and I realized this week that I had a new slew of posts go live since then (in full disclosure, I do get paid for writing articles for these sites). It’s been another busy month, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Hopefully a few of these tips and recipes will help you pass these hot months of summer. Recaps are below. Click over to read the rest of the articles.

Tips to Make Produce Last Longer

Throwing away spoiled produce is frustrating and eats into the monthly food budget. Smart shoppers not only look for the best deals in the store, but also use the produce wisely once it comes home. Read my article for a few tips to make sure that your produce lasts as long as possible.

The onions-in-pantyhose tip is worth the time on its own. And, yes, I learned so many helpful tips that I didn’t even know before preparing to write this post.

7 Easy Tips to Make the Most Out of your Fridge Space

Have your kids ever opened the refrigerator door, stared inside and declared, “There’s nothing to eat?”

How often do you bring home a bagful of groceries only to discover no room in the fridge to put away the new food?

Do you ever throw away forgotten leftovers that spent too much time hidden at the back of the fridge?

An organized refrigerator not only makes it easier to find food, but it ensures that less food is wasted and tossed in the trash. With food prices rising regularly, it doesn’t make sense to be throwing your money away every time food is thrown into the trash.

Read on to find a few tips to keep the fridge more organized, more food in your bellies instead of the garbage can and more money in your pocket at the end of the month…

How To Clean Baskets

From classic breadbaskets to summertime carry-alls, baskets are functional and fashionable additions to any house, but they don’t take long to gather dust and dirt. In addition to being organizational tools, baskets are often part of décor as well, so it’s important to keep them looking their best.

Learn how to keep your baskets looking clean with a few care tips – from protecting to cleaning wire, wicker, fabric and more…

Do you have any baskets in your house that could use a little sprucing up?

Small Space Upgrade: How To Make the Most Of Outdoor Storage

Keeping a small house organized and finding storage space can be a challenge, but what about outside that small house?

Not every home has a large yard, garage or shed to store tools, outdoor toys, and patio furniture. That doesn’t mean small spaces can’t be beautiful and functional, though. Make the most out of outside storage space – from sheds and beyond – even when there’s not much space to spare.

How to Wash White Clothes

Washing white fabrics – and keeping them white – can be a challenge. You want your favorite white blouse to remain crisp and bright, but over time, life happens. Stains appear, bright whites become dull, and the occasional pesky red sock ruins a perfectly good load of clothes.

And don’t even get me started on kids’ clothes. Between indoor crafts and outdoor play, it’s a miracle if their white clothes survive a season. Luckily, keeping your whites white doesn’t have to be a mystery with a few tips…

Homemade Tater Tots

Tater tots are surprisingly easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. They’re a perfect addition to burgers, spicy sloppy joes or your favorite meat cooked on the grill.

Check out this easy recipe, plus a few delicious dipping sauces (like classic fry sauce, Saffron Mayonnaise, and Sour Cream and Onion Dip) to try out as well…

What is your favorite way to eat tater tots?

Savory Puff Pastry Pinwheels 3 Ways

Puff pastries are a delicious and versatile appetizer to bring to any gathering. They’re quick to prepare and sure to impress. Follow our directions for basic pinwheels, then change up the fillings for variety (Psst – try all three savory pinwheel recipes – Spinach & Artichoke Pinwheels, Pesto & Cheese Pinwheels and Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels).

Note: While I am not required to promote the articles that I write on Home Made Simple and P&G Everyday on my blog, I am compensated for the articles that I write for them. All opinions are my own and articles are my original work.

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