Cookbook Series: Brainstorming Recipes

​When Katie asked me to join her on this adventure of making a cookbook, my brain instantly went into over drive. That is how my mind works, if I know I am doing something it will go a million miles an hour with planning it all out. I knew within a few days what I wanted to do for recipes and what direction for sections to focus on.

I have been an avid reader of the Health and Happiness Society series. I find the characters so endearing and spoke to me in a way a character hasn't in a book in a long time. Lexie was the one who I really just felt for, I know what it is like to have a pretty face and have been told "Well if you just lost 30 pounds". My life changed when I met my husband, he gave me a confidence and love that made me strive to live a healthier and happier life. Food is not the enemy, but life is all about balance and this series really shows that.

After we thought about all the sweets Lexie loves, my heart strings tugged towards Lucky's Irish Pub. Lexie in "Bon Bon's to Yoga Pants" works at an Irish pub, it made me think about this Irish pub in my home town that everyone goes to grab some awesome appetizers. This section came fairly easy as to what I wanted to see in it. It isn't the healthiest section, but man oh man does everything in it taste good. What I hoped was for a section that had some food in it that would be great to take to a party or games night, food that was a different kind of indulgence then sugar. I wanted rich recipes that would make you think you were out with friends buying 2 for 1 appetizers at a local pub.

As I sat down to plan out what recipes I wanted to include I thought about Lexie, Megan, Rachelle and Bitsy. These were woman who were finding balance in their life, but also wanted to enjoy their food still. They all had to come to a place of balance and well being during their stories.

Lexie has a love for all things sweet, especially Little Debbies. Living in Canada we don't have the same selection as down in the states, but I for sure remember the wide variety of these indulgent quick snacks in all the stores. As I set out planning for her section Katie made a few suggestions on which treats would be awesome to copycat.  This section was fun to plan out and I knew would be full of sugar and very tempting treats. We wanted it to be fun and make you go "Ohhhhh Yes!".

Megan is a girl who loves to exercise and eat healthy, although every once in awhile I know she will eat something from Lexie's section. Megan's section I didn't struggle with thinking of what recipes to do, it was actually more hard to pick only 10 for her. I wanted her section to be full of bold and bright flavors that heighten healthier foods. Being healthy doesn't have to be boring and often is full of color and flavor.

Bitsy has two beautiful daughters that she wants to know how loved they are. She tries so hard to make sure their home is a home, even though it is a single parent home Bitsy makes it a stable loving environment for the girls. When I think about Bitsy I think about comfort foods that we all grew up with, the type of foods that taste so good but stretch the grocery budget a little better. I wanted recipes that were fairly simple to throw together, tasted great, and brought the comfort of our Mom's to us. 

Rachelle, oh Rachelle, she has a bit of a rough go in her story. A place she finds that believes in her is the Frosting Cottage Bakery, the owner Sophia gives Rachelle a second chance after she lets Sophia down. When Rachelle walks into the bakery it smelled of all the amazing scents only found in a bakery; yeast, sugar and cinnamon. This section I really wanted to showcase that you can make amazing bakery quality desserts and bread at home. These recipes can be show stoppers that you can bring to your next gathering with friends or family, they are beautiful and drool worthy. 

Once I knew the direction I was going towards and the general recipe ideas I wanted to do, I had to buy myself an old fashioned book to write it all in. I am a pen and paper kind of girl. I like seeing it in front me, there is something about physically writing it down with a pen that helps me to think properly. So for a week I thought, wrote, thought, wrote and planned it all in a notebook I bought.
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Katie and I would message each other back and forth and finally came up with a solid 50 recipes that would be prefect for this cookbook. 

Now the real work was about to begin... creating the recipes and perfecting them. Stay tuned for the next installment on the Cookbook series when I tell you all about the process of creating the recipes!

​Also on Friday will be our first sneak peaks at the recipes in the cookbook, Katie will be sharing the Oreo Cake and I will be sharing these amazing Fish Tacos!

See you then!