Support Food Bloggers Displaced by Wildfires

By now you’ve heard of the devastating L.A. wildfires that have affected all of us in the area. Those experiencing the most devastating impacts, however, have lost their homes and businesses.

Candied Ginger Cornbread from Shockingly Delicious, left, and Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad from Cooking on the Weekends, right.

Two dear friends from our Food Bloggers Los Angeles Group – Dorothy of Shockingly Delicious and Valentina of Cooking on the Weekends – tragically lost their family homes in the fires. (They’ve been part of our FBLA friend group for as long as we can remember.) Beyond losing their houses and all of their precious memories, however, they have also lost their workspaces – their kitchens – where they make amazing recipes and sustain their livelihoods.

One easy (and delicious) way to support them is to visit their blogs, look around, and make their recipes. Here’s a look at some of my favorites:

Shockingly Delicious

Dorothy from Shockingly Delicious is a former newspaper editor who has 25 years of food writing and recipe developing under her belt. She specializes in “scrumptious, simple-to-prepare, tried and true recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook.” (We can vouch for that being 100% true!)

First we’d like to recommend her amazing Coffee Toffee Pecan Pie. If you try it and think, “This ought to win a prize,” you’re right because it is a multiple-blue-ribbon-winning pie.

Coffee Toffee Pecan Pie, via Shockingly Delicious

Next, as huge fans of ginger, we highly recommend her Candied Ginger Cornbread (pictured at top). This cornbread checks all the boxes: delicious, check; easy to make, check; versatile enough to serve at every meal, check.

Another favorite is her beautiful Grilled Rainbow Potato Salad. There are more colors in this salad that you’ve ever seen in any one dish. It is sure to be a hit at your next barbecue or picnic.

Cooking on the Weekends

Valentina from Cooking on the Weekends is a chef and former caterer who makes amazing recipes that we have relied on consistently through the years.

Top on that list, of course, is our favorite Butternut Squash Pie with Nut Crust. This pie – infused with chai spices – is so delicious we’ve made it every Thanksgiving since it was published. And given that the crust is gluten-free, all of our family members are able to enjoy it.

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Chai Spiced Butternut Squash Pie via Cooking on the Weekends.

Speaking of chai, you absolutely cannot miss her famous Chai Chocolate Chunk Cookies. They are rich with flavorful spices – a great twist on your standard chocolate chip cookie.

And lest you think we’re only focusing on dessert, she has many amazing sides, mains, salads, and soups. We’re partial to this Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad (pictured at top). It hits all the right notes: savory, sweet, nutty, and a little tangy.

Of course, there’s plenty more to find on both of these blogs. Take a look around both sites and enjoy!