Cooking Tips & Inspiration From Stephanie at Never the Same Spice Twice Blog

Okay, Friends.  Something interesting is happening to me that I didn’t anticipate. I have met some really cool people through my book. What? You mean your blog? No, my book.

I have approached a few bloggers who are expecting about reading my book. Seems like a good idea to help spread the word, right? It is, but an unanticipated byproduct of this connecting with people I otherwise might not have met. Beyond the book review, I find myself caring very much about these ladies and following them as they journey into motherhood. For example, my friend Kristen who covers fashion and other lifestyle topics just had her sweet baby, Ellie. Welcome to the Mommyhood, Kristen!

And my pal, Stephanie, from Never the Same Spice Twice, who is expecting her first baby in a couple of months, is quite the cook. I would say I am more of an eater than a cooker. Our family menu is lacking and I have been getting all kinds of ideas from her so I thought I would show you a few of her creations and learn a few tips from her through an Q&A.

First some creations…

Click on any of the pictures below to get to the recipe.

 Holy good eat’n, right?! Let’s all invite ourselves to dinner at Stephanie’s house!

And now for that Q&A:

Me: What inspires your cooking? Do you find an ingredient and start there, or do you read cookbooks and dream up your own version, etc?

Stephanie: In most cases, I first find a recipe (either from a cookbook, TV show, or online) and then I put my own spin on it.  I may change the proportions, which is easy to do since I RARELY measure….substitute ingredients, or add my own “flair.”  Sometimes the recipe is almost unrecognizable by the time I am done  with it.

Me: What are some things you do to stay organized as far as meal prep? What tips/advice can you offer a disorganized cook such as myself?

I use “Plan To Eat” as a way of storing my recipes, planning my meals each week, and putting together my grocery list.  It is a life saver!

Me: Do you shop for one meal at a time? I hate to go to the store all the time, but I find I waste less food that way. Because you know what happens – I buy a whole bunch of groceries and we end up eating out.

Stephanie: By planning my meals weekly, we are completely set.  I could confidently say we almost NEVER have to go back to the store for something, except on the rare occasion the store doesn’t have something in stock that we need (happened once with pizza dough, and another time with fennel).

Me: What’s your all time favorite meal? And what is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?

Stephanie: I LOVE tacos….easiest meal, with a million different variations…I am pretty sure I would be fine with having them every night!  The weirdest thing I have ever eaten was gator! Since moving down south, I felt it was part of my “initiation” !  (And yes, it totally tasted like chicken!)

Me: What kitchen item can’t you live without and why?

Stephanie: I have two…my mini food processor, and my food scraper thingy.  I use both of these pretty much every day, they certainly make my life easier!

Me: What kind of camera do you use? Your pictures are fantastic! You are a great photographer.

Stephanie: Thanks! This question makes me smile because all I use is my iPhone. Someday, I hope to invest in a real camera, and really get into food photography.  For now, I make the best of it and just use my phone.  For my birthday, hubby set me up with this little makeshift lighting “studio.”  I love it!  Like I said, I just make the best out of what I’ve got.  It also makes it easy because after I take the photos, I use apps on my iPad to add text to the pics (Phonto, and Overgram).

Stephanie on a car trip with her body pillow.

I’m Stephanie – born and raised in New York, and now living life in sunny Florida with my wonderful husband Stephen.  My blog Never The Same Spice Twice covers everything from meal planning, recipes, and tips…to our daily adventures as we wait for the arrival of our sweet daughter!  Guidance Counselor by day, and blogger by night…come stop by and join in on the fun!!!

You can find Stephanie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.