1. GRAB THEIR ATTENTION: THE TITLE

The title should be interesting and clearly describe the recipe, without being too cutesy. You want your readers to be able to easily search for recipes on your website (and in a Google search, too): “Kale and Pomegranate Salad” works better than “Christmasy Salad.”

Some recipes include a headnote, or tag line after the title. This is great time for enticing your readers to make your tempting recipe. My blog recipes are always led by a short story or vignette about why or how I created the recipe or something else interesting, like an unusual ingredient or cooking tip. This is where I do my storytelling and have the most fun writing.

2. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE AND HOW MUCH WILL IT MAKE?

Prep time, cooking time and the number of servings, or the serving size, should be at the top of every recipe. Your readers want to know how long it will take them to make the recipe and if it will feed their entire family.

I’m VERY guilty of leaving out how much a recipe will make or serve because, a lot of the time, I just don’t like preaching about portion control. A 9-inch pie technically should serve 12 people. But it all depends on how you slice it. In my house, it’ll serve 8. Or 4, if it’s a Coconut Cream Pie. Or one.

3. WHAT YOU’LL NEED: INGREDIENTS

The ingredients should always be listed separately and in the order that they’ll be used. Unless it is the first ingredient used, don’t put the main ingredient at the top. If something needs to be thawed, softened, melted or drained, let your readers know!

It is important to be really specific with ingredient measurements by calling out the size, weight and volume. If possible, give your readers two different ways to measure an ingredient. For example, write, “1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup).” Calling out the weight of certain ingredients is also helpful, like “1 butternut squash, (about 2 pounds) peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces.”

Always make sure you tell your readers whether something should be diced, sliced, crushed, chopped or grated BEFORE or AFTER measuring. A cup of almonds is different than a cup of chopped almonds.

If necessary, the ingredients should be grouped, such as “for the salsa”, “for the fish”, “for the shells.” This makes the recipe easier to read and follow.

Offering a substitution for an ingredient is also mega helpful. If ground turkey will work just as well as ground beef, let your readers know!

Oh, and let go of those measurement abbreviations, they’re just too confusing!

4. YOUR TIME TO SHINE: STEP BY STEP

Writing the recipes steps, or method, is where your readers can really see (hear?) your blog voice and style. I like recipes that sound like we’re hanging out and cooking together in the same kitchen. Many recipes leave out articles (“a,” “the,” “an”), but I like a more easy-going type of writing. You decide what works best for your blog.

Include everything you need to do to make the recipe: “Line a cookie sheet with foil;” “Place oven racks 4 inches from the top;” “Heat the oven on 425°F.” “Chill four glasses.” Call out specific size pans and dishes and anything that needs to be done in advance.

The recipe steps or method should still be simple, clear and accurate. Think about this:

Verb-subject-equipment-treatment-time-technique-visual cue

or:

“Sauté onions in a small saucepan over medium heat, for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent, not brown.”

Numbered, highlighted or bulleted steps make the recipe appear simpler and easier to make.

5. DOUBLE CHECK: READ AND EDIT

You’ve written and tested the recipe, but before you publish, read it again. And again. Spell check is wonderful, but auto-correct can sometimes sink a recipe.

As you read, try to visualize the Recipe Steps using each of the ingredients. This helps you see if you’ve included all of the ingredients, and that you’ve written the proper amounts. It also insures that you haven’t left out a step!

Join me at #BlogHerFood15 for more tips and insights into creating recipe enchantment on your blog or website!

Rhubarb Pie with Vodka Crust

prep: 40 minutes, plus 1 hour resting in refrigerator

bake: 35 to 40 minutes

serves 8

for the vodka crust you’ll need…

2½ cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch slices

½ cup cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup vodka, cold

¼ cup cold water

for the rhubarb filling you’ll need…

1¼ cups sugar

4 Tablespoons arrowroot (find it in the spice aisle of the grocery store)

¼ teaspoon salt

5 cups rhubarb, cut into ¼-inch pieces

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon demerara sugar (optional)

let’s get to it…


Mix half of the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor for 2-seconds. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 to 15 times or until the dough looks like cottage cheese and there is no loose flour. Scrape the bowl and then add the remaining flour and pulse 5 or 6 times. 

Remove the dough from the food processor and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the dough and fold until the dough sticks together and all of the liquid is absorbed. Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten into 2 4-inch disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

While the dough is resting, mix the sugar, arrowroot and salt together in a bowl. Add the rhubarb and lemon zest and toss gently to combine. Set aside.

After the dough has rested, move oven rack to the lowest position and place a baking sheet on the rack. Preheat oven to 425°F.

Dust the rolling pin and work surface with flour. Remove one dough disk from refrigerator. Roll dough in a circle to a uniform thickness (about ⅛-to-¼-inch thick), about 1-inch larger than an upside down 9-inch pie plate. (Turn the pie plate upside down on the dough to measure it). Place rolled-out dough into pie plate and press gently into form of plate. Trim excess (but don’t throw it away!), leaving about ½-inch overhang.

Pour the rhubarb mixture into the pie plate.

Dust the rolling pin and work surface with flour one more time. Roll dough in a circle to a uniform thickness (about ⅛-to-¼-inch thick), about 1-inch larger than an upside down 9-inch pie plate. Cut out flowers or shapes with a small cookie cutter. Place second rolled-out dough on top of rhubarb mixture, being careful not to tear the dough where you made cutouts. Roll up and pinch the edges so you have a nice thick fluted edge (use the extra trimmed dough if necessary).

Brush half of the beaten egg on top of crust. Place the little cutout shapes on top of crust. Brush with remaining egg mixture and sprinkle with demerara sugar if using.

Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and the rhubarb is tender (poke a skewer through one of the holes in the crust to check). If crust browns too quickly, cover with a piece of foil. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack at least 1-hour.

The Best Cut-Out Cookie Recipe

prep: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes resting
bake: 8 to 10 minutes

makes about 24 cookies (depending on the size of your cookie cutter!)

you’ll need…

2½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup superfine sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1 package Wilton Royal Icing mix

1 package Wilton Candy Eyeballs

1 Wilton Icing Color (I used black)

let’s get to it…

Mix the flour, sugar and salt at low speed in a stand-up mixer. Add the butter a piece at a time until the dough looks crumbly. Add the vanilla and cream cheese and mix until the dough forms large clumps.

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead by hand once or twice. Cut the dough in half. Form two 4-inch disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic and let rest in the refrigerator for 30-minutes.

Place oven rack in the center and heat oven to 375°F. Place 1-dough disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll out to ⅛-inch thickness. Place on a baking sheet.  Cut into desired shapes about 1-inch apart. Remove excess dough from around cutout cookies and set aside.

Bake for 5 minutes; rotate pan and bake 3 to 5 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Repeat with second dough disk. Leftover scraps can be mashed together and rolled out to make more cookies. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

decorating the cookies…

Prepare the Wilton Royal Icing mix according to package directions. Decorate with Eyeballs and Icing color, or with whatever candy you have on hand!