Can you believe it? I’m amazed that The Three Bite Rule turns 3 today!! What?? How is that possible? I’m amazed. I’m thrilled so many of you have been loyal readers and I’m glad to welcome any occasional visitors. Whether you’ve read from the beginning with tiny dark photos or you know me of recent. Thank you. Enjoy and I hope you continue to join me (also there’s a giveaway if you make it to the end)!

I started blogging about food because I really like trying to figure out how to make things. I also really like recommending restaurants and I definitely think food is a serious part of any vacation. I wanted a sustainable blog name, and schedule. I took a 1-session intro to blogging class and quickly realized I already knew that keeping up with your writing schedule was important. I also knew social media. Also, it made sense the suggestion not to pick a name that wouldn’t always fit (like something with Bostonian or about my age, or whatever. I figured I was a step ahead of some folks who had blogging topics that couldn’t work for a whole year to talk about 2 vacations taken that year. I’d love to see the blogs from that program.

So far, The Three Bite Rule has had:
450 posts
2,118 photos
38 categories
786 twitter followers
317 Pinterest followers
90 FB followers

Let’s reflect on last year’s goals:

• more giveaways: ehhh. I didn’t quite deliver on this one (there’s one at the end of this post, if you make it through)
• more tips & techniques for some of the stuff I do best: I think I got better at writing in a systematic approach for instruction
• more comments (that means you!): I’d always like a few more, but I love ’em all! Comment below!
• more foodie crafts & reading: I posted a few more books for foodies, which are surprisingly well received by readers. I’ll likely keep ’em going.
• better photos & more time spent to get nice shots: I think I did better to take more, to give myself more options. This is always something I can work on.

Time for some annual superlatives, shall we?

“Early-Bird” Bfast Favorite
Mocha Nut Smoothie

Party Animal:
Hosting Brunch Tips

Most Photogenic:
Greek Veggie Pizza

Best One-Pot Wunder:
Chinese-Style Pork from the Crockpot

Favorite Recipe of the YEAR:
Pulled Pork Pizza with Mustard Beer Sauce

Party Animal:
Strawberry Basil Sangria

Biggest Sweet Tooth:
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Viewer’s Choice Awards:
Turkey Cranberry & Brie Panini
Breakfast for Dinner: Italian French Toast
Grilled Bruschetta Pizza
Breakfast Inspired Burgers

Giveaway Time!! Tell me what was your favorite post/recipe/item this year?
You get to share some love for all times my dinner takes twice as long as I move things around for photos, food gets cold, or while others have to wait for me to get over their plate. In exchange my friends at Tuttorosso are gifting you a wooden spoon gift package!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comment away! and follow, tweet, etc! I hope you enjoy. The spoon is actually AHHH-MAZING. It is way better than the wooden tools I have, and I thought I had good ones. Seriously, enjoy this one yourself or stick it in somebody’s stocking. It’s that good. What a lovely reminder at your hand! Thanks!!!

Happy halloween eve! I’m hoping to get more trick or treaters than last year. We’ll see how that goes.

October was BIG in my life. I left the old job and started a new one! It was a pretttty big day on the blog when I announced it, probably thanks to facebook.

Did you get a chance to read about Paris here, here, or here

and Prague here or here

I made a really good pizza with grilled chicken and veggies. It was topped with fontina, grilled chicken, asparagus, tomatoes, and drizzled with a balsamic reduction.

This pizza and then this salad were both last ditch effort to make the best of still fresh local produce. I had a cuke from the ‘rents so I shipped up a Chopped Greek Salad

I made a really amazing grilled cheese with balsamic onions. I realize you don’t need a recipe for it, but it was sooo good and perfectly fall.

November will be busy at my new job. I’m getting ready for PUMPKIN week next week. Get ready for 3 posts of pumpkin foods! I have a post to feature a really cool fall program I want to share.

Did you miss me? I have been gone for the last seven weekends so I need some slack. I’m home now! I was most recently off galavanting in San Francisco. By galavanting, I mean working 18 hour days often talking about portable toilets. I do love SF though. It is so beautiful in September.

I traveled a lot lately. My fam went to the Cape for a long weekend for some beach time, nightly ice cream, and family fun. Lobster mac & cheese on a patio doesn’t hurt either.

We also went to NYC for a friends weekend. There was a picnic in Central Park, a beer tasting, cupcakes, NY bagels, and a chance to see some favorites all together. It was great.

I was in Santa Barbara too. I got to work at the polo club all weekend under the Cali sun. Then the best trip came! It was finally time for Paris & Prague!
We ate delicious food…and there’s more to share. I had duck confit and now somebody might like wine #servethehubbysomewine Love. it.

I haven’t gotten through much of Paris so stay tuned. Then comes Prague!

I got a new job!!! That’s the most exciting news this month. I cannot get over the amazing outpouring of support, how many FB likes, and the amazing comments I’ve gotten from across the country from colleagues, the sweet words from vendors, and volunteers offering to have me on their teams! I start next week. Eeek!

here’s some of my fav food posts this month:
Greek Pasta Salad
Back To School Potluck
BBQ Bubble Up Pizza
Bacon & Cheese Panini with Peach Compote
Brunch at Redd’s in Rozzie

Stay tuned! I have some fall dishes in mind after apple picking this weekend! There’s a guest post coming and LOTS more travel posts to come!

The summer is zooming by! I have so much to look forward to in September (mainly Paris & Prague!) but it is also my favorite time of year. I have a few west coast trips scheduled to Cali, a weekend in Maine, and a few other things happening so if you ever wanted to be a guest blogger for me, September is the time!

August was delightfully cooler. Thank you Mother Nature! I got to play in NYC with my favorite college gals and spouses and had a few lovely days on the the Cape. I hosted bookclub with a sort of tasting menu or small plates theme but was a bad blogger and didn’t take any complete sets of photos for you. I had some in-progress shots but not a single final photo! Oops.

I made one of my best pizzas to date: Pork, Caramelized Onions, and Fontina with Mustard Beer Sauce. It was everything the ingredients suggest it would be.

I also enjoyed farmer’s market finds like burrata cheese in a Zucchini Pasta with Burrata

and for Grilled Bruschetta Pizza and Thai Chicken Wraps.

I made a spur of the moment cocktail with an Orange soda and whipped cream vodka. It was ahhhhmazing. I loved this light creamcicle drink. I’m on the hunt for ways to make a fudgecicle cocktail! Any tips for me?

I promised a sangria for August so I messed around with basil which was really fun. I did a Strawberry Basil Sangia that was a hit. I need to make no-occasion sangria more often!

Let’s see what’s up for September. Hmmm. I imagine a lot of quickie meals and some travel posts. I have a lot on my to-do list including: non-traditional pizza, a sandwich featuring a peach!, a burger, and maybe some more cocktails.

September feels like a lovely in-between of summer and fall. I feel like I need to do some last summer things and eat some more lighter/veggie focused/salad-y meals before true fall happens.