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MEET THE LADIES

Hello, people of the interweb! If you want to find out why Erin started this here blog, read "Hot Dinner." Writing this blog makes us happy. We're glad you read it. But in case you're wondering, "Who are the crazy ladies behind dinner?" here are ten interesting things about us:


Hey there, folks! I'm Erin, and I created Hot Dinner Happy Home in September 2010. Since you were dying to know...
  1. Although he will remain anonymous, the husband really does exist. Also, he is awesome. And good looking. 
  2. We are proud parents to Danny (born September 2012) and Elaine (born August 2015). I'm a lucky lady.
  3. After 10 years in Milwaukee, we moved to Charlotte, NC where we pretended to be real southerners. We didn't fool anyone. Now we live in Seattle, WA. We wear a lot of flannel.
  4. I learned to cook by, well, cooking. Because I still have a lot to learn (and also because I'm a major geek), I read cookbooks like novels and watch a lot of the Food Network.  
  5. Before our kids were born, I worked in corporate America with Amy. I did marketing and public relations and dressed "business casual." I loved it, but I couldn't pass up spending my days with the little ones.
  6. My favorite ingredients are goat cheese and dried cranberries.    
  7. Proudest moment: Thanksgiving 2009. Wonderful family, amazing friends, delicious food, and free-flowing wine. Suffice to say it ended with the Cupid Shuffle. Not kidding. 
  8. I love Fluffernutter sandwiches. On white bread. No shame.
  9. I watch way too much TV. And as long as there are Housewives and Teen Moms, I imagine that will continue.
  10. I have an unfortunate affinity for pop music. Which leads to A LOT of car dancing.      
Let's get cooking.
Erin


And without further ado, let's meet Amy...


  1. Erin and I used to be work buddies who talked daily about food. Andrea is my BFF from college and, in case she doesn't mention it, she once had breakfast pizza in her freezer. 
  2. My other BFF—the one I married—is not a picky eater (thank Gawd). We're from the Midwest and members of the Clean Plate Club. We live in Charlotte. 
  3. The hubs and I are raising our girls, Lucy (8) and Penny (6), to be future food snobs foodies. They ask the important questions like "Is this Manchego or Iberico?" 
  4. I'm a recovering journalist turned PR flack and also a newly certified fitness instructor. I am woman, hear me scream "Dinner!"
  5. I'm in love with my slow cooker.
  6. I'm cheating on my slow cooker with my pressure cooker.
  7. In 2013, to combat a dinner rut Chez George, I challenged myself to make 100 new dishes. I whipped up 109. In 2014, I cooked up 125 new dishes. (Full disclosure: there were some cocktails in the mix.)
  8. Speaking of cocktails, my all-time fave is the vodka gimlet.
  9. My first culinary challenge: Cooking Thanksgiving dinner in Paris in 1995. Just try finding a turkey in France and fitting it in your Holly Hobbie-sized oven.
  10. I believe you learn a lot by asking "Cake or pie?" "Pirate or ninja?" (Pie. Ninja.)
XOXO
Amy


Last but certainly not least, here's Andrea!

  1. In college, Amy and I ate mashed potato pizza and late night burritos served from early-day food trucks. Amy introduced me to Erin and her delicious blog.
  2. When I get stressed out, baking calms me down. 
  3. I thank my husband for my cooking adventures. A 2011 job transfer to Peoria, IL let me trade full-time work for part-time freelancing. Now I write, edit and cook when the kids are in school (or in bed.)
  4. My cooking motivation is to make healthy, tasty meals that my boys—Max (9) and Sam (6)—ask for again. 
  5. I grew up Italian in suburban New York City where Sunday dinners meant macaroni and tomato sauce with one or more meats.
  6. I finally wrote down our family instructions for "gravy" (tomato sauce to the uninitiated) in 2012. Amy asked for the recipe; I figured my reply should be authentic. I promise to share it with you. 
  7. I enjoy casseroles. Love to cook 'em. Love to eat 'em.
  8. In summer 2014 I joined a CSA. This forced me to get creative with all sorts of vegetables and squash. LOTS of squash. 
  9. When I crave a dish, I read dozens of recipes for it and combine them into my version. I make two batches so I can freeze a meal or give it to a neighbor. 
  10. I believe food is the great equalizer. I've seen it bring all sorts of people together. Who can resist love on a plate?
Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea