Editorial Policy

As the author and founder of Peanut Blossom, I want you to know I take immense pride in the content I create for you.

My hope is to inspire you to celebrate all the special moments with your family with creative and delicious meals everyone at the table will love.

Please be assured that this site is written and developed by a real home cook for her actual family.

Dedication to High Quality Content

The recipes shared on PeanutBlossom.com are dishes I have cooked in my actual home kitchen and fed to my real friends and family. If they don't enjoy the dish, it does not appear on this site.

The quality standards for food blogs has changed dramatically since I first began sharing recipe content in 2009.

I spend at least 50% of my time updating old content to bring it up to the current quality standards. I strive to make every recipe on this site worthy of your precious time.

Original Content

I personally cook and photograph every recipe I write.

There is no "staff" or "team" other than the assistance I get from my husband and kids with washing dishes and taste-testing new recipes.

My recipes are often inspired by things my mom cooked for me, dishes I've enjoyed with friends at parties, cookbooks, other talented food bloggers' recipes, or dishes I've enjoyed at restaurants.

I simplify the original recipe for beginner home cooks with more budget-friendly ingredients and tweaks for picky eaters. I also look for ways to streamline the cooking process to make it easier for busy nights or for sharing prep-ahead tips for holidays.

Testing Process

I cook each recipe in an average home kitchen with normal kitchen appliances. Nothing about my home kitchen is "gourmet."

I have an average, temperamental oven and budget-friendly cookware.

I test every recipe at least once but continue to cook for my family from my own blog so the recipes get tested again and again over the years.

As I re-test and find new ways to simplify my recipes, I update the original post with additional helpful tips from my real world experience. You'll find the most recently updated date near the publish date by the title of each post.

Accuracy and Corrections

As a four-time published cookbook author, accuracy in recipe content is extremely important to me.

I do my best to measure and quantify the ingredients based on package sizes you can buy at your local grocery store, test the cooking temperature and times, and write helpful recipes so that your dish will turn out just like mine.

When I make mistakes, I update the article as soon as I catch the error. The date of the most recent update is listed at the top of each post.

I also leave comments open on the recipes so you can share your own experience with it and help other readers with what worked or didn't work in your kitchen.

Food Photography and Styling

We eat with our eyes first so colorful, attractive food photography in flattering light is essential for any recipe site.

I photograph every recipe in my home kitchen using the natural light that comes through our windows.

Though I take the time to plate the food to make it look as delicious as possible, everything you see in the scene is real, edible food from the recipe itself.

I do not use any fake food styling tricks like glue or paint in my pictures. I would rather sacrifice some visual perfection in order for you to have an accurate reflection of what the dish would look like if you made it in your own kitchen. My hope is that your dish turns out just as good as the picture.

I edit the photos in Lightroom for color, contrast, and exposure. Occasionally I'll remove a small smudge of food that detracts from the main element of the picture. Otherwise what you see in the picture is exactly what you'd see if you dined at my table with me.

Stock Photography

I make every attempt to use my own original photography for all content.

In some instances I do use a photograph legally licensed through stock photography websites or Canva to represent holiday scenes that would be difficult for me to create by myself off-season.

You'll spot these most often on my holiday menu inspiration lists in the feature photos.

I only use a stock photo when a family photo isn't available. I try to enjoy the actual holidays with my family and not use them as styled photo sessions for the website.

Thank You for Your Support

I believe it is a great honor to be a small part of how you feed your family. It warms my heart to know that dishes my family has loved will be part of your own family tradition.

By choosing to spend your time on Peanut Blossom, you are helping to support a mom who works from home so she can be more available for her kids. You have made a real impact on my ability to provide simple things like tap dance lessons, tutors, band gear, and prom dresses for my daughters.

Thank you so much for your support of this woman-owned small business.