Friday Foodie – Carrian of Oh Sweet Basil
A family that cooks together grows together. Food is another expression of love and the Oh Sweet Basil family is full of it (love of course!)! Food blogger Carrian the mama in this equation is an enthusiastic family dinner icon. Her other half, health-conscious hubby and two adorable little girls carry on the tradition of this evening ritual that has been lost in so many households.
As someone who grew up in a home that gathered around the table every night, I really appreciate that there are great home cooks out there like Carrian who are keeping that tradition alive with great recipes to make it easy. My family is just Mr. Misadventures and I but we ALWAYS eat at the table – every meal, and it is time with my hubby I really appreciate.
Let’s meet Carrian!
[1] Have you always been a foodie, or is that something you grew into?
I think in a way I was always a foodie. As a kid, I loved to cook along with my mom and dad and I only enjoyed it more and more the older I got. However, I was the pickiest eater ever so it wasn't until college that I finally started trying new things. In fact, this cheesy casserole was one of the only things I'd eat as a kid and I'd still pick out all of the hamburger.
[2] How and why did you begin your blog?
My husband and I went on a trip that we had really fresh and fantastic food and decided we should play around with ingredients more. We would test things out on our friends and finally started the blog as a way to share the recipes we were making.
[3] What’s your favorite thing to make/cook?
Oh, I am horrible with this question! I have a gazillion favorites like this 4 cheese margarita pizza and these buttermilk pancakes for example.
[4] What is your favorite thing to eat?
I know this is crazy, but I love steel cut oats or oatmeal. I could eat it forever. Or cinnamon rolls. 😉
[5] What is your comfort food?
I adore a good mac n cheese with a panko topping, Mexican or pizza.
[6] Describe your perfect food day?
Eating. Ha-ha, my perfect food day would seriously be traveling around eating. I love that food has a story so not only do you fill your belly but you fill your soul too.
[7] What are three other blogs that inspire you?
I love to read Cafe Johnsonia because she just gets food, and gosh now that I think about it my list is too long because I love how different all bloggers are. Ummmm, Tater Tots and Jello and Remodelaholic because they inspire me to make my space more peaceful and lovely.
[8] Do you have advice for bloggers just starting out?
Don't play the game. Have passion and believe in yourself. It's so easy to get caught up in trends, trying to do what others have done to be successful or comparing yourself and that will never make a successful person because true success comes from yourself. If you can say, today's post was so delicious I hid the leftovers just for me, or I loved how I wrote that post, now that's success. Numbers and people can never decide that for you.
Thanks Carrian!
Keep up with Carrian’s tasty tidbits on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest and of course by visiting Oh Sweet Basil.
How about you? What would you like to ask Carrian?
That pizza looks so good! My husband and I need to get better about sitting at the table again. We used to, but since we moved and now only have a formal dining area instead of a cozy kitchen table, we’ve gotten into the habit of sitting on the couch. Not good. I think you’ve encouraged me to get us back on track!
@Katie, We only have one table which probably helps a whole lot! But when we lived in France and the first year we moved back to California we had a bar on the outside of our kitchen so we at there most nights, but our back was to the room with the TV and it was never on, that is a big no-no for me too. But I get it sometimes for periods of time, you just got to do what you gotta do.
Great post! I love how you include other voices on your blog. 🙂
@Julia, thanks so much, I love finding, reading and supporting other bloggers so I am happy to hear you appreciate it too!
I am a fan of Carrian and her blog… I gots to say I am loving these Friday food posts ;o) Keep them coming
@Yaitza, so happy to hear! Carrian is adorable!
What a fantastic feature on Oh Sweet Basil! Cheese Margarita Pizzas are my fave too. And I love her blogger advice about passion. So true! 🙂 Thanks for sharing 🙂
@Cara, since you are in the Bay Area, where is your favorite spot to go for pizza?
Nice looking blog and nice interview – liked the links for the recipes with the photos – and my fav part was the advice she gave to bloggers – ” leaving the leftovers’ for her – I look at it similarly, in that I learned from what I wrote also.
@Donna, so glad you enjoyed the interview!
I shouldn’t have read this while I’m hungry! Those pictures are amazing, and I wish I had one of those pizzas in front of me right now!
@Lois, that is always the danger of reading food blogger content!
I don’t have any questions for Carriann, but I’m like her and I could probably eat pizza all day every day.
@Nancy, what is your favorite kind of pizza? Where is the best pizza you’ve ever had?
First of all , your Blog Header is so pretty . As a fellow “foodie ” I must say I co-sign on this post lol 🙂 The kitchen is always the best place where the most love is shared
@Lorane, thanks so much! I have had it for about 5 years and really love it. I have been blogging for 6.5 so that tells you how much!
Great interview! The pizza looks delicious and I agree– steel cut oats are fantastic!
@Maryann, seriously, where were steel cut oats when I was going up, they only had “regular” oatmeal!
No questions here. I’m too busy drooling over her food photos. Yum. That pizza is screaming my name!
@Jeanine, pizza should be a great choice for a family as large as yours!
I’m clicking over to try that cheesy casserole and check out the other blogs she recommended. My husband and I try to cook together on the nights he is home from work (3 nights a week) but I know I need to get in a better habit of eating together as a family for every meal. We get busy and don’t make it happen every day but that is a goal of ours this year. Plus cooking at home is less expensive than going out.
@DJane, it is a lot cheaper and I really hope you meet your goal!
that’s my perfect food day too… traveling to new cities and only eating. 🙂
@Esther, me too!
John and I try to eat as many meals as possible together at home!! Its an added bonus to me if we are able to prepare the meal together!! I to this day still love to cook with my mother as often as possible!! Those pancakes look amazing by the way!!
@Tammi, we love eating at home to, we know where the ingredients come from and can control quantity. My hubby does all the cooking, I am the helper and do the dishes – so we are sort of doing it together!
okay I want a bite of those pancakes! Wow those look delicious! Happy Friday!
i NEED to try those pancakes!
Awesome! It’s so great getting tips from other bloggers! Her recipes look great!
Those pancakes look so good. I love pancakes.
Wow I absolutely love food and really admire and look up to food bloggers! Your title is so creative! I love how engaging it is. I really love the picture of the pancakes, they are just so good and it looks fantastic! I love reading about your stories! Keep it up! 🙂
This is great! I love reading these types of posts to learn about other people. Oh man, her and I are on the same page when it comes to the best comfort food!
All of this comfort food looks AMAZING! That is awesome that Carriann overcame her extreme pickiness to become a food blogger. I grew up in a household where everything stopped at dinner time, and we always ate together. My husband and I weren’t so great about sitting down for dinner before our daughter was born, but now that we’ve got Britton, we’re working on starting that ritual!
@Natalie, so glad you guys found the dining table again, it is one of my favorite times of the day!
What a great way to start a blog. Doing something you love with your hubby and the spark of an idea. Your pictures of the dishes you made jump out and look delicious. My favorite comfort food other than chocolate is mac and cheese. Good ol’ southern homemade mac and cheese! Yummy!
Lovely interview! I think it’s so important to know how to cook lots of different things and play around with ingredients. I like improvising. I don’t think so much that people should follow recipes, more learn to understand flavours and what goes together, then you can cook!
Katie <3
Hi Andi! I love that you have an interview, It’s fun to get another perspective on things and that pizza looks delish!
I’ve not eaten pancake for ages. It might also be a good time to try out this buttermilk pancake recipe. Thanks for the share.
@Mai, I had buckwheat with bananas yesterday – it had been awhile and they were delicious!
Ooh, pancakes! Unfortunately for me, the only pancake that comes out good is the first one, the rest look blah!
One of my most favorite things is buttermilk pancakes. Hubby has to have them about every two weeks or so. They always turn out amazing!
I would love to hang out with Carrian one day :). I don’t think my waistline could handle a foodie blogger lifestyle. She must have great discipline ;).
Awesome interview!
@Corina, she and her hubby do a lot of exercise, so that certainly helps!
This was a fun post to read! I love cooking and will have to check out her blog!
Turquoise and Tortoiseshells
This was fun to read! Now I’m hungry after seeing those pictures of food!
@NL, sorry! But that is the danger of being around food bloggers!