Graza

Q: How would you describe yourself?

B: A little bit of everything and everywhere :) I’m the kind of person that talks a mile a minute and always has lots of ideas I want to try. That makes being on social media and creating content really fun. I’m a mom to a really fun 8 year old daughter and have 2 golden retrievers that keep me very busy. While I love creating recipes, my passion really lies in finding ways to connect with people online and bring everyone together through food and story telling.

Q: Finish this sentence, cooking for me is…

B: My favorite way to show people that I love them. My dad taught me the importance of cooking with love. It’s something that I’ve really applied both to my personal life, when I cook for my family and friends, as well as in my professional life, sharing recipes online.

Q: How did you come to start the Food with Feeling page and brand?

B: My blog started out of a newfound love for cooking (in my early 20s) and a lot of boredom! I had a desk job at the time, where I spent my downtime reading food blogs and recipes online. I loved the idea of sharing my own recipes online, and so Food with Feeling was started!

The name comes from my dad, who taught me to “do everything in life with feeling”. “Food with Feeling” is meant to mimic the sentiment that food is something that can really evoke a lot of feeling and emotion for people, especially when it’s made and shared with love.

Q: What is something the ‘you’ the started this page wouldn’t believe now? 

B: I could have never dreamed that my audience would grow to the size that it is now. My stories and recipes have touched so many people in a way that I never expected. What started as a page to share recipes turned into a way to really connect with people on a deeper level, and it’s made my own life so much richer as a result.

Q: What’s a recipe or dish you can’t stop thinking about?

B: I recently ate at an Italian restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and had the most amazing Sea Bass with an olive tapenade. I can’t stop thinking about how delicious it was and am eager to recreate my own version of it at home!

Q: What’s a recipe or dish you’ll never stop trying to improve or tweak?

B: My dad was born and raised in Northern Italy and was someone who cooked from the heart (ie, he measured nothing and didn’t put any of his recipes down on paper). So, after he passed away, I made it my mission to perfect a few of the dishes that he always made for me growing up. There’s a fried rosemary potato coins recipe of his that I’m so close to perfecting, but it’s not quite there yet :)

Q: Something we can always find in your pantry?

B: Besides a good bottle of olive oil? ;) I LOVE a good fancy bar of dark chocolate. Rarely does a day go by that I don’t have at least a square or 2 of some good quality chocolate.

Q: Are you more of a Sizzler, Drizzler, or Frizzler?

B: OH SHOOT, that’s a tough one. I pretty much exclusively cook with olive oil, but I’m gonna have to say DRIZZLER. The Italian in me finishes everything off with a good drizzle of olive oil (even desserts lately!).

Q: Any words of wisdom, quotes, or mottos you live by?

B: Que Sera Sera. Whatever will be, will be. I try not to take anything in life too seriously and know that when something doesn’t go as planned, there’s always another path to go down. 15 years ago, I worked desperately to get a promotion when I worked in state government. However, not getting those promotions led me here, cooking full-time, sharing my recipes with the world, and doing something that I’m deeply passionate about.

Q: What’s on the horizon for you?

B: I’m going to be *that* influencer and say I’m working on something really big, but I won’t be able to share it publicly for quite some time. But I’m really stoked and can’t wait to announce it. Besides that, I’m continuing to bulk out my FREE meal plans. I hear from people daily about how helpful they are, and it’s really nice to see my recipes make even a small difference in people’s lives.