Introducing Hey Foodie Girl: the BLOG!

Hi, foodies! I'm Catherine. Perhaps you've been following my Instagram, or maybe you're stumbling upon my new blog. Either way, welcome and thanks for stopping by! It has officially been one year since I created @heyfoodiegirl, and I decided to kick things up a notch this year by launching Hey Foodie Girl: the blog. I'm so excited to have this creative outlet to share with all of you - grab your whisk and join me in the kitchen!

Growing up in a Greek-American family, my favorite memories involve spending time in the kitchen and sharing meals with the people I love. To me, cooking is not just a hobby, but a means to exercise passion, creativity, and love. Food tells a story without using any words. Spices and local ingredients produce flavors unique to regions and countries. Cooking techniques demonstrate tradition and history. I think the beautiful thing about food is that it unites all of us as human beings. We all eat to live, but each culture offers its own take on ingredients and methods of preparing dishes.

My family's Easter meal. We had lamb (of course!), pastitsio (Greek lasagna), dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), salad, spanakopita, tiropita, Greek meatballs, tzatziki, roasted potatoes, and plenty of Greek cheeses and olives. Along with the Greek bites, we always have baked ham as a nod to the American Easter tradition!

Maybe it's all the olive oil I've consumed over the years, but I truly believe that Greek hospitality runs through my veins. Nothing brings me more joy than preparing a meal to share with family and friends. As a child, I used to watch Julia Child re-runs and check out cookbooks from the library. I actually have a cookbook that the school librarian let me keep because I was so sad when I wasn't allowed to renew it for the millionth time.

I learned how to cook simply by spending time in the kitchen, watching my parents and grandparents over the years. One person who encouraged me perhaps more than anyone else was my grandmother, Yiayia Tina. Raised in Boston by Greek immigrant parents, she was the proudest American I've ever known. At the same time, she exemplified Greek hospitality at her core. There was always food on her table when guests arrived, scents of oregano and lemon wafting through the kitchen, and a heartfelt prayer shared at the beginning of every meal.

On the day that I finally had the courage to start @heyfoodiegirl, I couldn't wait to tell my Yiayia Tina about it. Sadly, before I had the chance to show her, Yiayia passed away the very same day. In an indescribable way, Hey Foodie Girl has connected me to my Yiayia Tina each and every day, and I know that she would be so proud of me for sharing my passion with the world.

Along with Greek traditions, I celebrate plenty of New England sports traditions! These jalapeno poppers from Sally's Baking Addition are always on my game day menu. Click the photo for the recipe!

One year later, here I am. In addition to developing Hey Foodie Girl, I made a career change and now work in the food and hospitality industry. The last year has been challenging, but immensely rewarding and exciting! I look forward to sharing more about my journey and many more recipes with all of you this year! Thank you for your support and encouragement along the way.