What Every Blogger Should Know about Copyright Protection

Written by: Anyonita Green on 11/21/2103

Getting your head around your  copyright protection is one of the best things you can do for your blog. Understanding what you are entitled to and how to display your copyright notice helps to identify your blog as an authoritative work and clears up any confusion readers or companies may have about your content and working with you. Copyright infringement happens and if you have a blog that is read by at least one other person it probably has or will certainly happen to you--whether on accident or purposefully. 

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery." That's what my mother used to tell me as a child when I would get upset that someone was copying something I did or said. That may be true, but after I've put my time, effort and energy into a blog post, photo, printable, tutorial or recipe, you can be damn sure I want recognition for it! Not because of an unhealthy need for attention, but because no one likes to feel like their contribution has been received ungratefully. And I've got news for you, blogging shouldn't be a thankless task!   

This tutorial seeks to answer some of the questions bloggers have surrounding copyright policy. I'll show you how to write a copyright notice and how to get a free Creative Commons License for your blog that displays the ways your content can be used and distributed. We'll also talk about what to do when your copyright is infringed upon, because if you have a blog of quality, it's only a matter of time before that happens! 

Don't forget to download my free Thanksgiving printable while you're here! These whimsical and fun food flags will liven up your Turkey Day tablescape! 

 I want to download those mini food flags!

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Gluten Free Holiday Glazed Carrots Recipe

Plump Chantenay carrots sauteed in butter and glazed with a brown sugar, honey and lemon juice reduction, perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!

Feeds 3

Holiday Glazed Carrots 

I've got an obsession with turkey, but the thing that I look forward to most of all during the Thanksgiving, Christmas, Boxing Day season is the side items! In particular, these sweet glazed carrots. We tend to only have them around the holiday season and maybe once at Easter. For us, these glazed carrots a real festive treat! With just five ingredients, they're easy to make and you can leave them to bubble away on the stove while you get on with the rest of the meal. Winning.

These carrots make my toddler ask for seconds. My toddler who despises carrots cannot get enough of these sweet nuggets of nutrition. And do you know what? I'll happily give him seconds of these because he'll be filling up on vegetables, not cookies and crisps.

More about Chantenay carrots...they're amazingly sweet & no need to peel!

Tasty Tuesdays #37

Oy vey. Ever have one of those days? That's how today's been for me. It's been a crazy day. Husband & I went to a concert last night of my favorite band. It was a lovely night out, but I'm so out of party mode. Haha. I woke up this morning still groggy from the night before, put my bra on inside out, my shirt backwards. *sigh* Obviously, this party got delayed. To make up for it, it'll run until Saturday night instead of Friday night! Let's get to it, shall we? 
 
Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

This link party is all about sharing recipes! Joining in is easy; just click "You are Next" and copy/paste the URL of a previously unlinked blog post's URL. Choose a flattering photo to upload and then click some of the other great posts in the party and meet new bloggers!

Why should you link up to Tasty Tuesdays?

Linking up to parties and leaving comments on other posts is a proven way to increase traffic to your blog and grow your blog's followers!

All Tasty Tuesdays participants get guaranteed Pinterest exposure!
We pin every post you share because this party is about everyone getting exposure for their blog! Due to Google's algorithm changes regarding comment spam, I have had to adjust my commenting style and as of Tasty Tuesdays #19, I will no longer be leaving comments on every post. Instead, I will now share three different links each day the party is live on various social media sites. I will also still continue to pin every link that complies with the rules of the party. Be sure to follow our Tasty Tuesdays board on Pinterest!

Gluten Free Marshmallow Fluff Frozen Hot Chocolate with Nutella Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe

This icy blend of cocoa and milk is whizzed with marshmallow fluff and drizzled with Nutella hot fudge to make a truly indulgent hot chocolate!

Serves 2 to 4

Marshmallow Fluff Frozen Hot Chocolate with Nutella Hot Fudge Sauce 

The frozen hot chocolate is the mighty oxymoron of drinks. Although there doesn't tend to be anything hot left in a traditional frozen hot chocolate, I wanted an element of warmth, so I've drizzled rich Nutella hot fudge sauce over top. (I mean, who can seriously say no to Nutella?)

Marshmallows usually get left out of the fro-ho (see what I did there?) equation, but I don't think that's fair at all. Most people love marshmallows bobbing about their hot chocolate! But since frozen marshmallows could pose a dental risk, I thought it best to use marshmallow fluff instead! That way, you get the sweetness and the best of the 'mallows without compromising the state of your teeth. I think it's a win-win.

The bit that I loved most about this is the Nutella hot fudge drenched whipped cream! I have a confession to make: I don't even like chocolate. Find most of it far too bitter and I just don't like the taste. Hot chocolate is probably one of my least favorite chocolate tastes, so this was a mid-week lunch treat for my husband and toddler. Both fans of cocoa and chocolate, they loved it. I had a sip to make sure it wasn't vile, scraped off the dollop of cream and fudge sauce and happily passed the glass to them to finish.

Don't be alarmed that I'm sharing a recipe with you for something that I don't particularly like. They guzzled this fro-ho down; I mean drained the blender, y'all. And I did have a couple spoonfuls of that Nutella hot fudge...

Gluten Free Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon Recipe with Step-by-step Instructions

Rich and hearty, this slow-cooked French classic is a perfect winter warmer!

Feeds 4

Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon 

If ever a dish was awarded a prize for rising from the culinary slums to the refined dinner table, beef bourguingnon would be the recipient. This classic French dish had its beginnings in the bowls of peasants, but over time has become one of the most enjoyed and revered beef dishes from Burgundy. 

We aren't Francophiles, well not in an overbearing way. My husband used to live in France and I have become quite obsessed with patisserie and some most French cuisine and we did  have an enjoyable holiday there two years ago (a leisurely roadtrip from Manchester to Calais and around Normandy, Brittany, the Loire Valley and Paris). Okay, maybe we are slightly overbearing Francophiles. But you don't have to be to enjoy this stew!

Ignore the poncy French name and at the end of the day, it's just a stew. But it's a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth stew full of the things I love: soft and tender beef, salty, smoked bacon, pearls of shallots and a richly indulgent red wine sauce fiery with pepper. I always serve bourguignon with mashed potatoes and carrots--either the carrots go in the stew or on the side. But I've seen bowls of bourguignon dished with thick ribbons of egg noodles, too! You could serve it over rice, if you really wanted. But I'd opt for wild rice instead of the perfume-y Jasmine rice popular in Thai dishes or the bitty Basmati. Wild rice or even giant couscous would be an interesting substitution.

I'm doing that thing that food bloggers aren't supposed to do. I'm re-sharing a recipe already published on my blog. I first published a version of this recipe in 2011 and while that it is a very good version, this one's better. A bit longer in the kitchen and after making this dish repeatedly throughout the fall and winter, I've made some changes that make this dish worth re-sharing. The photo alone would be worth it, too!

#GetHimFed 16

Welcome to #GetHimFed with +Jess Harp  from Hungry Harps and me! :)

We have all heard the saying, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” It’s true – and any good woman knows it! Not only do men love to satisfy their hunger with something delightful on the palate, they are also in love with the fact that their meals are made, with love, by the women in their life. Sometimes they are even eager to please back after tasting a recipe that was whipped up for them – and those are the ones we are looking for at #GetHimFed!

How to Autoschedule Posts on Facebook

Written by: Anyonita Green on 11/14/2103

Welcome to the Blogging Crash Course! 

Helping you grow your blog into the powerhouse you know it can be!

Even as a stay-at-home mom, I can't spend 100% of my days online promoting my blog. Even before I was a mom and just worked from home, I didn't have this luxury. Not many people do. So finding tools for scheduling posts to boost your readership is essential as a blogger.

Did you know that you can autoschedule your Facebook posts? I'm a big fan of autoscheduling to market my blog and posts and I'm constantly using IFTTT and Hootsuite to manage my social media, but there are some times when platforms like these can't perform as effectively as going straight to the source. Facebook's finicky and top-secret algorithm is a perfect case in point.
Before we get on with the post, have you seen the latest freebie from Anyonita Nibbles? Print out these mini food flags for your Thanksgiving table:

 I want to download those mini food flags!

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Gluten Free Nut-Crusted Toffee Apple Cake Recipe

A scattering of crunchy nuts and sweet toffee make this moist apple cake extra special! Serve with custard, ice cream or enjoy on its own!

Feeds 16

Nut-Crusted Toffee Apple Cake Recipe 

This Nut-Crusted Toffee Apple Cake is like eating a toffee apple but without all the hard work! It's laced with sweet toffee, succulent apples and crunchy nuts. It works well as a dessert with custard or ice cream and I even enjoyed the occasional slice for breakfast with a cup of tea.

The thing that I love most about this cake is how moist it is. It's a lip-smacking, bite-savoring delight. It's easy to make and the fanned apple design is impressive and would look right in place as the centerpiece of a dessert table during the holidays. I used Golden Delicious apples for the cake because they are my favorite eating apple, but you can use whatever variety or mix of varieties you prefer for a slightly different taste and texture.

And to help you get in the holiday spirit, I've got a free Thanksgiving printable for you too! These cute mini food flags will be great dotted around your Thanksgiving tablescape or pushed into lovely autumnal desserts. Or glue them to stripey straws and serve them with your Thanksgiving drinks.

Simply print out, cut out and glue around wooden skewers, cocktail sticks or straws. There are five styles to choose from and five different words/phrases.

Update: This freebie is no longer available for download. 

Tasty Tuesdays #36 + double features!

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

This link party is all about sharing recipes! Joining in is easy; just click "You are Next" and copy/paste the URL of a previously unlinked blog post's URL. Choose a flattering photo to upload and then click some of the other great posts in the party and meet new bloggers!

Why should you link up to Tasty Tuesdays?

Linking up to parties and leaving comments on other posts is a proven way to increase traffic to your blog and grow your blog's followers!

All Tasty Tuesdays participants get guaranteed Pinterest exposure!
We pin every post you share because this party is about everyone getting exposure for their blog! Due to Google's algorithm changes regarding comment spam, I have had to adjust my commenting style and as of Tasty Tuesdays #19, I will no longer be leaving comments on every post. Instead, I will now share three different links each day the party is live on various social media sites. I will also still continue to pin every link that complies with the rules of the party. Be sure to follow our Tasty Tuesdays board on Pinterest!

Gluten Free Sea Salted Soft Pretzel Knots with Rosemary Mustard Recipe

These soft pretzel knots are a perfect homemade treat! With just a scattering of sea salt and fiery homemade rosemary mustard, they're great for munching during the game!

Makes 16 to 20 pretzels

Sea Salted Soft Pretzel Knots with Rosemary Mustard 

These soft pretzel knots are phenomenal. They're deliciously golden and slightly crunchy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. They're everything you want from a good pretzel. And they're very nearly bite-sized, which makes them great for popping in a bag and toting around on holiday (as we did) or along to a sporting event.

I whipped up a batch of these babies the night before we went away for an extended weekend to the coast. I made the mustard the morning before we left (and actually left it on the counter while we were gone!) But to be honest, these pretzel knots don't even need mustard. Or cheese. Or anything but an empty tummy to fill. I packed them in a Tupperware box and they kept fresh three days, although they barely lasted that long because we couldn't stop snacking on them whilst driving!

When I was growing up, I had a bit of a thing for soft pretzels. No trip to the mall was ever complete without a visit to Pretzel Time (I think it calls itself Pretzelmaker now). And when Target launched its in-store food courts, my daddy and I would stop in after school at least once a week to have soft pretzels and slushies. So I'd say I've got a pretty discerning pretzel palate.

That said, I stand on the side of a more modern approach to pretzel making. I take the controversial stance in not boiling my pretzels before baking them. I've read many opinions about the merits of boiling pretzels in a baking soda solution before baking them, including this post that argues the scientific benefit of doing so. I don't know much about Ph levels; what I learned in a high school chemistry class, I've since mostly forgotten. What I do know is pretzels. And baking. And I'm here to tell you, that you don't have to boil pretzels to get the crust beautiful and dark with that crackling effect all pretzel lovers go ape over. Let me show you another way...