Today marks a truly special milestone for Aggie’s Kitchen – our first blogiversary! It feels like just yesterday I embarked on this culinary journey, sharing my passion for food with all of you. While I’m incredibly excited to present a delightful Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta Toss recipe that graced our dinner table last night, this post is equally a heartfelt celebration of a year filled with delicious creations, inspiring connections, and boundless kitchen adventures. Join me in reminiscing about our beginnings and discovering how you can win some fantastic cookbooks as a token of my immense gratitude!

Can you believe it? One whole year! It’s hard to fathom that exactly a year ago, I was sitting at my laptop, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation, still quite unsure about what “blogging” truly entailed. With a leap of faith, I penned my very first post, a declaration of my love for food and a commitment to making this new online space my own. Looking back, it all started with these words:

Snoop Bloggy Blog

…is what Larry is calling me now that I have decided to join this so called modern world of “blogging”. I am still not 100% grasping what blogging is about but I am embracing it and going to make it my own….so here goes…

I love food. I love to entertain. I’ve learned this about myself in the last few years. I also love to share what I cook (both by feeding and talking about it)….and I love to hear about what others are cooking too.

I sometimes think I am borderline obsessive about food. So this will be a creative outlet for me. If you know me, you know that I can talk about food all day, so I finally have a place to talk to my heart’s content. =)

I am also going to use this blog as a way to organize myself. I have a bazillion recipes laying around my kitchen in manilla folders, and I have a nice collection of wonderful cookbooks too. I need a place to keep my thoughts on each recipe that I try or even one that I create from scratch. I find it very hard to follow a recipe to a tee, I am always tempted to change something, like add an extra spice or vegetable so this will be a perfect place for me to keep notes on the changes I make.

So here’s to my new place to be myself and talk talk talk …. so excited!!

Reading that first post brings a smile to my face, reminding me of the genuine excitement and the heartfelt intentions behind starting Aggie’s Kitchen. It has truly blossomed into everything I hoped for and more. This blog has become my cherished “hangout,” a vibrant space where I connect with fellow food enthusiasts, draw inspiration from your culinary adventures, and share my own kitchen triumphs and experiments. Every comment you leave is a little burst of joy, and I am endlessly grateful for your continued visits and the time you spend reading my posts. This blogging journey has been an incredible blessing, and the wonderful friendships I’ve forged along the way are an invaluable bonus.

To express my deepest appreciation for your support during this fantastic first year, I’m hosting a special giveaway featuring a couple of cookbooks from two of my absolute favorite Food Network personalities. These are books that have genuinely inspired me in my own cooking and that I believe will bring a lot of joy to your kitchen as well.

The first prize is Rachael Ray’s Big Orange Book. Rachael Ray holds a special place in my culinary heart. I started watching her show during those early, precious days of motherhood when my little boy was just an infant. The show’s opening music always transports me back to those sweet memories. Rachael taught me so many fundamental cooking techniques and showed me how to make delicious, approachable meals without fuss. Her creativity in the kitchen is truly admirable, and I respect her incredible work ethic that has led to her tremendous success. This cookbook is packed with her signature “30-minute meals” and practical tips, perfect for busy home cooks looking for flavor-packed, easy solutions.

The second cookbook I’m giving away is Tyler Florence’s Dinner At My Place. I’m a huge fan of Tyler Florence; he always comes across as such a genuinely kind and passionate chef. I wouldn’t mind him dropping by my kitchen to impart a few of his culinary secrets! His recipes consistently deliver incredible depth of flavor and sophistication without being overly complicated. Beyond the delicious dishes, the photography in this cookbook is absolutely stunning and provides endless inspiration. It’s a beautiful book that will surely elevate anyone’s home cooking experience, offering refined yet accessible recipes for entertaining or simply enjoying a wonderful meal.

Entering this exciting giveaway is incredibly simple! All you need to do is leave a comment on this very post by Friday, June 5th, at midnight EST. For an extra chance to win, you can share this giveaway on your own blog or social media platform! Just make sure to leave an additional comment letting me know you’ve done so. If you don’t have a blog, please remember to include your email address in your comment so I can easily contact you if you’re one of our lucky winners!

Now, let’s shift our focus to the delectable dinner that inspired this celebratory post – a quick and flavorful meal perfect for any night of the week.

Last night, as the Florida heat and humidity persisted, I found myself in that all-too-familiar dilemma: what to cook for dinner? My craving was for something light, vibrant, and quick – definitely no heavy, complicated meals. A quick scan of my pantry and freezer became my culinary treasure hunt. My eyes landed on some briny capers, savory olives, and a bag of frozen shrimp – the perfect foundation for a spontaneous, flavourful dish. To elevate these pantry staples, I stepped into my backyard garden, plucking fresh, ripe cherry tomatoes and fragrant basil leaves. With these simple yet powerful ingredients, a truly delightful and incredibly easy Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta Toss was born, ready to serve in mere minutes. It’s a testament to how amazing meals can come together with just a few well-chosen items.