Happy 5th Birthday, This Week for Dinner!
It’s kind of surreal. I really, truly can’t believe I’ve been plugging away at this blog for five years. When I started the blog, I only posted once a week and, quite honestly, I only ever expected my friends Adrianne and Emily to bop on here to tell me what they were cooking for dinner (they were always better planners than me). Little did I know what I was getting myself into! It’s been such a fun ride and has opened up so many amazing opportunities for me. But what I’m most grateful for is all of YOU…for reading, for sharing, and for connecting, with me and with each other. This blog would not be what it is without you. So, happy birthday!
Today I made Julia Child’s Best Ever Brownies to celebrate. And, in true Jane fashion, I undercooked them. I’m always undercooking things when I bake, it’s ridiculous! This morning’s experience reminded me of a comment my sweet husband Nate made when I started the blog: “Jane starting a food blog is like me starting a painting blog.” In case you’re wondering {despite his claims of a Renaissance year in fifth grade} Nate is not artistic, so yes, that made it a sarcastic, snarky comment. And yes, he thinks he’s funny {so do I, actually}. Well, the joke’s on him. I’ve still got a food blog! Neener neener. Although, apparently five years of food blogging has not helped fix my under-baking mental hiccup! But I digress…
To celebrate 5 years, how about a giveaway from KitchenAid? Sounds good to me!
I love KitchenAid. I love my stand mixer. I use it all the time. I love my measuring spoons. I use them all the time. And now…I love my hand blender! I use it…well, I’ve used it twice because I just got it! But it rocked. I’ve always wanted a hand blender and finally I have one! (Thanks, KitchenAid!) My hand blender’s maiden voyage was with cream of mushroom soup. It worked beautifully and the soup had a wonderful texture. And then, this morning as I was whipping up the brownies, I had a hand blender epiphany! The recipe uses a lot of bowls. It’s kind of annoying, actually. There’s a part where I normally beat the eggs in my stand mixer, but I just didn’t feel like getting it out and washing yet another bowl. And I didn’t feel like digging around my utensils for the hand mixer beaters, so I started to whisk by hand. After about 10 seconds, my arm was tired. And then it hit me…the hand blender has a whisk attachment! It was easy to grab from its special storage case, easy to use, and easy to clean. It was quite serendipitous since I was making the brownies for this very post!
This giveaway is now closed. Thank you! And now you have a chance to get your own hand blender and have your own blending epiphanies! To celebrate TWFD’s big day, we are giving away one KitchenAid 5-Speed Hand Blender (retail $129.99)! It’s fancy dancy, complete with chopper attachment, blender attachment, removable pan guard (so you can use it in any pan without damaging the pan), whisk, blade covers, and a storage case. It’s super easy to attach and detach the blades and to clean the various pieces. It’s pretty much just plain old awesome. That’s all.
To enter, just do what you always do! Leave a comment on this post before Midnight PT on Tuesday, February 7. One randomly-selected winner will be announced on February 8.
Good luck! And make sure to eat some chocolate today. The blog wants you to. It is the blog’s birthday after all, you should probably just do it.
Hello! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and then count on you to share your own! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
Congrats on 5 years! I have been following you for about the last 3 years and I am always excited to see your new posts.
Way to go Jane!!!!! whoop whoop!!! (and yes, old ladies use blenders too)
Happy Blog Birthday to You!
Congratulations, happy birthday and pick me!
Happy bloggy birthday to you!
Thanks for the giveaway! and congrats on 5 years!!
Happy blog birthday!
Happy Blog-day indeed! Thanks for all the years of inspiration and admitting your flaws and failures (not that undercooked brownies are a bad thing!). It makes me feel like I’m not so bad either when somthing doesn’t quite go as planned
Happy Birthday! I would so love to have this. Wanted one for Christmas but my husbasays it cost to much
hopefully I will win one day.
Happy Blog Birthday! Love your blog… and this giveaway!
Feliz cumpleanos!
Happy 5th celebration! What an awesome and generous give-away! I would LOVE to have a Kitchen Aid!!! If you pick me, it will be put to good use…and a lot of it!
Many thanks,
Maria
Happy Birthday, TWFD!
(And undercooked brownies are the best.)
Happy 5 years! Gooey undercooked brownies are the only way to go.
Happy Birthday, This Week For Dinner! I love the family friendly recipes and this has definitely helped me in my goal of planning a weekly menu.
What a haul!
Happy 5th Birthday! I love your blog.
Happy Birthday!
That Mixer would be so handy!
Wow has it been 5 years, where has the time gone! I love this kitchenaid set, my mom has something like it and I covet it every time I see it!!
I would love to win! I noticed the other day I don’t have a mixer!
5 years! Congrats! I would love to win this awesome Kitchenaid set. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Just started following your blog a few months ago, I love it! Congrats on 5 years!
Congrats on five years! Happy Birthday
I love everything kitchenaid! I hope I win!
Just started following blog & I love it! Congrats on five years! Happy Birthday
Congrats!
Just found your website and looking forward to reading for the next 5yrs.
I need one of these SO bad!!
Happy birthday.
Happy Birthday TWFD!
A very happy 5th birthday!
Awesome~ Happy Birthday!
Here’s to at least 5 more years! I love the blog, thank you for the motivation to plan a head with meals. I’m not great at it but getting better!
Happy Birthday (and gooey brownies are the best)!
Good morning, a very big pat on the back, Jane. wonderful blog site. take care,
b
Happy Birthday! What a great prize!
Just stumble across your blog when I was looking for tips on how to ripen an avocado quickly. (I need it for tomorrow’s lunch.) I then noticed all the menu planning you have done and I think I will be up all week catching up on the last 5 years of your blog. You have some great recipes. So fast and easy. I think I will me making that stuffing coated chicken tonight. Sounds delicious.
Congrats, Jane! I’m a fairly new reader of your blog. I love it! And it makes me feel connected to you and your family. Love you!
Awesome giveaway! I love brownies–and slightly undercooked and gooey is just fine with me.
Happy 5th birthday blog!
Happy Blog Birthday! We just got married this fall and the one thing we didn’t get on our registry was a wand mixer!!
Unfortunately, hubby has been out of work since June and until he finds a job we won’t be splurging on awesome kitchen toys. I hope you pick us, but if not, thanks for the awesome blog and we’ll try again next time! 
Happy Birthday! Thanks for helping to get me organized!!
Congrats on 5 years- here’s to many more! Love your blog.
congrats on the milestone! Ahhh I would love to win this, I definitely need more kitchen appliances for my new apartment!
I would love to win this for my wife to use in our kitchen! Congrats on 5th blog birthday!
Happy 5th bday! I love your blog and check in every week! I seemed to have worn my hand blender out of commission making baby food last year!! With a 2 month old we’ll be needing another one in a few months, I’ll keep my finger and toes crossed
Here’s to many more happy birthdays!
Congratulations! I love the weekly meal ideas from everyone!
killer giveaway!
katherinedibello (at) gmail (Dot) com
Happy Birthday TWFD! That is awesome Jane!
Happy Birthday! I would love to win this awesome prize!
Happy Birthday! I’d love to win this!
Happy Birthday!!!! I love to cook and bake with my 2 & 4 yr old. I would love to win this as my hand blender just had to be retired. Fingers crossed to win:) Thank you for the opportunity and GREAT blog
Happy Birthday! Your blog inspires me every week!
Happy 5 years! Love your blog!
Happy birthday! Awesome blog.
Congrats, I’ve only been following for a little while. I’m getting married in the summer and it would be a great way to start my kitchen supplies.
Congratulations on your 5 years! That’s an awesome achievement.
congrats on 5 years!
Congrats and thanks for the great dinner ideas week after week!
I’ve wanted one of those hand blenders for quite a while now. Congratulations on your 5 years!
I just found this website this month and LOVE it! It’s such a challenge figuring out what’s for dinner every night. I’m so happy someone else is doing all the hard work for me. Keep it up!
Awesome! Love it!
Wow! What a great prize. I really like your blog and as a mom of 2 small kids, anything to make getting diner on the table easier is awesome! Hope I win!
Happy birthday. And I LOVE gooey brownies!
Happy Birthday TWFD! I have been wanting a hand blender! I keep running into situations where I think one would be really handy. Like making baby food for instance. Also, it’s my birthday on the 9th and I can’t think of a better present!
I’ll keep my fingers crossed!
Oh my gosh! What a great giveaway!!
Congrats on 5 years! I have been a follower of your for a few months, and love your blog! I’m SLOWLY starting to plan my dinners ahead of time! Thank you, and thanks for the opportunity on the great giveaway!
Happy Birthday!!
and yeah, love the hand blender
Happy Birthday!……this item would be a great tool to have!
Happy Happy Birthday!
Happy Blog Birthday! I took a big break from mine to have a baby, and now I’m back in the loop and looking for inspiration. Glad to have food TWFD!
NEAT! First time visiting your site! I was stumped on what I should do for dinner this week and yours popped up on my google search! Like what I’m reading so far! Keep up the great work!
Happy Birthday!
What a fabulous gift to us on your special day! Thank you for sharing your love for good family food with us!
Happy Birthday-what a great giveaway-thanks
I’m enthralled, I’ve never even seen a hand mixer like this!
Oh man, would I love this little pretty. I’m new to the blog and can’t wait to get cooking!
One speed for each year! Well done!
I would love to have this and thank you for giving us the opportunity.
I just got my KitchenAid 13 cup Food Processor, this would be lov ely to have with it!
Happy Blog Birthday Jane!!!!
Happy Birthday Girlfriend! Rx