Hey there, I'm McKinley!
You can also call me The Girl Who Was Hungry, the girl who makes small-batch dishes & dessert deliciousness.
I'm the writer, videographer, photographer, and recipe developer. Here you'll find delicious small-batch recipes ranging from pasta dishes, chicken recipes, brownies, cookies, and of course my famous cinnamon rolls!
Keep reading if you want to learn more about me and how I got started in food blogging!
How it all started
As a little girl, I grew up playing Cupcake Wars and Chopped with my siblings and parents and loved. every. second. I have always been a big fan of baking and cooking, but just as equally, eating the delicious food I make. Never did I think I would end up here!
I graduated college in Utah in 2021 with a degree in public relations. I landed an awesome job as an events & marketing coordinator, and now work as a social media & digital marketing manager at a higher education institution full-time. My time during my career has made me fall in love with marketing. I love marketing something that you are fully passionate about, and that's where food comes into the picture for me. Behold, this blog was created - I combined my passion for marketing, food and entrepreneurship into one.
I have always had entrepreneurial passions, so I would love to eventually run this blog for my full-time career. This blog has made me feel like me. I truly look forward to getting home from work to come write blog posts, test recipes, and take several photos for you all. This is where my true passion lies, and I hope that shines through in this blog!
Of course I wouldn't be able to do all of this without the incredible support of my husband and family. My incredible husband has been so supportive and patient in this process as I navigate working full-time, completing my master's degree, and managing this food blog. Thanks - I love you babe!
How I picked my blog name
It all started at a restaurant... but first, I need to give you background.
I had been interested in starting this blog for years. In fact, I built content for two whole years before launching this website. Anyway, I had been brainstorming blog name ideas for a while. I had one idea that I landed on, but I didn't feel that I had a personal connection to or anything. I wanted my name to be something that I felt resembled me as a person.
Okay, now with that background information, back to the restaurant...
My husband and I were out for our weekly date night together, and we were at one of our favorite local restaurants. It had been a long day, and I was a starving girl. We both ordered, and when they brought out the plates, they were HUGE. I'm telling you, the portions at this restaurant aren't small by any means. So, of course we dive into the plate and start eating. I was so hungry, and I ate every. single. thing. Our waitress came back to our table and looks down at my plate and said, very loudly:
Dang girl, you were hungryyyyy!
I was mortified. Face fully red. Every single person in that restaurant looking over at me. So so so embarrassed. In the moment I was so humiliated, but it helped me find my blog name. Hence, I'm The Girl Who Was Hungry, since I ate my entire plate full.
And get this. That's not the only time that's happened to me. Yep, only a few months later it happened at a different restaurant. What can I say? I like to eat delicious food. I'm known at work as a "foodie" and the "girl who makes the best cookies" because I enjoy food and I love sharing that with people. I don't ever want to feel ashamed for being passionate about eating, and sometimes there is a negative stigma about that, especially for women.
So, if you've ever had this happen to you, don't worry, you're not alone. The Girl Who Was Hungry is here cheering you on because to me, food should be enjoyed!
Enjoy the delicious food
I'd love it if you'd indulge in all of my recipes and savor every bite because I have poured my heart and soul into this. I hope you can taste that in every single bite.
On The Girl Who Was Hungry, you can expect to see weekly recipes hitting the blog. The recipes are small-batch, making it easier to feed medium sized families and couples. I grew up in a large family of eight, and when my mom baked treats, there were I swear literally 100 cookies, brownies, lemon bars, or whatever she made. Every recipe she would make would be for large crowds and it was hard to customize them to accommodate for smaller groups. So, that's what you can expect on The Girl Who Was Hungry - small-batch recipes perfect for feeding a family.
Typically my cookie recipes make anywhere from 6 to 18 cookies instead of 30 to 60. Brownies? Typically they are made in 8x8 or 9x9 pans. Do you have a large family, or are you feeding a group? No worries, all my recipes can easily be doubled for your convenience. I double mine when taking them to large gatherings, but in the kitchen at home I keep them small-batch. That's my specialty, and I hope I serve all your dinner and dessert desires!
Don't miss my favorite cookies & cream cookies recipe, and leave a review to tell me your thoughts. Expect to see all the yummy food recipes coming your way. Happy baking!
Xoxo, McKinley