Kristin Maxwell is the creator, recipe developer, writer and all around badass owner of “Easy Appetizers.” A blogger since 2009, she built the popular food website and blog Yellow Bliss Road, where you can find all kinds of family friendly recipes for dinner, breakfast or dessert.
She is a wife to her handsome hubby, mother to two teenagers and together they are living the foodie life in sunny Southern California.
Easy Appetizers is a food blog about the best kind of food – party food and snacks! Every party, holiday and gathering needs delicious appetizers and I’ve got lots to share. Start here to learn a little about how this little place on the internet came to be, and then browse our recipes.
Kristin is a self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, who specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.
Hi, I’m Kristin!
Life can be complicated, so I am all about simplifying wherever I can – whether in the recipes I create for you or the home I’m creating for my family – because I believe that it doesn’t have to be elaborate or extravagant to be amazing.
That’s why I created this site – Easy Appetizers are my favorite thing to cook (and to eat!). Cooking is my passion but sharing good food with family and friends brings me so much joy.
I struggled with fertility in my 20’s and chose to adopt as a single mom. It was the toughest and most rewarding choice ever. Read all about that journey here. My kids are teens now, and they’re a handful. I’m exhausted and most days my house is a mess – and I’m okay with that.
In 2015 I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and have been fighting ever since. I refuse to let this disease define me or take me down. This blog has afforded me the flexibility to fight while still being able to provide for my family and I am so grateful for that.
How I Learned to Cook
I’d like to say that I’m completely self taught, and while that’s partly true, I have been in the kitchen as long as I can remember, learning how to cook and how to bake from my mom and grandma. They ignited the passion in me to learn more about food and cooking. In school, Home Ec classes were my favorite – I was even a charter member of the FHA (Future Homemakers of America) club at my high school!
I have learned through trial and error, testing recipes numerous times until I am happy with the results. I read cookbooks and other food blogs. I study restaurant menus and watch how others prepare food. I perfected my Fried Rice recipe by watching the Teppanyaki chef at Benihana. True story. While I have no classical training, through watching and learning from others I have cultivated my own style of cooking to share with my readers. I value simplicity and take shortcuts where I can, while still keeping the food I share fresh, easy and delicious.
About Easy Appetizers
Welcome to Easy Appetizers! Here you’ll find tons of recipes that have been rigorously tested by me, and rigorously critiqued by my family and friends. I only share food that we love – and we love a lot of food!
My other site is a culmination of all the different kinds of food I cook, from breakfast to dinner to dessert. But I’ve been neglecting my all time favorite kind of food – party food! So this site was born out of my intense love for finger foods, snacks, appetizers and dips.
Easy Appetizers is a collection of the best kind of food – snacks! These tasty appetizers are what every party, holiday and social gathering needs, and I’ve got lots to share. There are hearty appetizers sure to satisfy hungry appetites, light bites to snack on before dinner, creamy dips and simple finger foods. There’s something for everyone, and everything is perfectly portioned to feed a crowd, with tips for scaling up or down.
My Promise to You
- I will always provide easy, tasty recipes that have been tested in my kitchen, and that I have fed my own family. I will share tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way to take the guesswork out of cooking and to make being in the kitchen something you actually want to do.
- I will do my best to answer any questions you might have. I would love to hear from you!
- We’ve got lots of ways to follow along – join us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly email subscription so you won’t miss a thing!
Thanks for visiting. Stick around and click around – there’s something for everyone here, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, just ask!