‘How To Cook That’ started when I needed a way to keep my mind active and my body awake during night feeds with my third son. I loved cooking desserts and people were always asking for my recipes, so the topic was an easy choice. As obvious as this sounds if you intend on starting a blog make sure:
1. It’s a topic that you enjoy.
2. An area that you are trained in or have experience. If it a how-to site you’ll need more knowledge than the average bear.
3. You LOVE it. If your blog is a success you are going to be producing the same topic of content for years to come. It should be fun for you.
You are still reading so I assume you are passionate, excited and have more ideas than you have time to write about. Welcome to the world of blogging. I’ve made a video to guide you through setting up your new website. Don’t worry, it’s easier than you think!
1. Click HERE to follow along with the video and set up your website.
(Disclosure: I get a small affiliate commission if you buy hosting through the above link, commissions are small so please don’t let that influence which company you choose to host with, go with whatever suits your needs the best).
2. CHOOSE A DOMAIN NAME
A domain name is your website address. For example the domain name for this site is “howtocookthat.net”.
3. ADD HOSTING
Buying the domain name is like putting that web address on hold so no one else can use it, BUT you are not yet using it yet either. To actually use your web address you need ‘hosting’, a company to store your website information and send it out to the world.
4. INSTALL WORDPRESS
Wordpress is free and totally customizable and you don’t need to know anything about coding (HTML/java etc) to use it.
5. CUSTOMIZE
Choose a ‘theme’ for the website. The theme is the general layout of the site. Click through the many ones available and choose one that will work for you. You can always come back later and change the theme at any time. Make sure you choose a theme that is ‘responsive’, which means it works on any size screen from mobile though to desktop.
Add various ‘plugins’ as you need them. Plugins are like mini tools or apps to help you do things on your blog. If you want your website to do something specific like have a shop, play your music, add a page of youtube videos, a gallery for your photos, share buttons… there is bound to be a plugin for it. You can add a plugin, test it out and delete it if it is not what you want, just like you would do with an app on your phone. Like apps there are heaps of free and paid versions of plugins.
6. CONTENT
Now it is time for you to add content to your website. Just a word on copyright. You can not copy or use other people photos or text without written permission. Every picture you find on google images has been taken by a real person and you can’t just steal their photos, you need permission.
7. GO LIVE
On the dashboard / admin area it will say “your site is currently being displayed as coming soon click here to launch it”. Click it and it is live.
8. ENJOY
Enjoy creating your very own piece of the internet.
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Love all of your videos. Do you possibly have a recipe for chocolate kit kat cake covered with bananas foster. I have searched for a recipe for a long time and would like to make one but am afraid the bananas foster on top will make the ganache sloppy or buttercream soggy. Please advise. Thank you for any help you might give.
Hi Arlene, thanks for posting. Ann doesn’t have a recipe on the blog for the cake you mentioned but it does sound interesting.
Thank you for your recipes and I have enjoyed making the Nutella cookies and brownies for my Design project. Thanks!!!!
That is great kellyshu.
Hi Ann, first of all I would like to say Thankyou so much for sharing your recipes. I’m from the UK and have just started baking so I’m learning a lot from you. I’m just a bit confused tho because I have been asked by one of our Aussie friends to make Tim tams. So I’ve been looking at your recipe and noticed you said the recipe can be minimised to one person but then said to another that she couldn’t make smaller Tim tams. Have I got it right or wrong. Will I be able to shrink the ingredients. Thankyou again so very much.
Hi Carole, A single TimTam is just the size of a standard biscuit. You can reduce the quantities of the Giant Tim Tam to make smaller individual dessert servings but it is not designed for making individual Tim Tam biscuits.
Today its 26th april and already been 10 am since 2 hrs the results for the oreo contest are not yet declared. When are the going to be declared?
Hi Sabhya Singh, The winners were posted on the 26th of April as per the Terms & Conditions.
what cake would be best for a 12 yr old beginner?
i want to be a baker when i grow up and i need to practise 🙂 <3
love you and your cakes btw
Hi Ann, thanks for uploading such awesome videos every week! I made this version of the converse shoe cake for my mum who is a Zumba fitness instructor 🙂 It was so much fun! Thanks again for the amazing tutorial!
P.s I’m 12 🙂
Your cake looks gorgeous Lana.
Good
Hi is there any way you could make a Blaze from Blaze and the monster machines cake, my boys keep asking for it but i dont even know where to start. Love your videos and have succesfully made the lighning mcqueen cake that was a huge hit!!!
Hi Angela, Your lightning McQueen looks amazing. Blaze is pretty similar but with more exaggerated features. I think it would be more difficult to get the exaggerated shape of Blaze just right but you could adapt the lightening template by enlarging the wheels and reshaping the body to match pictures you can find online.
Thank you ? i was trying to be lazy and have you do the work for me!!!! Here’s to googling a thousand images of Blaze!!! ?
Hello I’m really interested in getting the truck cake 3D templete ?
Hi Mayra, You can find most of the template on the sho[ pages here: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/shop/page/2/?orderby=date
Hello, following the horrendous acts of terrorism that has befallen Europe (latest my home country Sweden) and other corners of the world, I would love it if you could post a video with solidarity and/or diversity as a theme. I love your videos and watch them every week. Love from the Black Forrest, Germany.
here is my easter present to you.
Many thanks
Hi
I love your Lego police station cake
I have watched your you tube tutorial and you said about having a template for this cake. Where do I find it please??
Thanks so much!! Gemma
Hi Gemma, You will find the post here: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/lego-cake-lego-city-police/ . You can purchase the template using the Buy it Now button on this page or you can also find it on the Shop page here: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/shop/page/2/?orderby=date
Hi Ann!! I love your videos and I watch them every week! All the creations you make are so wonderful and I hope I will be able to make something like what you make someday!!
Thank you for these wonderful recipes! <3
-Rose
Thanks Rose for your lovely feedback. Much appreciated.
Hello Ann,
I have been asked to make a donut shaped cake. Although it is seems uncomplicated I would love to see your take. To make the decorative donut icing fondant or royal icing? Should sprinkles be large jimmies, jelly beans, or candies? I was also going to have a layer of raspberry compote in the middle.
Sounds interesting. Here donuts usually are iced with a shiny icing. You could use either fondant or royal icing, though fondant is generally better liked. Finish it with an edible shine/gloss spray. For toppings there are quite a range of giant sprinkles available. It really is just a matter of what suits your taste and idea of what a dough nut is.
Hi Ann just finished Belle. Not as cute as yours but I tried. Thanks. Look at my ruffles. Cute right?
Hi ann I love your beautiful cakes they are.s9oooooooooooooo pritty and my son has just turns 13 and he wanted one of your cakes we are all happy because I. Can finally stand and bake I was wondering if well my daughter wanted a shout out love your work chow?
P.s shout out would be to Georgia bonnett?
Thanks Leann for commenting. So glad you are up on your feet and able to bake. Tell Georgia we say Hi!
Hi Autumn, We think your Belle is very cute!! Well done.
Hi Ann just finished Belle. Not as cute as yours but I tried. Thanks
Hi Ann! I just wanted to comment and show you one of your recipes that I made, it’s your Mars bar chocolate brownie cheesecake but with Snickers, golden confetti and strawberries!
Hope you like it 🙂
Oh my gosh that looks decadent! I hope it was thoroughly enjoyed!
Hi Ann! Just want to ask if it’s possible to have some desserts that contains low amounts, or if possible no sugar?
Hi Amber, Desserts are traditionally sweet but can use fruit or a honey to create the sweetness in some recipes. It just depends what you want to make.
Hi Ann. I love your videos and I have learnt a lot from them.I have been watching your videos right from the beginning when you started. I was wondering if you could make a Nintendo switch cake as it just came out. Can you also do a Q&A video and a new kitchen tour. Sorry that is a lot of requests but I really love your videos and look forward to them every week.
I would love it if you replied☺☺
Here is your reply…
Hey Ann, I love your videos. I would love it if you or your admin let me know they saw this. Thanks!
Hi. I dont feel safe putting my name on line. I hope that is okay.
We did see it and thanks for commenting!
Hi again! I made the peanut butter cookies and they burned a little. Even then, I cut one open and the inside hadn’t baked. Please tell me what I did wrong!
Maybe because I split the recipe in half ?
Ann, please help!!!!
Hello Hi, If they are burning on the outside but undercooked inside, it suggests that your oven is too hot. You can try turning it down a little and placing an empty baking tray on the oven shelf above.
Thanks so much!