All photos by Jessica Janae Photography
For nearly a decade, our beloved food blog, Oh Sweet Basil, has been a vibrant space where we share our passion for incredible homemade food. Yet, in all that time, we’ve realized we’ve overlooked one crucial detail: properly introducing ourselves! It’s high time we pulled back the curtain and let you in on a little secret – this entire culinary adventure is a labor of love shared by a dedicated husband and wife team. We are Cade and Carrian, and together, we pour our hearts into bringing you the very best recipes and culinary inspiration.
Allow me, Carrian, to clarify our roles. I’m typically behind the lens, capturing the beauty of our dishes through photography, crafting the narratives you read, managing most of our communications, and playing a significant role in recipe development. My wonderful husband, Cade, is the mastermind behind many of our most cherished recipes, diligently working on the technical ‘behind-the-scenes’ aspects of the site, engaging with our community through emails and comments, and handling a myriad of other essential tasks that keep Oh Sweet Basil running smoothly. It’s a true partnership, built on shared passion and complementary skills. With a new year unfolding, we felt it was the perfect moment to share our complete story, offering a glimpse into the journey that shaped our culinary world.
The Defining Pizza That Ignited Our Passion for Food and Cooking Together
Our journey into the world of passionate home cooking truly began years ago during a memorable anniversary getaway to San Francisco. It was February, a time when the city embraced us with its characteristic chill and invigorating winds, yet it remains one of our most cherished vacations to date. We immersed ourselves in the city’s vibrant culture, exploring its iconic landmarks and, of course, indulging in its phenomenal food scene. While the specific names of every eatery we visited have faded with time, one culinary experience is etched forever in our memories.
One particular evening, as we wandered through a charming Italian neighborhood, we stumbled upon a cozy restaurant. Upon recommendation, we ordered a Margherita pizza, and it was nothing short of divine. The perfectly blistered crust, the tangy tomato sauce, the melted mozzarella, and, most importantly, the vibrant, fresh basil leaves created a symphony of flavors we had never truly experienced before. That exquisite taste, especially the aromatic fresh basil, sparked a profound inspiration within us. We returned home with a newfound eagerness to experiment with different ingredients and create our own restaurant-quality dishes right in our kitchen. This simple pizza wasn’t just a meal; it was the catalyst that ignited our enduring love affair with food and the art of cooking.
Cooking together quickly became more than just a hobby; it was an unexpected pathway to strengthening our bond. The process of collaborating in the kitchen, experimenting with flavors, and creating delicious meals together was incredibly fun and rewarding. We discovered a new level of connection, sharing laughter, learning from each other, and celebrating every successful dish. If you haven’t yet explored the joy of cooking with your family, we wholeheartedly encourage you to try it. Consider signing up for a cooking class with your spouse or dedicating one night a week to a family cooking project. We promise it will be an enriching experience, creating cherished memories, fostering communication, and, as an added bonus, you get to enjoy the delicious fruits of your labor! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!
As our culinary experiments grew, so did our desire for feedback. Being the tender-hearted person I am, I often found myself asking Cade if he liked a new recipe. However, direct “no” or “it’s okay” responses tended to sting a little. I quickly realized I needed a more gentle way to gauge a recipe’s success without feeling overly sensitive. This challenge led us to develop a unique system for evaluating our dishes, a system that would, quite serendipitously, become the foundation for our very own blog.
The Birth of a Blog: The “Recipe Box Recipe” Philosophy
To navigate my sensitive nature and still receive honest feedback, I started posing a specific question to Cade: “Is it a ‘recipe box recipe’?” This simple phrase became our secret code, a way to ask, “Is this dish truly a keeper? Is it exceptional enough to earn a permanent spot in our cherished collection of go-to recipes, worthy of being made again and again?” The beauty of this question was its indirectness. If Cade responded with, “It’s good, but maybe not a recipe box recipe,” I felt less exposed and was able to receive constructive criticism more easily. This unique evaluation method helped us refine our dishes, ensuring only the truly outstanding ones made the cut.
Our kitchen became a hub of delicious activity, and it wasn’t long before we started inviting neighbors over to share in the joy of our culinary discoveries. Everyone loved the yummy recipes we served, and naturally, they’d ask for the recipes. Unfortunately, in the hustle and bustle of life, I’d often forget to email them. Cade, with his practical and brilliant mind, came up with a fantastic solution: “Why don’t we put all these recipes on a blog?” His idea was simple yet revolutionary – a central online hub where anyone, especially our friends and family, could easily access our tested and approved “recipe box recipes” whenever they pleased.
Little did we know, this small idea would blossom into something far greater than we could have ever imagined. Within a surprisingly short amount of time, people from all corners of the globe, not just our immediate circle, began discovering and utilizing our recipes. It was incredibly humbling and exhilarating to see our shared passion for food resonate with such a wide and diverse audience. The “Recipe Box Recipe” philosophy had found a home, and Oh Sweet Basil was officially born, dedicated to bringing you those truly special, keeper recipes.
To this day, Cade and I still cherish our time together in the kitchen. It’s where many of our best ideas are born, where we unwind, and where we continue to strengthen our bond. Cade isn’t just a fantastic cook; he’s also my unwavering support system, both personally and professionally, for this incredible business we’ve nurtured together. For those who may not know our full story, he is an extraordinary husband, the only man who could have helped me navigate the challenging journey of Hyperemesis Gravidarum through three pregnancies. His strength, patience, and love during those times were monumental, and they speak volumes about the man he is.
Our mission at Oh Sweet Basil remains simple: to share delicious, reliable, and truly exceptional “recipe box recipes” that will become staples in your home. We invite you to join our community and connect with us on social media. You can follow our daily adventures, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and new recipe announcements on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest (yes, Cade even enthusiastically pins with me!). We genuinely hope that within these pages, you’ll discover your own collection of keeper recipes – those dishes that bring joy to your table and become cherished family favorites for years to come.
A Few of Cade’s Current Favorite Recipes from Oh Sweet Basil
World’s BEST Pulled Pork
Cade swears this oven-roasted pulled pork is the absolute best he’s ever tasted, and it’s a testament to his South Carolina roots. The secret lies in a perfect balance of spices and slow cooking, yielding incredibly tender, flavorful meat.
Pan Fried Tortellini
A simple yet surprisingly addictive dish, these pan-fried tortellini are crispy on the outside and wonderfully cheesy on the inside. They make for a fantastic quick snack or an impressive appetizer that disappears quickly.
Sloppy Joes
Forget everything you thought you knew about Sloppy Joes! We painstakingly tested countless recipes to bring you this ultimate version, packed with deep, savory flavors that will make this classic a weekly request.
Dulce De Leche Ice Cream (more like Gelato)
This isn’t just ice cream; it’s a dreamy, intensely creamy dulce de leche gelato that perfectly captures the rich caramel notes of this beloved Latin American confection. A truly decadent treat for any dessert lover.
A Few of Carrian’s Current Favorites from Oh Sweet Basil
Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Bread
This recipe is a new all-time favorite of mine! It’s incredibly moist, perfectly spiced, and the chocolate chips provide a delightful sweetness, making it an ideal treat for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Creamy Artichoke Dip
Whenever we need a crowd-pleasing appetizer, this creamy artichoke dip is our go-to. It’s rich, savory, and utterly irresistible, always disappearing faster than any other dish on the table.
Killer Pizza Sauce
Crafting the perfect homemade pizza starts with the sauce, and this one is truly a game-changer. It’s quick, effortless, and features a secret ingredient that elevates the flavor profile, making your homemade pizzas taste gourmet.
Reese’s PB Cookie Pie
This Reese’s Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookie Pie is a family legend, a dessert that instantly became a top favorite. It’s a decadent combination of gooey marshmallow, rich peanut butter, and a soft cookie crust that’s impossible to resist.