Bio


** Fall of 2015 I was privileged to attend culinary school at the prestigious 
Ballymaloe Cookery School located in County Cork, Ireland.  


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My love affair with all things culinary started when I was 11 years old. I remember my mother lovingly bringing me to the library so I could read cookbooks. The first, and most memorable cookbook I checked out had me cooking stir-fry and sautéed bananas in brown sugar for dessert. I still remember the sight of those bananas sautéing in butter and brown sugar. A most memorable dinner.

My childhood was surrounded by an outdoorsy farm life, looking back I feel like I lived in the woods. Didn’t my mother worry while I was gone, laying in some pasture for hours on end? Most likely.

The garden was a place of wonder and awe. A green pepper was this child's apple. Pheasant, duck, and morel mushroom hunting was a typical weekend for me. Skinning a deer was fall's sweetest blessing. Watching the chickens run around with their heads cut off was summer's joy. Not to mention the pigs, horses, dogs, cats, and rabbits, among others. My mom would use the pressure cooker for canning as I looked on in amazement. Make-believe play included me running a restaurant. Fresh baking powder biscuits were made for many winter night's meals – by me – the 11 year old.

Though today I don’t live on a farm, my love of sourcing and cooking food continues. I do my best to provide wholesome, healthy meals that are made from “real food” for my family of four. I have a passion for high quality ingredients and serving with flair. Sourcing from local growers and farmers is important, probably because of my roots and most certainly because the quality is better than any grocer.

My vision in the kitchen really became clearer when I was introduced to Giada on the Food Network. That was when I really discovered how to chiffonade basil, or cook noodles al dente, and learned that authentic parmigiano reggiano's rind is stamped.

My greatest dream is to have a Food Network show filmed in my kitchen like Giada or Rachael Ray. Sometimes when I cook at home today I think up witty little side-bars and anecdotes I would use on-air. Only practice for one day… a girl's gotta dream.

And finally, this blog was started because I didn’t predict Le Cordon Blue in my future after already attaining a Bachelor Degree in International Business and you have to start somewhere!

I really want to document all the recipes I create, because I rarely use the same recipe twice and can’t remember every morsel. My weekly meals are usually based on what is currently in the cupboards and fridge – if I don’t have cream cheese, then Greek yogurt it is! This blog will be a platform to write it all down, be searchable to me when I want to look back, and hopefully be an inspiration to others! Cheers and Happy Cooking!