Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, I grew up in a large (and loud!) family of food enthusiasts and home cooks. My grandmother ruled the kitchen. She was always on a quest for the next great family favorite and whipped up scratch-made food daily. My mom was magic in the kitchen, too. A natural hostess and born entertainer, her themed parties, menus and tailgates (yes! there was always a theme!) were legendary. She also made the best damn chocolate chip cookies and lasagna around. No joke.

 

As you can imagine, I found myself in the kitchen often growing up, helping out and sneaking tastes. While cooking has always been part of my life, I found my passion for it while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. Having signed up to take weekly cooking classes for three months, I learned to make all kinds of scratch-made Italian dishes, pastas, sauces and desserts from a chef named Fabrizio. Doesn't get much more Italian than that! It was an incredible experience and completely life changing. I’ve been cooking up a storm ever since.

 

After years of friends and family telling me to start my own food blog, I’ve decided to do just that. Nothing like the present – or a pandemic – to light a fire and get you moving, right?!

 

So here’s the deal: I cook what I like. I prefer meat. I love arugula. I'm a fan of gluten. I enjoy a mean cocktail. There's nothing better than dark chocolate. Cheese is my friend. I like it spicy - probably the red hair. I work with a lot of fresh herbs and produce. I'm not the best at measuring spices but I'm working on it. Cool?

 

I’ve had the opportunity to travel across most of North America and Europe and my recipes are inspired by where I’ve been, where I’ve lived and what I’ve eaten along the way. So, if you’re down for homemade pastas, pizzas, over-the-top tacos, fresh greens and veggies, delicious sweet treats and everything in between, you’ve come to the right place!

​

Homemade tastes better and I'm here to prove it!

​