Hey there! I’m Val!
Just a simple, self-taught home cook who enjoys some therapeutic time in the kitchen!
I’m originally from the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio (Go Bucks!) But I’ve lived my whole adult life in the Bluegrass! The rolling farm fences and bourbon trails of Kentucky have been my home for a quarter of a century now.
I’m almost an empty-nester of 5 hungry humans! So nowadays, simple & quick meals are usually the goal, but a slow Sunday supper that brings the kids back home around the table is what satisfies my soul.
Every seat at my table used to be full every meal of the day.
Now it’s a little quieter, and finding people to finish up a bunch of leftovers is a real challenge! So I keep it simple and light.
Not a homesteader, not a farmer or a gardener, but we did enjoy raising our kids around the farm, and I do believe farmer’s markets exist for people just like me! Just everyday busy moms who love a good home-cooked meal around the table with the family. So while I married into a farming family, over the years our lives took different twists and turns in business and in lifestyle.
We LOVE to travel! You can catch more of us over on Our Next Adventure, our RV travel YouTube channel!
When I’m not cooking on camera,
you’ll find me whipping up something in my kitchen to some good music, and catching up on my favorite YouTube channels. Or sometimes, we like to dine out! No shame in my game! I love a good Mom-and-Pop, local restaurant, and we always try to support the locals first before settling for the fast options.
I LOVE to collect cookbooks with LOTS of pictures and good stories inside! So most of what I fix, from breakfast to dinner and all the things in between, comes from the pages that inspire me.
I shamelessly admit that what also inspires me, is a beautiful kitchen full of all the pretty things! I love things like soft-close cabinetry, a warm and welcoming backsplash, under-cabinet lighting, good quality cookware, beaded glassware, wood cutting boards, and pretty little decorative plates! I believe being in a kitchen you LOVE, plays a big part in how often you find cooking to be therapeutic and actually enjoyable. So splurge on the kitchen! From my experience, you don’t have to be a Michelin Star-earning Chef to get to enjoy a beautiful heart-of-the-home!
Dinner is typically my favorite time of the day.
(Well, second to sunny mornings when I can have breakfast in the sunshine.) And even though it’s hardly ever perfect, even sometimes plain unpredictable (hence the “to-be-determined” spin on what to expect from my kitchen), I hope to inspire somebody out there to just get in the kitchen!
OR get out in the backyard! We’re learning to get better at our grilling game too! It doesn’t have to be intimidating.
It’s the simple things in life that become our most valued memories. And it doesn’t get much simpler than breaking bread with the people you love.
