Hi! I’m Elizabeth Smedley!

I live in Charlotte, NC with my husband, Aaron, and golden retriever, Bear, where we take advantage of the beautiful weather, local badminton scene, and wonderful farmer’s market for seasonal ingredients. I hope you enjoy the recipes compiled on this site as much as we have over the last few years! They are so special to me as most have been inspired by great meals while traveling with family and friends, or experimentation. While I try new recipes frequently, these are the ones that have stuck around because they consistently turn out well and make Aaron and I do a little happy dance – particularly the desserts (try the maple and pecan macarons and your life will be changed!).

I am fascinated by new recipes, fun flavor combinations, and exciting textures. Many of my friends and family have gluten intolerances or other food allergies, but I firmly believe all these can be embraced and celebrated in amazing food regardless of dietary needs or preferences.

I also believe having a brief synopsis of a recipe before getting started helps prime the cook for a general sense of the meal. However, many recipe blogs do this in the long narrative preceding the recipe. I have tried to boil down the key takeaways and give an overview of the recipe so you can decide if a recipe sounds good for your current energy levels.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have enjoyed the process of compiling and taste-testing them!

Elizabeth