Keeping It Simple Blog

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Welcome to Keeping It Simple Blog!

Hi! I am so excited you are here. My name is Melissa and I am the author of Keeping It Simple Blog and a cooking instructor here in Austin, TX. Keeping It Simple Blog is a recipe site that features manageable and easy tried and true recipes made from real ingredients. My mission is to show others that cooking a good meal at home does not need to be complicated and no matter what level your cooking skills are, a great homecooked meal is easy to make.

All of my recipes are tried and true recipes that are thoroughly tested and vetted by family and friends before I share them here with you. I want to make sure that each recipe is a success for you so you can cook at home more and eat out less. I truly feel that the best experiences in life are always around the table with a good meal.

Where to start?

If you are not sure what to try first, my Italian Baked Zucchini, Pork Bolognese, and Coconut Curry Soup have been made over and over again by readers and they love it! Some favorite desserts by readers are my Pizzelle, my favorite Carrot Cake Recipe, mini cheesecake bites, or vanilla bread pudding sauce if that is what you are craving.

Of course, you can browse our homepage for current seasonal ideas, and even sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of new recipes.

Be part of our community

If you want to follow along on our other adventures, you can find me on:

More about me

If you are new here, I love writing recipes that everyone can cook, no special skills required. I have worked in restaurants for over 10 years and I have been cooking for many more than that 🙂

I love helping home cooks improve their cooking skills and sharing recipes that are as simple as possible but still amazing. I also love getting ideas from my readers, so please let me know if you've tried a recipe and any special touches you added!

My cooking style is cooking with real food ingredients and I love showing others that cooking with fresh food does not need to be complicated or stressful. I am also a big fan of making use of leftover food, minimizing food waste, and budget-friendly cooking which we feel is relatable to most people.

I've been written up on this topic of food budgeting when cooking at home for this exact reason. Our most recent articles about this from Us News and World Report and Go Banking Rates are great articles to read about this.

Where do I get my food inspiration?

I cook all types of easy recipes and classic American ones too. You will also find lots of Italian-inspired dishes since that is my background and what I grew up with.

So much of my food inspiration comes from friends and family over the years, some from restaurants I have worked in, a previous baking company I owned, and lots of my inspiration comes from traveling. I love learning new, easy recipes and sharing those here with you.

Whether you are a lifelong cook like me or a beginner, all of my recipes are easy and manageable. I hope you enjoy the recipes!

Questions about a recipe?

I love hearing your questions. I encourage you to reach out to me at [email protected], or through our comments section or contact page, whichever is easiest. If you do try any recipes, I love hearing your feedback in the comments section!

It helps other readers too.

Cooking Classes!

We also offer private cooking classes for local Austin, Tx area residents (or visitors). From basic cooking skills to bridal shower gatherings to teach the new bride-to-be some new recipes!

More information on our cooking classes

logos of publications that Keeping It Simple Blog has been featured in