About Kelley

As a born and raised Minnesotan, I flew the nest shortly after entering the working world.  I sought the adventure and culture of big city life in Boston.  After spending years living as a typical post college social butterfly, I found peace and tranquility in cohabitation with a former boyfriend.  During this time, I matured from cheap beer to tasty wines and frozen pizza to fresh, homemade food.  I found happiness in the kitchen, testing new recipes and cooking for two.  Now, back on the singles scene and living alone, I refuse to return to a life of convenience.  After one week in my studio apartment eating Lipton pasta sides for dinner and watching endless hours of HGTV and Bravo, I decided that I would still maintain “grown up” standards of living, despite being on my own.  I didn’t need a gourmet kitchen or fancy cookware to dictate how I would eat.  I didn’t need a dinner partner to make cooking a homemade dinner worthwhile.  Even on a significantly reduced budget, I have vowed to make it happen.  Perhaps most interesting of all was that I could now cook whatever my adventurous heart desired.  I got back into my small studio kitchen and haven’t settled for another canned soup dinner since.

My love for cooking focuses on fresh, low calorie food that is within the parameters of a single gal’s budget.  My love for baking, however, is based purely on chocolate cravings and satisfaction.

Random Facts you should know:

• My closet is organized by ROYGBIV.
• My karaoke song of choice is Something to Talk About by Bonnie Raitt
• I like to write with colored Sharpie pens because I think they make my handwriting pretty
• One of my favorite books is Wuthering Heights
• I am a sponge for knowledge in any form: TV, magazine, print, people.

About Amy

I’m a librarian, but I definitely and defiantly do not fit the typical librarian stereotype. I am extroverted, which is quite rare for librarians. I’m ENTJ (this is what the CIA seeks for future agents). I love to read, but I embrace information more than I embrace literature. With that being said, I do read at least one book per week.

My BF and I have been dating since early 2005. After dating for a few years, we moved in together. Life happens. I was offered a great job at a university library that was one hour and forty minutes away. I packed up and moved in August of 2009.

Cooking for one is VERY different from cooking for two. Living alone is VERY different from living with a BF. It can be really lonely, but it has also been a time of growth and personal development.

The turning point was when I discovered my kitchen. My kitchen is truly my sanctuary. It is my zone to explore. Luckily, I have a support network of friends and family who answer my pestering questions about cooking. It can be really frustrating to not have someone to ask “is this too spicy?” or “does this need more salt?”

I was raised in rural Wisconsin with a mom, dad, and sister. With the exception of when we were attending sporting events, almost every meal was homemade goodness with fresh ingredients. My mom has always been adventurous with trying recipes. It is unfortunate that we live so far away from each other because I would love an in-person mentor to teach me how to can tomatoes, etc. Sigh..

I dye my hair a lot. It will probably fall out soon. See photos.

Just in case you were concerned about my social life, here is a photo of me singing karaoke. I love singing Cher and Annie Lennox songs.