Welcome to Grits and Gouda!

Hi! I'm Kathleen. I'm a food stylist, recipe developer, cookbook author, and event planner loving life in a charming town called Gardendale, Alabama, with my husband and two teenage children. I love to cook and laugh...not necessarily in that order.

Why Grits and Gouda? I'm Southern with a pinch of gourmet and so are my recipes. I was born and raised near the Ozarks of Arkansas and have lived in Alabama most of my adult life so my roots run deep in traditional Southern food but I've also been a food professional for 28 years so I also lean toward the freshest ingredients and recipes that are trending on the current food scene. My favorite recipes are when those two worlds meet up in a recipe like Macaroni and Cheese made with lentil pasta, fontina and white cheddar cheese. It's Southern. It's trendy. It's gluten-free-bonus! For my strictly traditional readers, I'll make the suggestion on recipes like these to use the pasta they already have in their pantry.

My goal is to inspire you to cook with fresh, seasonal ingredients and encourage you along the way to share hospitality with others. I think it is important to be a good steward of my money so unless it's on the gourmet side or cooking for a special occasion, I'm watching the budget and will pass along money-saving tips and time-saving short cuts. Heads up-what's in season is also usually what's on sale.

Whatever is in season or fresh from my garden usually dictates what I make for dinner. Sometimes my recipes are simplified versions of  my mom's homemade cakes and confections that I remember enjoying as a child growing up in Evening Shade, Arkansas. Sometimes my recipes are more in the realm of "gourmet". What is gourmet? Non-native or trending - (My interpretation: Not from around here). High quality (Fresh off the cheese wagon). Presented with artistic flare (Full-on food styling skills).

If you like what you've read so far, find out more about me on the About page.