Welcome to my kitchen!

Hi there! I’m Dana Whitmore, 38 years old, born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and now living just outside Denver with my husband, our two kids, and a golden retriever named Waffles. Life in our house is a whirlwind of carpools, homework help, Zoom meetings, and the occasional laundry mountain—but somehow, dinner still has to happen. That’s where my love of quick home recipes comes in.

I’ve always believed that home cooking shouldn’t be a luxury or a source of stress. It should be doable, delicious, and fit into real life. I’m talking 20-minute pasta dishes, slow cooker saves, five-ingredient miracles, honey mustard baked thighs, and one-pan creamy garlic chicken—fast, tasty, and totally doable with a toddler hanging on your leg.

I didn’t go to culinary school, but I did learn how to make a full meal while answering emails and wiping peanut butter off the walls. That counts for something, right?

My journey into fast and flavorful cooking started when I became a mom. Suddenly, gone were the leisurely Sunday afternoons of stirring risotto with a glass of wine in hand. In their place came the 5 p.m. fridge stare-downs, wondering what I could throw together before someone started snacking on cereal again. I started experimenting, testing, failing, and trying again until I built up a collection of go-to recipes that I could make on autopilot—but that still made me feel like I was feeding my family something nourishing.

What I love most is showing other women that you don’t need hours, fancy gadgets, or an alphabetized spice rack to make good food. You just need a plan, a few staples, and a little confidence. And if you mess it up? That’s okay, too. Some of my best meals started as happy accidents.

These days, I share my favorite quick recipes with other busy home cooks who want to save time without sacrificing flavor. Whether you’re juggling a career, chasing toddlers, or just plain tired, I hope my kitchen can offer you a little peace, a little joy, and a lot of inspiration.

So if you’ve got fifteen minutes and a frying pan, let’s make something wonderful together.