a periodic table is, in every sense of the word, me. I’m Shannon, and I had a very respectable job in graphic design and marketing, and left it the minute, if not the second, I saw my baby’s face. No one was expecting me to do that, least of all me. I now have the distinct honor of staying at home with my daughter, and in between epic sheet forts and floor puzzles, I run this blog. I bake, I cook, I make mistakes, and I write about it.
I started teaching myself to cook (like really cook, as in, not baked chicken on tin foil) a few years ago, and after lots of tears and ruined dishes, I discovered something; I enjoyed it. A lot. And I enjoyed it most often when I had a source – either a cookbook, or blogger, or writer – who really broke it down to where I could experience what they were experiencing, and not some inferior version of it. This blog is my “thank you” to those who taught me to cook with their words; I attempt, to varying degrees of success, to break down my issues with recipes and correct them to take the guesswork (and hopefully the frustration) out of it.
I live in the midwest; Saint Louis, Missouri, if you want to get specific about it. The best part of that? It allows me to fully experience actual seasons, and all that entails in terms of produce and seasonal cooking. The recipes in this blog will hopefully evoke the feeling of whatever season we’re currently in. I try to use fresh, local ingredients whenever possible, and thankfully we have quite a bit to choose from around here. Between our farmers’ markets and fantastic local grocery stores, I usually don’t have to look far to find what I need.
I should mention that I’m not, nor would I ever claim to be, a professional anything. I am neither a professional photographer nor am I a professional chef. I’ve loved photography as a hobby since high school, and I realized early on that it’s easiest to photograph things which do not move. Food doesn’t move. As for the cooking credentials, the closest I ever came to working in the food service industry was a part-time gig at a restaurant where I was the weekend baker. They were not lucky to have me.
This is a blog truly based around what I feel like eating, what my family and friends want to eat, and what moves me at the current moment. With any luck, it will move you too. I’m not one for finicky recipes, but I am one for challenging myself to try new things. I don’t think cooking should be a source of anxiety, and I try not to get too disappointed when I make a mess of something. I have learned that food disasters are what takeout is for. Cooking did not come easy to me initially; I suspect this is true for many people. My goal is to make cooking less stressful and more fun. 
22 Comments
Hello and thank you thank you for your beautiful page! The recipes are keepers and the pictures are unbelievable. Your daughter has a great mom and wil be talented for sure in someway when she is older…Sighh..my 26 year old son brought in his art from college…he is sol talented.
Anyways, I will visit you often! Merry Christmas!
Brigid, thank you so much for your kind words! It’s always nice to hear when someone likes my little fledgling blog as much as I like working on it. It’s something I’ve found is a great way to include my little girl in something I love to do and that we can do together, which is such a nice way to spend our days. I imagine someday (probably before I’m ready) she will be 26 years old too, so we try to spend as much time as we can together. It’s truly a blessing to be able to enjoy your children’s gifts, at all ages.
Best to you and your son during this holiday season, and thank you for visiting!
Hey there! I just found you from movita beaucoup, and I am so very thrilled that I did! I, too, am a former corporate-worlder who was in Manhattan and recently moved to Alabama for a slower pace (and a guy). I started a humor and cooking blog 5-6 months ago and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. Seriously. It’s so rewarding.
I just read your post about cereal milk pies. I love cereal milk, and used to get it at Momofuku milk bar in New York. Long before that, when I was a kid, one of my favorite things was Golden Grahams in vanilla ice cream.
Congratulations on being a new momma!
All the best to you,
Katherine
hi! i should say up front that because of seeing your website on movita’s blogroll, i’ve browsed several times and i love it! I need to “make it official,” as it were, and subscribe. You and i began our blogs at around the same time, then…i’m celebrating about 6 months of active posts now, and i feel exactly how you do; it’s quickly become such a big, fun part of my life and i absolutely love the time i spend doing it. I never factored in actually meeting people and making friends, but it’s such a nice side effect. it is extremely rewarding, and i feel like i learn new things every day.
so jealous of your time spent in NY! at some point i need to plan a trip and go visit what seems to be my mecca this year. 🙂 alabama must be quite the change, but it certainly sounds like you enjoy it. wow, and golden grahams and vanilla ice cream? yum. golden grahams is one of my favorite cereals (total comfort food) and it never occurred to me to use it as a topping…i’m so trying that.
thanks for writing! it’s nice to meet you. movita = blog matchmaker. 🙂
best to you also, and i look forward to reading more of your blog,
shannon
I die over those measuring cups. Die.
I am loving the page, the pics, and your ridiculously adorable baby.
ohhh, i die over those measuring cups too; one of my most-used kitchen items, for sure. you’re so sweet to say that! this totally reminds me i need to update my “about me” page; time goes by fast and that baby is six months older (and still, in my opinion, ridiculously adorable).
Hi! My name is Sara and I have a blog called Stalk My Kitchen. I nominated your outstanding blog for the One Lovely Blog Award!
http://stalkmykitchen.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/one-lovely-blog-award/
hi, Sara! thank you so much for the award!! i love your blog (and am perfectly happy to stalk your kitchen). 🙂 you’re too sweet.
I just found your blog and I love it! I feel kinship whenever I find another geek baker.and your recipes look amazing.
hi melanie! it’s so nice to meet you; i also feel a kinship when i find bakers with the same geek tendencies as i have. i am super nosy, so i poked around at your blog for a few minutes just now. i saw upon first glance that you 1. entered baked goods in a state fair (a goal of mine for next year), 2. compared chocolate and yellow cakes numerically (whoa), and 3. just purchased the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook (a favorite of mine). in short, you are awesome and we are going to be great blog friends, i think. i haven’t made that crack pie yet, by the way: it’s on the to-do list. i think i may do the bagel bombs soon.
Milk Bar was just borrowed, but it’s on my wish list. The crack pie was so good I ate all of the leftovers in one night. I want to do the corn cookies soon.
i must try the crack pie now. it’s been forever since i made a milk bar recipe, so that may be on deck for the holidays. definitely i get my act together before december to make this. 🙂
I just stumbled upon your blog while looking for coconut macaroon inspiration. I love your posts and recipes…and that we had the same problem with the momofuku cookie recipe- thanks for doing the leg work on figuring out the oven troubles with the cornflake chocolate chip marshmallow cookie 🙂
Hi, Joanna; thank you so much! Those Momofuku cookies were a challenge (but a fun one) to figure out; I like hearing how others tackled the issues, because it does seem like people have had plenty of problems making them. I’ve made all the cookies in the book now, and I still say the cornflake/chocolate chip/marshmallow ones are the most difficult to get right.
and if you try those coconut macaroons, you will NOT be disappointed; promise. 🙂
Hi Shannon- I wanted to let you and your readers know about my new restaurant project Katie’s Pizza & Pasta. I have launched a kickstarter campaign to get the community involved in the opening of the restaurant. Below is a link to the page with a video, description of the project, menu and how you and the community can be involved! Hope you enjoy.
Cheers- Katie Lee
Kickstarter Link
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1575192975/katies-pizza-and-pasta
Hi, Katie! Thanks for the link! i’ll check it out.
Hi Shannon-
I really have enjoyed your blog. I think that it is great that you enjoy spending quality time with your daughter by cooking together. I am a first-time mom and have enjoyed cooking with my curious 2-year-old son! We love to make pizza together.
I am a local author of a new recipe adventure book series called Kitchen Club Kids and would like to find out if you would be willing to review my first book, End of the Rainbow Fruit Salad? If so, please let me know how I can get in touch with you to discuss the details.
Look forward to hearing back from you!
~Eluka Moore
Hi, Eluka! Cooking with little ones is so fun, right? Pizza is one of my wee one’s favorite things to make also; it’s nice when they feel like they helped make something, and they are always so proud of it, which is so cute. 🙂
I’d love to take a look at your book: please email me with details. The blog email is aperiodictable@yahoo.com. I look forward to talking with you.
Thank you for getting back to me, Shannon. I just sent you an email. Look forward to discussing the book.
Hi! Just found your blog looking around for buttermints, which I had never heard about before (don’t think buttermints exist in Swedwn…) . I loved the humor in that post!!! Feelt like it could be me home in my kitchen =) Will visit you again! /Emma
Hi Emma! It’s lovely to meet you, and so sorry for the extreme (!) tardiness of my reply: this got buried somehow in my old spam comments. Thanks so much! -Shannon
No problem! This was actually very good because it was a while a go I visited you, but now I got reminded of you again! Have a nice weekend!