Meet The Brunette Foodie

Welcome to The Brunette Foodie!

My name is Stephanie, and I’m 26 years old, married to my college sweetheart {Nathan}, and we’re expecting our first child in June 2010 {Samuel William}.  I just finished my MBA in Finance which is an odd choice for someone who has a BA in English Literature.  We live in Atlanta, Georgia, but neither of us is from the South.  I’m from Eastern Pennsylvania, and Nathan is from the Cleveland, Ohio area.

I started The Brunette Foodie at the urging of my friend Kate who kept emailing me for recipes.  One day she said, “You should just post them online,” and the blog was born.  I have a lot of fun sharing what is coming from my kitchen, and I love finding new recipes even more!  If I had the time, I would spend hours each weekend pouring over cookbooks coming up with the perfect menus.

I didn’t always love to cook.  When I was younger, there was a running joke that I could {and did} burn water.  My parents are both amazing cooks, but I was convinced I hadn’t inherited that gene.  Through college, I never had to cook for myself.  I lived at home with my parents until I graduated high school, and then I headed to Ohio for 4 years of college.  The first two years I lived in the dorms, and I ate in the cafeteria.  My last two years, I lived in a sorority house complete with a House Mom who made all of our meals.

When I graduated college, I quickly realized I had to do something.  I couldn’t live off of Chick-fil-A, boxed pasta, and cereal forever.  Little by little I started trying new things.  By the time Nathan and I got married in July 2008, I was a full blown kitchen lover.  I was doing some menu planning, soaking up new recipes and foods, and becoming more daring with what I was willing to make.

Since May 2006 when I moved to Atlanta, I’ve grown tremendously in the kitchen.  Armed with fancy cooking appliances and a small library of cookbooks {plus the Internet}, I cook almost every single day.  The kitchen has become my little haven of calm on hectic days.  Menu planning has become an obsession, and I spend hours putting together menus and grocery lists.  I pour over clips online of various cooking shows {we don’t have cable} learning new techniques and ideas.

Most of my recipes are relatively healthy.  I’m an avid competitive runner {and have been since I was 14!}, and I love to hike.  Being healthy is an important part of my life.  However, you won’t find any recipes with foods from the health food store here.  I firmly believe you can be healthy without breaking the bank.  Of course, everyone loves a good cookie now and again…myself definitely included.

I’m a member of the Junior League of Atlanta, teach Sunday School at my Catholic Church, and am an alumnae of Sigma Kappa Sorority.  I dream of being the next Martha Stewart, teaching my soon-to-arrive son manners & etiquette, and one day traveling to Antarctica.  I love to send handwritten notes and pointless text messages.  I don’t like spicy foods, Atlanta traffic, or snow.

Feel free to contact me at thebrunettefoodie@gmail.com.