Hi there!

My name’s Maggie Rae Donovan, and I’m a 42-year-old home cook living just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. I’m not a classically trained chef. I never went to culinary school, and you won’t catch me quoting the greats from glossy cookbooks. But I’ve spent the last 25 years stirring, sizzling, baking, burning (yes, sometimes), and falling madly in love with food in my own little kitchen.

My cooking journey started like most Southern stories do, in my grandmother’s kitchen, where butter was measured with your heart and stories were passed down with every pot of collard greens. I remember being six years old, standing on a chair, watching her fold biscuit dough like it was some kind of magic trick. It stuck with me. Not just the biscuits, but the comfort, the warmth, the way food made people sit down and stay awhile.

Life took its turns. I became a nurse, raised two beautiful daughters, and moved more times than I can count. But one thing remained steady. I always cooked. When money was tight, I got creative. When we were celebrating, I went all out. I found joy in the daily act of feeding people, whether it was a pot of chili on a rainy Sunday or a full Thanksgiving spread with every dish made from scratch.

Some of my best recipes came out of "oops" moments. Adding too much lemon to a cream sauce turned into a bright new favorite. Forgetting to buy breadcrumbs once led me to crush up pretzels instead. My family still asks for “the crunchy chicken.” That’s the magic of home cooking. It’s forgiving. It invites play. It reminds us that perfection is never the point. Connection is.

Now, I spend a lot of time sharing what I’ve learned, on my blog, at local potlucks, and sometimes just by slipping a warm loaf of banana bread onto a neighbor’s porch. I love teaching other home cooks that you don’t need fancy tools or expensive ingredients to make something beautiful. What matters most is showing up, with a little time, a little heart, and maybe a little butter.

If you’re ever in my neck of the woods, don’t be surprised if you smell something simmering. The door’s always open, and I’ll probably ask you to taste-test whatever’s on the stove.

Because to me, cooking isn’t just about food. It’s about home.