Why I Started Mighty Mrs.

I built Mighty Mrs. to be a reliable resource for easy recipes. As a busy mom, I wanted to be able to make homemade, less-processed foods but don't necessarily have time to be cooking all day. We're busy with work, school and sports. I think a lot of you can relate to how busy this season of life can be!

I strive to make my recipes flexible, with options to use store-bought ingredients and simple shortcuts.

I also make my recipes as simple as possible, with minimal ingredients and I try to simplify prep methods as well, wherever possible.

I want you to be able to save time so cooking can be fun and easy.

Many Hands

I started Mighty Mrs. in 2009, developing recipes and taking all the photos myself. Over the years, I've been fortunate to work with talented cooks, recipe developers, food stylists, photographers, and videographers who have helped bring fresh ideas and beautiful content to the site.

You may notice different hands throughout the photos on my website. Those hands belong to the many creative people who have shared their skills and passion for food along the way.

It means a lot to know that Mighty Mrs. has helped support not only my family, but also other creative professionals. Every recipe is available free of charge thanks to advertising, sponsors, and affiliate partnerships, so by visiting and trying these recipes, you're supporting a whole community of people who love sharing good food with others.

Staying Connected

I have an excellent marketing team who helps me put recipes on Pinterest so you can save them for when you're ready to cook something new.

Follow me on Pinterest! I post new, seasonally-relevant pins every day!

You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook.

Mighty Mrs. is on TikTok and YouTube, too.

I'm also on Instagram Stories sharing some behind-the-scenes of family life. Follow along to see what we're up to today!

My Story

Here's my personal story. This is how and why I got started and what keeps me going.

I believe in the power of family dinners.

After I got married I realized my chips-and-salsa-for-dinner days were numbered. I figured I better learn to cook a proper meal if I wanted to stay healthy and start a healthy family. It was a struggle to learn to cook. There were a lot of burnt things, terrible flavor combinations and stressful after-work situations.

But I'm glad I put in that time to learn because now, 15 years later, our family of four five (we added a third kid to the mix in 2021 when I was 40!) comes together around a healthy and balanced meal I proudly put on the table. I still do have chips and salsa for dinner though on occasion!

I cook to keep myself and my family healthy and happy... and because it's fun!

My mom only ever had healthy food around the house. So I've adopted that practice as well, and I try to avoid buying ingredients or packaged foods that contain a lot of sugar, fat or preservatives. Of course we indulge every now and then and we still eat fast food when we're in a hurry but we try to eat homemade as much as possible in order to cut out processed foods and all those weird ingredients.

Cooking is also a creative outlet for me so I really do enjoy the process from start to finish including photographing my recipes. (More on that below) I also look fun cookware! Check out my favorite kitchen tools in my shop.

I love food photography.

Over the course of nearly a decade now, I have made and photographed many of the recipes you'll find here. I enjoy the creative process of cooking as well as capturing pictures of my recipes.

I want the experience of visiting my website to feel like flipping through the pages of a magazine, inspiring you to create something delicious and satisfying!

If you're into food photography yourself, read more about how I photograph my recipes.

How I became a work-at-home mom.

So, here's my story in a nutshell: As far back as I can remember, I dreamt of running my own business. I got my degree because that's what you're "supposed" to do, I got a "good job" with a Fortune 500 company, got promoted, got married, bought a house, fixed it up, was living the dream... and then the company closed and the housing market tanked—when I was 8 months pregnant. Luckily we were able to pack up and move north and I found a new job exactly four days before my daughter was born.

Two years later, we welcomed my son to the world and I became the epitome of the "working mom." I quickly became burned out. We were away from home 12 hours a day. It was hard on everyone and I knew we needed a change. I left my job and took another job that offered better vacation options thinking that would allow me more time to de-stress and be available for my family. It was a "good job" in health care, the team was great, and I was starting to enjoy life again when I got called down to HR one day and was let go as a part of a corporate merger.

That was when I realized, it was time to pursue my dream of entrepreneurship. Luckily I had been working on this blog and my photography skills, and had some contacts I reached out to who offered me some freelance gigs. I was able to stitch together a full time income and have been on my own ever since.

My background is in graphic design.

I've worked in the advertising industry for more than 20 years now, producing graphics and other communications for all different industries.

I use these graphic design skills to create printables to make household management easier. Check out my Printables Shop for meal planning tools, a chore chart, holiday meal planners, a printable cooking camp for kids, and more.

Being a Woman, Specifically a Mom, in Business

Not going to sugar coat it. It's hard. I personally feel that I'm wired to want to nurture my family in the traditional sense by being present to kiss boo-boos, help with school projects, make meals, organize a full calendar of activities, shop for necessities, cook, clean — basically the majority of the day-to-day household management.

I'm also fully capable of maintaining a career and some semblance of a social life. But, it can all feel like so much at times and some days I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.

Other days though, I feel like a freaking super hero! Ultimately, it's all about establishing priorities, living out your commitment to those priorities and being okay with letting go of the things at the bottom of your list.

You can hear more about my thoughts on being a woman in business by listening to these interviews:

• Square One Show interview
• Learn Grow Earn podcast interview
• Women Really Mean Business interview
• CanvasRebel: Meet Angela Gast

How I "do it all"

I don't, actually. I turn down a lot of social invitations, side jobs, and my hair is usually a mess. I try to fill in my schedule based on my priorities. I've learned if want to be a good mom, raise a strong family and also have a career, you have to be selective about what you do and the people who you surround yourself with. It's a lot of game-time decision making that gets easier the more you say no. (but yep, it's a juggle)

For me, it takes faith to take the path less traveled.

The hardest but best part about the journey of entrepreneurship is the amount of faith that's required. I used to be a "realist" until I realized reality is whatever you can dream up and make happen.

You do have the power to change your own life and make it what you want. It happens slowly over time. With small risks and a lot of failure and some wins that keep you going.

Ever thought of owning your own business?

I love the flexibility of owning my own business. With two three kids and a husband who are involved in a lot of community activities, being able to take time to be present for them, and then work at night or early in the morning if I need to, is invaluable. My best piece of advice for you if you've been considering starting a business is don't wait. Start NOW because good things take time.

If starting a business is something you've dreamed about or you find yourself wondering how people manage to work from home then I'd recommend you start researching how to make it happen and go for it!

Follow Along

Let's keep in touch!

My goal is to inspire you with meal planning, home management, entrepreneurship, and just share anything that's helped me along the way.

Sign up for my emails to get seasonal recipe ideas, and help with meal planning including my free printable meal planner.

Want to get in touch for partnership opportunities? Contact me here.

Shop

Check out my Favorite Things Shop to browse seasonal Amazon finds for kitchen organization, home decor and more.

I put out four printable cookbooks — one for each season to keep you inspired all year round. Use the seasonal cookbook to get ideas, or choose from more than 200 dinner ideas to plan your week.

Thanks for stopping by! Come back often to see what's new!