About Mary
I’m Mary, and welcome to my kitchen
I am a mom, a home cook, and the person my family looks at around five o’clock every evening wondering what is for dinner.
I did not grow up as a natural in the kitchen. For a long time my cooking was a rotation of the same three meals and a lot of takeout. When my kids got older and our evenings got busier, I decided to really learn. I started with the classics, a good pot of chili, a pan of lasagna, a simple roast chicken, and I cooked them over and over until they were reliable. Mary’s Moments grew out of those notes.
What you will find here
This site is full of the recipes that earned a permanent spot in my house. Cozy soups and stews for cold nights, casseroles that feed a crowd, slow cooker dinners you can start in the morning, and plenty of seasonal baking, from apple crisp in the fall to Christmas cookies in December.
I also put together roundups of my favorite recipes by theme, so you can plan a week of dinners or a whole holiday menu in one place. And yes, Christmas is my favorite season of all, Santa hat included.
How I write my recipes
- Ordinary ingredients. Everything comes from a regular grocery store. If a recipe needs something special, I tell you what to swap in.
- Clear steps. I write the steps the way I would explain them to a friend standing next to me, with the times, temperatures and visual cues that tell you when something is done.
- Real life timing. I list honest prep and total times and point out what you can make ahead.
- Food safety. I include safe internal temperatures for meat and poultry, because a thermometer is the easiest way to get it right every time.
Meet Pickles
No kitchen of mine would be complete without Pickles, my shih tzu and official kitchen supervisor. She never misses a chance to sit at my feet while I chop, just in case a piece of cheese falls her way, and she has opinions about every single walk.
She also has a wardrobe that is honestly nicer than mine. If a bow is involved, she is happy.
Say hello
I love hearing what you cooked and how it turned out. You can reach me any time at hello@marysmoments.com. Thank you for cooking with me.