Greetings! I’m Alison (Keeports) in case you are interested . . . a little bit about myself and my family. My husband and I grew up in York Co., Pennsylvania, in a rural area not far from the Maryland border. I went to the Kent school and Sweet Briar College. After college, I lived in Chicago, IL, Baltimore, MD and Boca Raton, FL. We now reside in Tucson, AZ with our three teens and little doggie, Tucker. I am passionate about cooking, drawing/water coloring, reading, making jewelry and tennis.
entered around the Pennsylvania Deutch (German) style of cooking- when in doubt, add a touch of sugar and vinegar. A little bacon here and there and some dough balls of some sort rounds out the meal. It sounds like I am mocking it, but I am in hog heaven when I return for the summers. Throw in some Old Bay seasoning and Maryland blue crabs from across the border, the Mason-Dixon line that is, and life couldn’t get any better.
I am not a trained chef, but I cook – a lot. Over the years, I have been able to curate a bunch of recipes that are not so complicated but super delicious. They span many different cultures and cuisines and for the most part can be made in under an hour. I am always thinking about how to streamline a meal without compromising taste. In my recipes, I share my short-cuts and the sometimes more affordable, longer option. Something else that I promise to do with my posts is to teach you how to break down a meal to make sure that all of the recipes finish at the same time. Also, how to effortlessly (at least to the guests) entertain a group of people and still have fun yourself.
Along with great recipes, I will try to post creative party ideas and celebratory occasions. Any reason to celebrate life is an opportunity to create a joyful memory. I still remember countless times that I would be visiting my sister and her husband would come home and say, “Hey, Connie. I ran into so-and-so and invited them over for a boat ride this afternoon.” My sister would respond with “call them up and ask them to stay for dinner…..and we should call x, y, z!” It was never a problem, because early on I figured out that the food is not why they are coming to your home. Yes, it needs to be delicious, but people come to see you and celebrate your friendship!
And with that, I welcome you to the Keeports Diaries!