About Kelly

My Cooking Style

I'm a pretty uncomplicated cook, but my cooking style encompasses the fresh ingredients and flavors of California where I was born, the US Southern cuisines where I have lived most of my adult life, as well as eclectic influences from the Mediterranean, Asia, & Indian cuisines as well.

I currently live in the Pacific Northwest area of Washington State, but I've lived abroad in the Philippines and Korea as well.

While living at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, my family hosted an officer from the Indian Army, who taught me the bare-bones-basics of Indian cooking, using the amazing array of spices he found in my spice warehouse. He was in heaven!

I also enjoy reworking complicated recipes so that they are streamlined and much easier recipes to make, as well as more waistline friendly.

How I Got Here

My mother, the co-creator and food blogger at Savor the Best, was one of my biggest influences on cooking while growing up. I was her sous chef until 17.

Mom used to get an international cookbook subscription. Each month, my siblings and I waited for the new book to arrive. We drooled over the sparse photos, reading the recipes, and giving input on the proposed menu selection she would cook for us. It was exciting!

Once, when we were living in the Philippines, she made a “McDonald’s Menu” for us, as the fast-food chain was still new and unavailable overseas. She had obtained real McDonald's paper goods to make it 'authentic' also! Our Big Mac Sauce recipe is pretty spot on too!

My family lived at Subic Bay, Philippines for several years, and it was our housekeeper Natty who taught me how to prepare many easy and delicious Filipino recipes like our Traditional Pork Lumpia, and Ube Leche Flan.

Military Duty

After leaving home I joined the US Army and was an Intelligence Analyst. My first duty station was 18 months in Seoul, Korea. I loved it there; the food, the markets, the smells. There was an outdoor market right around the corner from my apartment that was a treasure trove of new tastes and foods to experiment with!

There was also a Korean grocery store that was always an adventure! I shopped by the photos on the packages, as well as aisle placement. I brought home some interesting surprises! That’s how I discovered Yaki Mandu, as they look like pot stickers! I also fell in love with Korean 'Sushi' Rolls, or Kimbap.

When I started my family, I switched from Active Duty to Reservist, and went back to college to complete a Science Education degree. By the time my older children were in their teens I had a fifth baby and decided to be a stay-at-home-mom.  

During this stay-at-home period, I created a spice, herb, and tea distribution business. I taught classes on how to use herbs and spices in cooking and crafts, and participated in food shows for marketing my spices and teas. You'll find many of my spice blends in my Seasonings category.

Smells Like Delish is excited to share many of my delicious, easy recipes and tips. I'll be sharing usage information about spices and herbs, cooking short cuts, and even links to equipment or supplies that I have used, love, and vouch for.

You will also find unique recipes that I've made, tested, and fed to my own family.