About

Welcome to Nourish and Fete! I’m Monica, the founder, recipe writer, and photographer here. This website is my collection of fresh, fast, everyday recipes tailored for home cooks and busy families.

I’m a modern mom, busy and sometimes overwhelmed. Even though I love to cook and bake, sometimes the daily grind just doesn’t leave a lot of inspiration or energy for making dinner — let alone breakfast, lunch, or treats.

That’s where quality recipes come in.

I truly believe home cooking can be easy and rewarding, despite or even because of the crazy pace of modern life. And I know the value of recipes that help you eat well and feed your loved ones with ease. Recipes that are: 

• Un-fussy
• Quick
• Approachable, with familiar ingredients and techniques
• Delicious!

Those are the kinds of recipes I love to write and share, and I sincerely hope what you find here at Nourish and Fete becomes a resource and inspiration to help you eat well and celebrate the everyday.

More about me

I’m a former diplomat and government analyst who began blogging as a hobby in 2016. 

Born and raised near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I currently live outside of Washington, DC, with my husband, two young children, and our sweet dog, Cookie. My youngest child was just born in late 2020, so she’s shown in utero here!

My two grown step-children live nearby and are pescetarians, explaining the growing collection of plant-based and seafood recipes you’ll find here. 

Together, we make a small but mighty fleet of taste-testers, and you can often find me sharing trial recipes with friends and extended family, as well!

I am not a highly-trained or professional chef! I’m a home cook, just like most of my readers, who enjoys learning through research, trial, and error, and sharing what I know with others.

Food photography

Along the way, I also grew to love food photography and learning how to make everyday meals look as good as they taste. I take all the food photos you see on the site.

I do a bit of freelance photography, so if that interests you, reach out to me via email at monica [@] nourish-and-fete [dot] com or via direct message on Instagram.

More

What next? I’m so glad you asked! Subscribe to our email newsletter to be inbox buddies, follow on Instagram for recipe inspiration and casual snippets of life, or follow on Facebook or Pinterest for straightforward recipe updates.

Above all, I’m so glad you’re here!

All photos taken by the talented Kate Walker of Hudson Street Family Photo.