Welcome!

My name is Shannon and I love to eat. That’s most of what you need to know about me.

Another thing I love is sharing things I am passionate about with other people. That’s where this blog comes in.

Many who know me personally know that food is what brings me joy – cooking it, eating it, sharing it with others. What you might not know is that I struggle with a variety of gastrointestinal disorders. Cooking has been a way that I make peace with these disorders. The last 15 years have been a unique journey, tumultuous at times. Only in the past 5 or so years have I really started to get comfortable in the kitchen. Cooking has positively impacted my life in an unbelievable way. I’m writing this blog to share more about that with you, and hopefully inspire any others out there who suffer to find hope in the kitchen.

True story: I wrote my college admissions essay on why I am just like a taco.

It has taken me many years to figure out what types of food are best for my gut and my overall health. This continues to evolve as I read, learn, and experiment more in the kitchen. And, I’m not the only one in my household with dietary restrictions. My wonderful husband is a vegetarian, so my cooking journey has also taken me down that path. I love the challenge of customizing a recipe for both vegetarians and meat eaters to enjoy together.

My blog links to dozens of authors who have developed and published extraordinary recipes that I have had the pleasure of cooking. And, some of my originals are thrown in here, too.

Mexican food is my all-time favorite. I eat it at least twice a week!

My culinary journey began several years ago and has evolved into a hobby that brings me incredible joy and satisfaction – not to mention it has tremendously changed the way I physically feel. I hope that this blog serves as a way to share that joy with the rest of the world. Think outside the bun!

My Sous Chefs

Meet Halle, the original taco cat! We adopted Halle from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington in 2015.
Rufus stole our hearts two years later when we adopted him from the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation in 2017.
The two can often be found snuggling in bed together, but they also love helping me in the kitchen!

Why Taco Cat?

Did you know that TACOCAT is TACOCAT spelled backwards? This is my favorite fact in the entire universe because I deeply love tacos as well as cats. I am a teacher and tell my kids this fact every year – the look on their faces when they realize how dang cool that is is always priceless.

Few things bring me more joy than taco cat drawings from my students. Thanks to the student who drew this for me a few years ago – it’s now my first blog logo!
One of the most important lessons, right? 😹
Taco forest with a fire sauce waterfall and taco cat roaming around? These kids know the way to my heart ❤️
I also love playing ultimate frisbee and enjoy sharing this interest with my students!

Follow My Blog

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.