Kelsey, author of Dance Around The Kitchen, sitting on kitchen counter smiling.

Meet Kelsey

Welcome to Dance Around the Kitchen!  I’m Kelsey – wife, mother, and BFF’s with my KitchenAid mixer.  When I’m not chasing around my two kiddos, running with my 3 ½-legged pup, or challenging my hubby in Chinese Checkers, you can bet I’ll be cooking, baking or dancing in the kitchen! 

I’m Kelsey – wife, mother, and BFF’s with my KitchenAid mixer.  When I’m not chasing around my four active kiddos, out for a run, or catching up on the latest Netflix documentary, you can bet I’ll be cooking, baking or dancing in the kitchen! 

Growing up, if I wasn’t at the dance studio or out on the farm, I was in the kitchen.  My siblings and I would line up on chairs taking turns adding ingredients to the cookie dough and argue over who got to be the egg-cracker.  When I first heard about food science being a college degree, I knew exactly what I wanted to major in.  

I went to Iowa State for food science and eventually got my master’s at Kansas State.  Being a food scientist, I always felt like I was trying to solve a mystery (it’s like being part of the CSI, but way more tasty)! I love the challenge of having to figure out why bread didn’t rise properly, why the egg whites won’t form stiff peaks, and why the pie is so salty (that one wasn’t much science though….just salt & sugar in the incorrect canisters!)

Combining my love for food and family is a pretty easy calculation.  Almost all family gatherings include food…..after all, a party without cake is just a meeting right?? While you’re here, you’ll find recipes that are family-friendly and made with easy-to-find ingredients (this is important when you live on a farm in the middle of nowhere, ha!) 

I hope you find a quick & easy one-pot wonder that your kids will rave about.  Or a dessert that’ll be requested over and over again at family gatherings.  Or a new cookie recipe that’ll have your kids fighting over which one gets to lick the beaters!  Food brings people together and I’m honored to be a small part of that.  Welcome to my little corner of the Internet!

My everything!! Husband Zach (holding Briar) and my three girls Bella, McKinley and Marlee (in my arms).

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most popular recipe on DATK?

Chocolate Cobbler has been the most popular recipe for awhile!! However, recently my Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars have brought some serious competition!

Why did you start Dance Around the Kitchen?

When my husband and I got married, we were living in the Des Moines metro area where there were numerous opportunities for food scientists. However, moving to the farm in small town Iowa, the job opportunities in my field were…..none. So I decided to start the blog in hopes it would take off!

What’s your favorite thing to bake?

I’m not sure I can pick one favorite!!! However, kolaches, cinnamon rolls and apple pie would all be near the top of the list!

What recipe do you make for your family most often?

We make a variety of the one-pot pasta dishes all the time! My two favorites are Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta and Easy Taco Pasta Skillet.

Talking to the judges of the Food Network show I competed on.

10 Fun Facts About Me!

  1. My brother introduced me to my (now) husband at a bar in college.
  2. I was on a Food Network show in 2022 (Big Bad Budget Battle) hosted by Ree Drummond.
  3. My parents AND in-laws are both Kevin and Linda.
  4. Our family lives on a pig, corn and soybean farm.
  5. I love country music, LOVE it!
  6. My favorite food has always been ice cream.
  7. My first job was at an ice cream shop… no surprise, huh?!
  8. Our son was named after a rodeo cowboy.
  9. I was once so excited to practice a tap routine in the garage that I backed the car out before the garage door was up.
  10. I always said I didn’t want to run my own business so I could just work from 8-5, go home and forget about work.  Well, here we are… running my own business, raising babies and loving every minute of it!! <3

Get In Touch

It’s always great to hear from those who visit Dance Around the Kitchen! Whether you’ve got a recipe question or want to connect about a potential partnership, you can send an email directly to me below!