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    Home

    About

    Hi, Welcome to Midwestern HomeLife!

    I’m Cara, the author, recipe developer, photographer, and dishwasher extraordinaire at Midwestern HomeLife.

    I live in central Minnesota with my husband and golden retriever. And when I’m not cooking or writing about food, you’ll find me hiking the trails around our beautiful lakes and golf courses, reading, or indulging in my ultimate guilty pleasure: watching Hallmark movies. 

    Cara with husband and dog sitting in front of a gray couch.

    Midwestern HomeLife is where I share easy, approachable recipes with simple ingredients you can find in almost any grocery store. 

    Every recipe has been tested and tasted (and tasted and tasted!) and includes all my tips and tricks to help you create it perfectly at home. 

    About Midwestern HomeLife

    I started Midwestern HomeLife when I transitioned from a 20+ year career in the hospitality industry to freelance writing. 

    It was created to be my own little place to practice writing about whatever I wanted. As I built up my business writing about other people’s passions, I realized I only wanted to write about my own: FOOD. 

    You see, I’ve been creating my own recipes for years and have been told many times I should write a cookbook (someday!) or open a restaurant (hard no). I read cookbooks like novels and have thrown parties just so I could cook for them.  

    The recipes you’ll find at Midwestern HomeLife are influenced by how I grew up, my love of cooking, and YOU — what you’re looking for. 

    My Background 

    I grew up in a small town in northern Minnesota with a busy mom who often relied on cans and boxes to create delicious family dinners. 

    Weekends and holidays were often spent at large family potlucks and church gatherings with banquet tables lined with heaping bowls of savory and sweet salads, CrockPots of homemade hotdishes (that’s casserole for you non-Minnesotans), and 9 x 13 pans of delicious bars and gooey desserts. 

    And my grandparents’ platters of homemade holiday goodies shaped what Christmas tastes like to me. 

    As a result, I tailor my recipes to ingredients my family and friends back home can easily find in their grocery store. And I find great inspiration (and comfort) from my collection of hometown community cookbooks with tried-and-true recipes from my aunts, neighbors, friends’ moms, and the people I just know because I grew up there. 

    My Recipes

    At Midwestern HomeLife, you’ll find fast and easy dinner recipes, decadent desserts, potluck dishes, holiday sides and goodies, and so much more. 

    They’re usually something I dreamt up (is it weird that I fall asleep thinking about recipes?), inspired by a classic favorite, or straight from a family recipe box. And sometimes, I share my experience making a popular recipe so you can easily recreate it at home. 

    I believe you can make delicious food regardless of the amount of time, money, or energy you have. So I sometimes use time-saving (yet oft-ostracized) ingredients like boxed cake mix, condensed soup, and Cool Whip (gasp!).

    I also make scratch recipes with fresh ingredients.  

    Cara standing at the kitchen counter cutting strawberries.

    Your Recipes

    As much time as I spend cooking in the kitchen, I probably spend 10x more at my computer researching the types of recipes you are looking for. 

    I choose the recipes I share on the blog by analyzing recipe and ingredient trends, seasonality, popular and unusual flavor combinations, and nostalgic classics. 

    My goal is to create recipes you will turn to again and again for weeknight dinners, weekend entertaining, holidays, game day, and more. 

    And if you follow me on Facebook, I’ll probably ask you at some point what you like to eat or what you made for dinner that night. It’s not just because I’m being nosy (okay, maybe a little), but I am genuinely interested so I can make more of what you like.  

    Because even though this is my “About Me” page, Midwestern HomeLife is really About You. 

    Featured In

    Midwestern HomeLife recipes have been featured on Fox News, Cosmopolitan, Parade, EatThis, NotThat, Eater, and more. 

    Get in Touch

    I'd love to hear from you! Whether you have a question or just want to connect, don't hesitate to reach out at cara@caralanz(dot)com and let's chat.

    Thank you for being here.

    Drive safe and watch for deer,

    Cara

    My Most Popular Recipes

    • side view of piece of strawberry pie topped with whipped cream and a strawberry
      No Bake Strawberry Pie with Jello
    • ground beef vegetable soup recipe in a white bowl
      Easy Ground Beef Vegetable Soup
    • Million Dollar Bars
    • pot roast with onion soup mix, potatoes, and carrots on a white platter
      Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Cara!

    I love sharing easy, delicious everyday recipes from the heartland.

    Whether you're looking for a fast and easy dinner recipe, something yummy for a potluck or holiday gathering, or just a little inspiration, I hope you'll find something you love here.

    Dig in!

    More about me →

    Tasty Christmas Treats

    • squares of no bake peanut butter fudge on parchment paper
      Peanut Butter Fudge (No Bake)
    • Chocolate Peanut Brittle
      Chocolate Peanut Brittle (Easy Microwave Recipe)
    • Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Balls
      Fast & Easy Rice Krispie Peanut Butter Balls
    • brown sugar candied walnuts in a white bowl on a surrounded by walnuts on a white countertop
      Brown Sugar Candied Walnuts

    Delicious Christmas Desserts

    • piece of mint chocolate cake on a white plate
      Easy Mint Chocolate Cake (Grasshopper Cake)
    • collage of Hershey's Kiss Christmas cookies
      25 Hershey Kisses Cookie Recipes for Christmas
    • *EASY* Heaven on Earth Cake
    • Million Dollar Bars

    Holiday Appetizers

    • corn dip with cream cheese topped with corn, green onions, and jalapenos, and hot sauce in a white bowl
      Easy Corn Dip with Cream Cheese (Hot or Cold)
    • lil smokies with grape jelly and bbq sauce in a white bowl
      Crockpot Little Smokies with Grape Jelly & BBQ Sauce
    • collage of tortilla pinwheel recipes
      The 25 *BEST* Tortilla Pinwheel Recipes
    • taco ring covered in toppings with guacamole in the center on a wooden cutting board
      Easy Taco Ring Recipe (with Video)

    Christmas Sides & Salads

    • taffy apple salad in a white bowl
      Taffy Apple Salad
    • white plate with a serving of Paula Deen sweet potato casserole next to white casserole dish
      Paula Deen Sweet Potato Casserole (EASY!)
    • One Pan Macaroni and Cheese with Bread Crumbs
    • Paula Deen Corn Casserole in a white casserole dish next to a plate of one serving of corn casserole
      Paula Deen Corn Casserole

    Christmas Dinner Recipes

    • pot roast with onion soup mix, potatoes, and carrots on a white platter
      Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix
    • glazed roaster oven ham on a white platter
      How to Cook a Ham in a Roaster
    • two half racks of ribs on white parchment paper on a wooden cutting board next to a knife
      Dr. Pepper Crock Pot Ribs
    • baked pork chops with cream of mushroom soup on a white plate with green beans
      Baked Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy

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