About Us!

Hi, I’m Kate Sorensen — self-taught home cook, lifelong frugalista, and the person behind WhatToMakeWith.com.

I created this site for one simple reason: I wanted to make it easier to cook real food with what you already have. No last-minute grocery runs. No wasting those random pantry items. Just a straightforward way to turn what’s in your kitchen into something satisfying.

Cooking wasn’t always second nature to me. I grew up on humble, simple meals—toast and soup were staples. I didn’t learn to cook by following trends or attending culinary school. I learned by necessity, as a working mom trying to stretch a grocery budget and feed a family on a tight schedule. That journey—from “I can’t even boil pasta” to “here’s how I make three dinners from half a rotisserie chicken”—shaped everything about this site.

WhatToMakeWith.com reflects my love for practical, no-fuss cooking. You tell me what you’ve got—chicken thighs, black beans, maybe a forgotten can of pumpkin—and I’ll help you figure out what to do with it. It’s not fancy. It’s not fussy. But it is smart, resourceful, and surprisingly fun. Kind of like how I approach life.

When I’m not building recipe tools or writing blog posts, you’ll probably find me at home with my family, a cozy blanket, and some country music playing in the background. Maybe even planning a chili bar night—because I still believe the best meals are the ones made with love and shared with others.

Thanks for stopping by. Let’s make something delicious with what you’ve already got.