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Breakfast

Easy blueberry crumble cannoli French toast.

Easy Blueberry Crumble Cannoli French Toast

The best pumpkin butter pancakes.

The Best Pumpkin Butter Pancakes

Pie crust granola spilling out of jar.

Pie Crust Granola How To

Healthy date sure muffins.

Healthy Date Sugar Muffins Recipe How To

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Welcome to Good Grief Cook

Celebrating life, love and the healing power of food

Welcome to good grief cook. this is me sitting on Will's memorial bench at Lake Elise.
my photo

Much to my surprise you are here. Welcome to my grief journey. If this is your first visit to the blog I suggest you read the blog from the beginning. Start here

Grief is a journey with a beginning, but no end

Who am I

First and foremost, I am the proud mom of Caitlin and William and the grand-kids call me “kiki”. Bill and I have been married for 41 years currently living just outside of Philadelphia. I didn’t know how deep love goes until I lost my son William in a tragic preventable accident.

Second, I am a retired Physician Assistant who has always enjoyed the science of medicine, but also that of cooking and baking. It’s the cooking and baking that has provided the comfort to get through the loss of my son.

Third, I am a self-taught cook and photographer who has won recipe contests too numerous to count as well as a few awards for my food photography. I love developing and testing recipes.

Finally, all of the above has led me to this blog and public grief journey. I promise to follow in William’s brave light, step outside my comfort zone and in that if I can help just one grieving parent celebrate their child’s life then my mission is accomplished.

If you have read this far please accept my heartfelt gratitude. I am happy you are here and always grateful for kindness.

Remember

You are never alone and Food is love made edible.

The Latest and Greatest

I am a Food Network CHOPPED CHAMPION (5/6/2014) 

TEDx Talk speaker

I am also a certified Food Champ Judge and credentialed Steak Competition Association judge and happy to travel to your event to judge food competitions.

Contact me: [email protected] 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. theculinarycellar

    October 21, 2013 at 2:43 pm

    Lisa, you will touch so many hearts with the story of your William. He will be with you every step of the way. And as for your recipes, well… there is no one better than you. I love you, my dear, sweet friend.

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      October 21, 2013 at 2:49 pm

      Thanks my sweet friend as always for your love and support.

      Reply
  2. Susan Ross

    October 21, 2013 at 3:33 pm

    Lisa, I’m betting your posts will help more people than you will ever know and in so many ways. Thank you for sharing and for spreading your goodness. Love you, Susan

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      October 21, 2013 at 3:49 pm

      Thank you, Susan. Sadly, I am not the first mom nor will I be the last to lose a child. We all grieve differently, but if I can be helpful to even one then what I am doing is a good thing.

      Reply
  3. Mary In AZ

    October 21, 2013 at 5:33 pm

    Lisa, I admire your courage and openness to share your thoughts.

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      October 21, 2013 at 8:10 pm

      Has me totally out of my comfort zone as I have always led a very private life

      Reply
  4. Linda

    October 21, 2013 at 10:33 pm

    Lisa, What a beautiful tribute to your son. Sharing your courage and love of food will provide inspiration for so many who have suffered the heartache of loss. As you follow in William’s light, you provide a ray of hope. I admire you for sharing your very personal experience and your special recipes. All the best,

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      October 22, 2013 at 8:52 am

      Such kind words are so appreciated.

      Reply
  5. abby

    October 22, 2013 at 12:06 pm

    Sweet Lisa, I love this blog and I know your beautiful words and delicious recipes will fill many people’s souls and belly. Thank you for being brave enough to do this.
    Cheering you from CT!

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      October 22, 2013 at 12:20 pm

      Words of encouragement from you are just priceless. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

      Reply
  6. Pam

    December 20, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    Dear Lisa
    Such a beautiful, touching tribute…my best Middlebury Will memory … Summertime, Leigh was a napping toddler and Jay Matthew was not home. I was working in the side garden next to our screened porch. The one with the bleeding heart from your plant 🙂
    Anyway, I see Will in his camo tee, hopscotching between trees and bushes, Belushi style, stealthily approaching. I pretend not to see him…. As he gets to our yard, he saunters casually over, hands in pocket and asks if Jay can play. When I tell him Jay isn’t home, he turns slowly to leave but then turns back to ask if Leigh can play….
    I think of that often and smile. I cherish the sweet summer picture of all the kids in your back yard that you had framed in a button frame. When I heard the tragic news, I pulled that photo out. It sits on my desk and makes me smile every time I see it…such happy times and sweet memories.

    God bless you and your dear family
    Love you
    Pam

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      December 21, 2013 at 6:59 am

      One of the best things about this blog is finding my old friends who have these kind of cherished memories. The “Belushi” style made me smile and tear-up at the same time. Love those days in the old neighborhood. Thank you for sharing and best to you and your family

      Reply
  7. Amanda O'Sullivan

    January 11, 2014 at 4:38 pm

    Lisa-
    My heart fills with sympathy and sadness ……. You have a beautiful tribute to Will here. I am a stranger and have come across your blog just by looking around the internet about grief and the armed services. My name is Amanda O’Sullivan my family has also suffered a similar unbearable loss of my Brother SFC Stephen J Perez on April ,28 2012 . Stephen was like Will in his early 20s and had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a Army sniper and was part of the 10th mountain div. .Stephen had been home in MA just under a year when he was shot in the back in a parking garage in Boston during a fight or attempted robbery?? we can’t be sure.Unfortunately his Murderer fled although identified and has yet to be apprehended by the US Marshals. We are and where very proud of Stephen’s service and my other brother Shawn is currently deployed at this time. I would like to thank you and your family for Will’s service as well. Most people don’t fully understand the sacrifice and stress that the entire family endures when a loved one is deployed.
    God bless you and your family,
    Amanda O’Sullivan

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      January 11, 2014 at 5:09 pm

      Thanks for finding me Amanda. I am so sorry about your brother. It makes no sense to me how our brave family members survived real battle fields only to come home and die. It is a great mystery and makes the grief all the more difficult to resolve. There will always be more questions than answers. Please feel free to share more Stephen stories here. He is a great hero to have served his country and family well and we should all get to know him through you. Please thank Shawn as well as the rest of your family for their service and sacrifice. Have you heard of the organization called TAPS (taps.org)? You may also find some comfort there.

      Reply
  8. Amanda O'Sullivan

    January 11, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    No, I haven’t heard of them. Thank you I will look into it 🙂 I wouldn’t wish this pain on my worst enemy at the same time it gives a sense of relief and comfort that my feelings are understood.
    My friends call me Mandi

    Reply
    • lisakeys64Lisa keys

      January 11, 2014 at 10:57 pm

      Mandi, yes it can be so difficult to find someone who can empathize and understand this pain and I agree 100 percent about not wishing it on anyone. I hope you can find some ways to celebrate your brother. Just remember that he wants you to find joy and happiness. I often hear my son’s voice telling me such.

      Reply
  9. mytasteusa

    April 11, 2014 at 6:23 am

    Hi there,

    (I don’t know how to catch your attention but hopefully you could spare me a minute to read this message.)

    I am Freddy from myTaste, surfing on the net I found your blog and noticed you have a great number of tasty recipes there, that is why I am contacting you. Mytaste.com is a recipe search engine, we index recipes from food sites and blogs. I wonder if you would like join our website and receive more visitors to your blog through making your recipes available to a greater number of internet users.

    So, if this sounds like a good plan to you, please visit our website & add your blog here: http://www.mytaste.com/add-your-food-blog There you will find all the instructions you need to follow to become a part of our bloggers family.

    Hopefully your food blog will be up there in the top!
    If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

    Warm regards,
    Freddy

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      May 7, 2014 at 5:42 pm

      Thanks for the offer but I am good

      Reply
  10. drlaurenyerkes

    May 7, 2014 at 1:19 am

    Hi Lisa,
    I never post comments online, but I really felt the need to thank you. After watching tonight’s episode of Chopped, I wanted to share with you that I was deeply moved by you. Witnessing your strength, humility, courage, openness, love for your family, sense of humor, and fight like hell spirit was such a special gift. Not to mention, you are an amazing chef! I was routing for you right away!
    As a therapist, I have had the honor of hearing many people’s life stories and joining them on their journeys. I just wanted to share that I think you are very special and an inspiration to many. I am very sorry for the loss of your William. That is a pain I cannot even imagine. Your connection with him through your cooking is a beautiful thing, and your love for your children is obvious. As you mentioned on the show, I fully agree that William would give you the “bad ass” stamp of approval … not just for winning Chopped, but also for being an amazing mom. You also said you felt proud of yourself for the first time – I am so happy you experienced that and hope that feeling continue to grow each day. You have many… many … reasons to be proud. Congratulations on your win, and I hope you and your family have a fabulous time in Italy! 🙂
    Warm regards,
    Lauren

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      May 7, 2014 at 6:39 am

      It takes a great listener to be a great therapist and I believe your patients are so very lucky to have you. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Very happy you watched the show.

      Reply
  11. Katrina

    May 7, 2014 at 5:15 pm

    Wonderful blog! I just watched Chopped last night. Then I just saw my friend Anna had posted some cookies on her blog, Cookie Madness, and she left a link here about Sweet William’s Cookies. While looking through your blog, I totally thought you sound like the lady I just saw win Chopped! How fun! Congrats to you!

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      May 7, 2014 at 5:41 pm

      Thank you Katrina. I love Anna and Cookie Madness–any friend of hers is a friend of mine

      Reply
  12. Suzanne Marie DeWitt

    June 5, 2014 at 5:28 pm

    I stumbled across your blog completely by accident, and discovered that I’d seen your appearance on chopped. Praying that your efforts and remembrance be blessed, and that your process of healing and recovery be filled with surprise blessings.

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      June 5, 2014 at 7:42 pm

      Thank you so much Suzanne for your beautiful words. I hope you will continue visit from time to time.

      Reply
  13. Brenda McKinney

    August 17, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    I really enjoy reading your blog. Here lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Brenton. Our guys left this world way to soon. I love the way you use baking to help with your grief. I know the pain doesn’t go away. My father-n-law once told me after losing two of his sons, that it’s a pain that never goes away you just have to learn to live with it. I think of your family often and pray for your family to find peace. Brenda

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      August 17, 2014 at 9:16 pm

      Thanks, Brenda. I would do anything in my power to bring our boys back, but it is impossible. I will never understand it; a cruel fate. These days we just have to find ways to fill our bucket with happy occasions and brighter lights. It is what our boys would want us to do. Love to you and your family.

      Reply
  14. Paula

    September 24, 2014 at 7:37 am

    I am about to pee my pants that I found you!!!!! I too lost my a son (my oldest). I googled dark chocolate and grief and you came up…. We must be a match made in heaven… no pun intended (ok, maybe a ltitle). I can’t wait to see what you’re cooking up!

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      September 24, 2014 at 6:45 pm

      Well, I guess those tags “grief”, “dark chocolate” really work and I am glad you found me. I am sorry about your son and would love to hear more about you and him.

      Reply
  15. Janet Godfrey

    October 10, 2014 at 8:55 am

    Good morning Lisa, I happened upon your site while double checking an APO address. I am part of a charity named Operation Veronica. We make, collect and ship items of comfort to those who serve us in uniform around the world. I am crushed by your loss and amazed at your generosity of spirit. I am also a mother and cannot express satisfactorily my gratitude for all your family has done for mine. My children and I are eternally grateful for your sacrifice and endeavor to be worthy of it.
    I saw that you have an address on your main page. If that address is still active, or if you have anyone else you would like us to share for us to include in our weekly shipping, please feel invited and encouraged to do so. We can be found at http://www.operationveronica.org , on facebook under operation veronica at [email protected] or my phone is 631-880-8750.
    You, your family and your sweet William are in our prayers.

    With love and prayers

    Janet Godfrey

    Reply
    • lisakeys64

      October 10, 2014 at 9:26 pm

      Thank you for your kindness and generosity. I certainly hope my readers will share your information and YES, the address is still active.

      Reply
  16. Nita

    December 1, 2014 at 11:43 am

    Nice to meet you. I am looking forward to following your blog, and trying out your recipes. Merry Christmas
    Cheers.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      December 1, 2014 at 5:24 pm

      Thanks, Nita. Holidays are a little tough around here, but we always get through. I have read some of your blog and am wishing you new and sweet traditions for your holidays. Try hiding an ornament in the Christmas tree and give a small prize to the child who finds it. We always hid an ornament in the shape of a pickle. The green is good camouflage.

      Reply
      • Nita

        December 1, 2014 at 5:55 pm

        That is a great suggestion! Thank you.

  17. Kay Windsor

    January 31, 2015 at 3:52 pm

    Lisa,
    Thanks for sharing your journey and all of your photos and recipes. I believe you must be following your William’s light. ( Thanks for reading some of our blog too. We have a recipe for chocolate from a wonderful French chef who fed us when our group of bereaved mothers traveled for our tenth anniversary together. fartheralongbook.com/recipes

    Reply
    • Lisa

      January 31, 2015 at 4:57 pm

      I love what you moms are doing. I will be picking up your book.

      Reply
  18. Julie Rainbow

    August 2, 2015 at 9:14 am

    Thank you for this blog. You are an inspiration and a comfort to many…in multiple ways. You are a gift, Lisa Keys!

    Reply
    • Lisa

      August 2, 2015 at 4:18 pm

      So kind-thank you. BTW-I am certain you have heard it before-I love your last name.

      Reply
  19. Nosheen Babar

    January 24, 2021 at 7:48 pm

    Your story is poignant and beautiful, I’m so sorry for your loss. Happy you found healing through your cooking and can’t wait to try your recipes

    Reply
    • Lisa

      January 26, 2021 at 12:47 pm

      Welcome Nosheen. I’m so glad you are here. There really is something so therapeutic about cooking and baking. I highly recommend these activities to anyone who needs some positive coping skills.

      Reply
  20. Lisa

    January 28, 2016 at 3:32 pm

    Thank you Sarah.This is a very interesting read and happy my recipe enhances qi

    Reply
  21. Lisa

    November 24, 2018 at 10:24 am

    The ultimate compliment when a friend shares your recipe with her family. Thank you @thevintagecook <3

    Reply

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