About Sweet C’s

Hey, I’m Courtney — and I want you to feel like a confident, capable cook every single time you come to this site.

I’m a self-taught home cook, a travel-obsessed mom, and the founder of Sweet C’s Designs. I grew up poring over Martha Stewart cookbooks before I could reach the counter, took my first cooking class before I was 6, and spent my teens and college years working in restaurants and specialty food stores. Cooking has always been my thing — even when my “day job” was working in the US Senate, or running PAC strategy and campaign operations for a multi-state financial trade association. (Yes, really! Past life.) No matter what else was happening, I was the friend people called for recipes, and I was known for elaborate dinner parties in college and my 20’s.

When you come to my house, you never leave hungry!

I’m based on a farm in Northern Colorado near the mountains where I live with my husband and two kids. This blog is where I share everything I’ve learned — recipes I’ve tested over and over, tips that actually work, and travel experiences I’ve had firsthand, with my family or my friends by my side.

What You’ll Find at Sweet C’s

Sweet C’s is a food and travel site built around one idea: great food shouldn’t be intimidating. Whether you’re making dinner on a Tuesday night or pulling off a dinner party spread, I want every recipe to feel doable — and every guide to feel like a friend who’s already been there.

Here’s what we cover:

Easy Weeknight Dinners

This is the heart of Sweet C’s. Think Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks, Slow Cooker Lemonade Chicken, Baked Pork Tenderloin, and Easy Chicken Enchilada Pie — recipes that deliver real flavor without requiring a culinary degree or an hour of active cooking. Browse all main dishes here.

Salads Worth Making

Not sad desk salads. I’m talking about Fattoush Salad with Sumac-Lemon Dressing, Berry Burrata Salad with Honey Date Glaze (inspired by a trip to St-Emilion, France), and Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint and Basil. These are the salads people ask for the recipe after. See all salad recipes here.

Slow Cooker & Instant Pot

If you want dinner to mostly make itself, this is your section. I’ve tested dozens of slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes so you don’t have to guess at timing or liquid ratios. Browse slow cooker recipes and Instant Pot recipes.

Air Fryer

Air fryer recipes were some of the earliest hits on this site, and they’re still among our most-cooked. From Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks to Air Fryer French Fries to Air Fryer Mushrooms, I test every recipe specifically for the air fryer — not just adapted from an oven version. See all air fryer recipes here.

Grilling & Special Occasion

When you want to go all out — Easy Smoked Brisket, Boneless Ribeye Roast, Lemon Caper Butter Roasted Branzino, Broiled Lobster Tails — we’ve got the guides that make impressive food feel approachable.

Cocktails & Drinks

From Easy Peach Margaritas and Patriotic Punch to Citrus Palomas and French Martinis, this section is where fun entertaining drinks live. Browse all drink recipes here.

Desserts

Cookies, cakes, brownies, and more — including some of my all-time family favorites. See all dessert recipes here.

Travel

My daughter and I have eaten our way through St-Emilion wine country in France, tasted fattoush near the Lebanese border in Israel, and explored destinations across the US and beyond. The travel section is where I share what I actually did, what I ate, and what was worth it — firsthand, not from a press kit. Browse travel guides here.

My Philosophy in the Kitchen

I am not a trained chef. I didn’t go to culinary school. What I am is someone who has cooked thousands of meals, failed at plenty of them, learned what works, and spent years figuring out how to explain it clearly.

Every recipe on Sweet C’s is something I’ve made in my own kitchen — usually many times. I test for common problems (dry chicken, soggy croutons, sauce that won’t thicken) and I write the tips that actually help, not just filler.

I believe that understanding why a recipe works makes you a better cook — so I explain the reasoning behind each step rather than just listing instructions.

My goal is simple: I want you to feel empowered, not intimidated. If you’ve ever thought “I’m not a good cook,” I want to be the site that changes your mind.

The Sweet C’s Team

Courtney O’Dell — Founder & Recipe Developer

Courtney is based in Northern Colorado on a small farm near the mountains. She’s been cooking since childhood, worked in restaurants and specialty foods through her teens and college years, and ran a career in political strategy before launching Sweet C’s full time. She develops and tests all recipes on the site, and is the primary voice behind Sweet C’s content. She also hosts a podcast — I Think Less of You — covering pop culture, politics, and the things she can’t stop thinking about.

Katherine Barnard — Business Manager & Photographer

Katherine is originally from Fort Collins, Colorado, has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from CSU, and has been part of the Sweet C’s team since 2015. She handles all business operations and content production, and is the photographer behind many of the recipes you see on the site. She currently lives in upstate South Carolina with her husband and four sons, and loves hiking and biking with her family.

As Seen On

Sweet C’s has been featured in numerous publications as a leading food and travel lifestyle site – such as Buzzfeed, Best Crafts and Recipes, The Huffington Post, Country Living, Women’s Health, and more. 

Sweet C’s has also had the opportunity to work with some of the best brands that I am proud to stand beside, like La Crema Wines, Foster Farms Chicken, Safeway, Albertsons, Princess Cruises, Visit California, Visit Kansas City, The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel, Visit Oxnard, Embassy Suites at Mandalay Beach, Norwegian Airlines, and many more.

Every time you come to Sweet C’s for a recipe or idea, you’re helping to grow my small business and my family’s dream. There are so many websites with impeccable recipes and gorgeous photos, and we are privileged and honored you’re spending your time with us!

Browse all recipes

Start with our most popular: Baked Pork Tenderloin