Kathleen Phillips is a Southern food stylist, cookbook author, and the creator of Grits and Gouda, where she shares her Southern shortcut recipes. With over 20 years of experience as the test kitchen director for Oxmoor House, working on Southern Living and Cooking Light cookbooks, Kathleen simplifies classic Southern dishes with modern shortcuts. Her love for cooking started in her Arkansas hometown, and her career blossomed when she moved to Alabama, becoming a test kitchen director. Kathleen’s blog and cookbooks, like Magic Cakes, offer easy, time-saving recipes with her signature Southern flair. She regularly teaches Instant Pot and air fryer classes, appears on Good Day Alabama, and collaborates with brands like Sweet Grown Alabama and the Alabama Peanut Producers Association. Kathleen’s mission is to help home cooks create delicious meals faster, while maintaining the warmth and comfort of Southern cuisine.