Welcome!

A baking & lifestle blog

I’m Alissa,

the creator behind Midwest & Wonder. Growing up in the Chicagoland area meant hot summers running through sprinklers, crunchy fall leaves, cold winters with soft glittery snow, and the Earthy wet smell of spring. The Midwest is a beautiful place that shaped me and my love of baking.

Midwest represents me because I was born and raised here. It has so much to offer and I don’t think it gets enough recognition. It’s shaped me, my family, how I bake, the things I enjoy, the life that I live.

Wonder because I’ve always enjoyed romanticizing the little things before I’d ever understood that’s what I was doing. I look for beauty in the tiniest of flowers, in the softness of morning light in the kitchen, and in the magic in the changing seasons.

I must give credit to the amazing support system that has always encouraged me to try. It drove me to improve my baking skills, find confidence in selling custom desserts, study photography, learn how to build a website, and so much more. This blog started out as a place to share my recipes, but has since grown (and growing!) with travel and lifestyle content.

I always think about my tiny corner in a vast online world. What do I want you, the reader, to feel while you visit? I hope I can be a safe place with cozy vibes and nice pictures to look at (that may inspire you). I hope to be a gentle voice sharing how I live with intention and focus on slowing down to look at the world with wonder.

xo, Alissa