Kelli and Heather have been married for over four years and have been together for seven. Their love story first begins on a roller rink in Minneapolis.

“Heather and I met playing roller derby here in Minneapolis with the North Star roller girls,” Kelli recalled. She asked Heather to go out on New Year’s Eve, and the rest is history.

When they started dating, Heather invited Kelli over for a home cooked meal. She made sausage pasta, a meal that holds special significance for Heather’s family. The dish was her brother Rick’s invention, and one he cooked for her often after their mother passed away.

“Rick would make it and it was very comforting and it made it feel like a family thing,” Heather explained. The dish quickly won Kelli’s heart as well, and it even made an appearance at their rehearsal dinner before their wedding.

“We make it every year for our anniversary,” Heather said. “That is always the recipe she requests.” The pasta dish features a red-wine tomato sauce, and, of course, lots of sausage.

For both Kelli and Heather, sharing food is an expression of love. Sharing a family recipe makes it all the more special.

“It’s not just, here, I made dinner. Some nights it’s sort of like, I made dinner for you because I love you,” Kelli explained. “I want you to have good and delicious and interesting food.”