About us

Welcome to PopPop Cooks!

Picture of Jack and Judy I’m Jack Kelly. I grew up in northern New Jersey. My lovely wife, Judy, was born and raised in Texas. Over the years we’ve lived in Texas, New Jersey, and even in Mexico for three years. When we retired, we visited a married couple who were our good friends. They had retired and moved to Mexico by a big lake about an hour south of Guadalajara. The climate was just about as perfect as it could be, so the community was filled with many retired gringos. Judy and I fell in love with the area and decided to move there too. I learned more about Mexican cooking while we were there and we still have tacos and tortillas to this day. (Judy more than me. I’m still a half Italian Jersey boy.)

Throughout the years, I’ve worked in restaurants and even had one of my own. When I bought the restaurant, it was a little bit like a deli/luncheonette combo. To make it profitable, I expanded the menu and the seating. I started to stay open later and that’s when I realized that I wasn’t crazy about the business, but I sure did love to cook.

After I got out of the restaurant business, I started as a salesman at a new car dealership. Eventually, I retired as a general manager. After my official retirement, I got stir crazy and went into the wholesale car business. I bought used cars and trucks from new car dealerships that they couldn’t sell or just didn’t want, then resold them to other new and used car dealerships. Eventually, I retired from that too.


Judy and I have been blessed with five children, 12 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. We are known today as Gammy and PopPop.Throughout all the years, I have continued to cook and build my cache of recipes. I started this website for our grandkids. Years ago they would call me up asking, “PopPop, I just got home from work. I’m running a little late and I need HELP! What can I make for supper that is going to be quick and easy, but still good?” So, that’s how we came up with our slogan: “Quick and easy recipes for busy people”.

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Contact Poppop at jack@poppopcooks.com