I am a young mom from Lawrence, Ks and I just enrolled in culinary school.

I discovered my love for cooking and baking while I was pregnant because I wanted to be as healthy as I could be for my daughter. To me one of the major components of being healthy is giving up processed and prepackaged foods and learning how to make your own meals. Using whole foods and grains is important to me and I want to learn as much as possible about them so I can make them as delicious as possible. I’m especially interested in baking, and one day would love to open my own bakery/coffee shop. My fiancé is in school to become a biology teacher and food is equally as important to him. We’re also into gardening and growing our own food. I also like doing yoga, reading, running, taking pictures, hanging out with my daughter, painting, and eating good food and drinking good wine with good people.

How long have you been a Daring Baker/Daring Cook and what’s your favorite thing about being in the group(s) so far?

I’ve only done one challenge so far, but I can already tell that these challenged are going to take me out of my baking comfort zone, which will help me to learn a lot.

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget? How about your favorite kitchen appliance?

I don’t use many fancy gadgets, so I guess my favorite thing would be my one really good chopping knife. My favorite appliance is my food processor from the 70’s that my mom gave me. It still works like a dream!

Are you known for making a certain dish or dessert? If so, what is it?

I must say I can make a mean salad. Vegetable, fruit, bean, whatever it is. I like the simplicity of salads and love experimenting with how to make the main ingredients shine without adding a whole bunch of extras.

Is there any recipe and/or technique that we haven’t covered yet that you’d really like to make/learn?

Not off of the top of my head.

Do you have a favorite movie? Book? Genre of music? Actor? Actress?

It’s hard for me to pinpoint just one movie or book as my favorite. I like folk music, bluegrass, and alternative country a lot.

You’ve just won $5000.00!!! What would you spend it on?

A vacation, and a kitchen aide.

What is the ultimate comfort food to you?

Homemade mac and cheese or spaghetti with meatballs.

Which season (Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall) is your favorite.. why?

Spring and fall. I think you can feel a sort of electricity in the air during these seasons, things are changing and it’s just kind of exciting.

Other than cooking and/or baking.. what hobbies do you enjoy?

yoga, reading, photography, running, being with my family, picnics, dinner with friends and family, painting.

How long have you been blogging? Do you like it? What’s your favorite post you’ve written?

I’ve been blogging for about 4 or 5 months. I love it! Every new post I write is my favorite.

What’s your favorite cookbook for desserts/baking? What’s your favorite cookbook for savory/cooking?

I can’t pick just one because I’m adding to my collection constantly, and honestly most of them are from the library so I don’t have them around long enough to use them repeatedly. I like trying a lot of different cookbooks, but most of them focus on vegetarian dishes or whole foods.

Is there one food that you seriously dislike/hate? If so, which is it and why?

Black licorice, but I like fennel. Weird, I know.

What’s your favorite flower and/or plant?

I love zinnias and poppies. I also love tropical plants and flowers.

Do you have a favorite local restaurant? If so, why is it your favorite and what kind of food is served there?

Freestate Brewery. Good food and good beer every time.

Who taught you how to cook and/or bake?

I’ve been teaching myself for the most part, but I’ve learned a lot about cooking from my brother-in-law, and a lot about baking from my mom.

What’s your favorite holiday and why?

I love Halloween because you get to dress up and eat candy!

Reading any good books lately? Which ones?!

I just finished the Harry Potter books (I resisted for so long, but they really are amazing) and now I’m reading a book called After the Ecstasy, the Laundry which is a really inspiring book about spiritual journeys and enlightenment.

You’ve had a rough week. How do you relax after a rough week?

Make a good dinner with my family, read a book or watch a movie, drink a glass of wine, and go to bed early.

Where is your favorite vacation (holiday) destination?

We just visited New Orleans and I fell in love with that city.

What is your favorite cooking/food related magazine? Why?

Vegetarian Times, because I like their articles and recipes.

Do you have a food addiction?

No, I love food and I love to cook, but it’s not an addiction, it’s more like therapy.

What did you eat for dinner last night? Did you prepare it or someone else?

We had smoked scallops and sea bass with a grilled potato and fennel salad and tiramisu…it was father’s day so we made an extra special dinner.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Cookies, ice cream, and mystery novels.

What kind of colors do you like? Pastels? Earth tones? Brights? Neons? Etc.

earth tones and deep colors.

If you had the choice of a free kitchen, bathroom, living room or bedroom makeover – which would you choose and why?

Kitchen, hands down. We need more space.

Do you watch any competitive cooking shows? Like Top Chef or Hell’s Kitchen? If so, which is your favorite and why?

I love Top Chef! The judges are so mean.

What’s your favorite “sweet” spice? How about your favorite “savory” spice?

Probably cinnamon and I don’t think I can pick just one for savory.

What’s your favorite herb to cook or bake with? Do you prefer fresh or dried?

I love fresh herbs and I love growing them, I don’t have a favorite though, it just depends on what I’m making and what I’m in the mood for.

Is there one recipe on your blog that you would like to share with us? If so, leave the link here. Yes, a nectarine and blueberry crisp with lavender that I recently made. It was pretty delicious.

You can visit Jessica on her blog Beginner's Palate