Chef Spotlight: Jenn

Welcome, one and all, to this week's Chef Spotlight. Today we are getting to know my good friend, Jenn. Our husbands are in the podiatry program together at Midwestern University and we hang out while the hubs study their guts out day in and day out.


Name
Jenn Larson

Where are you from?

Currently living in Glendale, Arizona (Amazing Place). But, I have lived almost everywhere on the west coast, and was born in Ontario, Canada. However, I AM a US Citizen . . . I promise!!!!! (sure...)

Why did you join What's in {Your} Oven?
Honestly, I wasn't going to join. I was too scared and thought I'd never be able to come up with good recipes - or even be able to find recipes using the challenge ingredient. But, Jillian has a way of making things sound really cool and fun, so I decided to try it. (So, wanna go jump off a bridge next week? It's going to be awesome!) So far I have only done 2 challenges by myself, and 1 I did with Jillian. But, I am glad I joined because it is forcing me to expand my recipe collection (which I am quite sure my Husband is appreciative of) (unless it has mushrooms or squash in it).

Who do you cook for?
Oh, I love to cook for my dear sweet husband, Nathan! When we were first married I wanted to sit on the couch and eat dinner in front of the T.V. Nope - not gonna happen. Nathan said that families eat dinner with their loved ones - not the T.V. (that's a nice quote. I'm going to stitch it on a pillow or somthing.) So . . . the first few meals were kind of weird with just the two of us sitting at a formal dinner table. I struggled to make meals small enough for 2 people, but now its a lot easier! Of course we still have leftovers!

I wish I could say I also cook for my daughter, Natalie (she is 2 years old) but I can't. This girl is a crazy eater. I swear she is a self-proclaimed vegetarian in a family that LOVES meat. So, she usually just eats the vegetables and bread that I put on the table to go with our meal. Someday - she will enter the dark side - and enjoy a nice, juicy, plump, DELICIOUS steak!!!!!!

What kind of food do you like?
Mexican Food is DELICIOUS (the real authentic Mexican food that my brother - who lived with Mexicans for 6 years - makes). Sooooo Yummmmmmmmy! But, I also love Thai Food - LOVE IT - LOVE IT - LOVE IT !!! (make sure you get some Jasmine rice!)

What do you hope to get out of participating in What's in {Your} Oven?
New recipes that are cheap, quick, easy, and fun to make (oh and maybe something that my daughter will eat). (cheap is good with the amount of money our hubbies get from student loans)


Thanks for letting me spotlight you at the last minute, Jenn. We hope to see more posts from you. Maybe one of your new recipes will strike a chord with Natalie and she will just start chowing down!

Stay tuned next week for another edition of "Chef Spotlight". And, look forward this Friday for our first ever "Question of the Week". Till then, happy cooking!