About

My Journey to the Kitchen

I grew up in Atlanta in a house where food was always the center of everything. My mom was from Louisiana, and she brought that Southern cooking tradition with her everywhere we went. Gumbo simmering on the stove, cornbread cooling on the counter, red beans and rice that could make you forget about everything else—that was just regular Tuesday night dinner for us.

But here's the thing: I didn't actually cook much growing up. I was the kid who set the table and did the dishes while my mom handled everything at the stove. When I went off to college in North Carolina, I survived on dining hall food and whatever my roommates were willing to share. It wasn't until I graduated and moved to Denver for my first real job that I realized I needed to figure this cooking thing out.

I started small. I'd call my mom every Sunday and write down her recipes, though she never measured anything, which made it interesting. She'd say things like "add enough flour until it feels right" or "you'll know the roux is done when it smells like it's done." I had to learn through trial and error, and believe me, there was plenty of error. But slowly, I started to get it. I found my own rhythm in the kitchen, and cooking became less about following my mom's footsteps and more about creating something that felt like mine.

Why JannaEats Exists

The name JannaEats actually comes from my daughter, Janna, who's eight now. When she was a toddler, she was the pickiest eater on the planet. Getting her to try anything new felt impossible. I spent so much time experimenting with different recipes, trying to find things she'd actually eat without a battle. Some nights I'd make three different versions of the same meal just to figure out what worked.

As I developed all these recipes that my family loved, my sister kept telling me I should share them somewhere. She said other parents were probably going through the same struggles, and maybe my trial-and-error could help someone else. So about three years ago, I finally took the leap and started JannaEats.

This website is for busy families, home cooks who want reliable recipes without the stress, and anyone who loves comfort food that doesn't require hours in the kitchen. I share weeknight dinners that actually come together on a weeknight, desserts that make ordinary days feel special, and the kind of approachable American comfort food that makes people feel at home. Whether you're cooking for picky kids, a crowd, or just yourself, I want these recipes to work for you.

How I Create and Test My Recipes

Every recipe on JannaEats gets made in my regular home kitchen multiple times before it ever makes it to the website. I don't have a professional setup or fancy equipment. I use the same stove and pans you probably have, and I shop at regular grocery stores—usually Target or Kroger, nothing fancy.

When I'm working on a new recipe, I start with an idea or a craving. Maybe it's something I remember from childhood, or something I tried at a restaurant and want to recreate at home. I'll make the first version, taste it, and figure out what needs to change. Sometimes the seasoning is off, or the texture isn't quite right, or the cooking time needs adjusting. So I make it again. And sometimes again after that.

I also make sure the instructions are actually clear and easy to follow. If there's a step that could confuse someone or a technique that might be tricky, I break it down until anyone can do it. My goal is that when you make one of my recipes, it turns out exactly how it's supposed to—delicious, satisfying, and worth making again.

My Sister and Our Little Team

While I handle all the cooking and recipe creation, my sister Lauren is the reason this website actually functions. She lives about twenty minutes away, and she's always been better at the technical stuff than I am. When I decided to start JannaEats, she offered to help me with the website setup, content management, and getting recipes published.

We've developed a pretty good system. I cook, test, and write the recipes, then send everything to her. She edits, formats, uploads, and makes sure everything looks right on the site. She also handles our email newsletter and keeps track of which recipes are doing well so we can create more of what people actually want. We talk almost every day about the website, and honestly, I don't think JannaEats would exist without her help. She keeps me organized when my kitchen gets chaotic, and she's the one who reminds me to actually publish recipes instead of just endlessly tweaking them.

Her kids are around the same age as mine, so she gets it. She understands why a recipe needs to be doable on a busy Wednesday evening, and she's just as committed as I am to making sure everything we share actually works.

My Promise About These Recipes

I take it seriously that you're trusting me with your time, money, and dinner plans. Every recipe here is something I genuinely make for my own family, and I want it to work just as well for you. These aren't aspirational recipes that look beautiful but fall apart when you actually try to make them. They're real, tested, and designed for regular people cooking in regular kitchens.

I'm not trying to impress you with complicated techniques or obscure ingredients. I'm trying to give you reliable recipes that become your go-to solutions—the ones you come back to again and again because you know they'll turn out right.

A Note About How the Site Works

I want to be transparent with you about how JannaEats operates. The website earns income through advertisements and affiliate links. When you see ads while you're browsing or when I recommend kitchen tools and ingredients with links, it helps support the work that goes into creating, testing, and maintaining this site. It's what allows Lauren and me to keep doing this and keep all the recipes free for everyone to access and use.

Let's Get Cooking

Thank you so much for being here and for giving JannaEats a chance. Whether you're scrambling to figure out what's for dinner tonight, planning something special for the weekend, or just looking for new ideas, I hope you find recipes here that make your life easier and more delicious. Browse around, try something that catches your eye, and let me know how it goes. I'm rooting for you!