Hi everyone, I'm Jenny Flake from Picky Palate. So excited to be here with Smithfield.com sharing recipes with you.

I describe myself as an on the go mom to 2 crazy little boys with picky little palates, a wife to my high school sweetie and a retired for now Dental Hygienist and Pilates Instructor. Could I have picked any more careers? Lol!

My love of cooking started a little late for me although I come from a long line of good cooks. My beautiful Mom and French grandma cook amazing food and I have memories of cooking and baking with them in the kitchen however it wasn't until my husband and I bought our first home in Arizona, late 2001 where I realized I didn't really know how to cook! I made it my goal to read countless cookbooks and watch cooking shows until I felt confident in my new kitchen. To my surprise through my studying and practicing I realized I really LOVED cooking!

One thing led to another and I started creating my own recipes and entering cooking contests all over the country. I was lucky enough to compete in the Pillsbury Bake Off twice, the Build A Better Burger Cook Off twice, the National Chicken Cook Off and even won the National Cornbread Cook Off in 2007! I have the best memories of my cooking contest days and who knows, maybe I'll get back into it someday.

I started Picky Palate October 2007 as a place to put my creative recipes for family and friends. I remember not knowing what on earth I was doing! When people started reading my blog and enjoyed my recipes, I kept on creating and posting. Picky Palate has grown with me over the years and I love it to pieces. Creating recipes and capturing food photography is my passion and I am honored to share it with my readers.

Hi everyone! My name is Cheri. I'm a Canadian expat with an awesome hubby and adorable 2 year old boy. Most days I can be found cooking and baking (surprise!), exploring the rugged landscape with my son, Max, and watching my favorite tv shows cuddled on the couch with my hubs.

I grew up with three older brothers and was in constant competition to be as boyish as them. As a result, I never did much cooking when I was younger but I did LOVE to eat, mostly in part because my mom was a fantastic cook. It wasn't until I was in college when I started cooking for myself and other dorm-mates that I started to realize how much I loved to cook.

When I got married I became a full blown homemaker and I love it. For me, feeding my family good and healthful meals is extremely fulfilling. Some of the most vivid memories I have of growing up is walking into the house after school and smelling cookies cooling on the counter or sniffing the aroma of freshly baked bread. It was so comforting and made all the problems of the day melt away. I've always wanted my children to have that same experience.

I am passionate about simple meals for everyday. On my own blog, Kitchen Simplicity, I share my favorite recipes that are simple, fresh and most importantly, delicious.

I'm a self taught cook and photographer and am learning a lot along the way. Hopefully the recipes I share will help inspire you to get into the kitchen without trepidation. If I can do it, so can you.