Hi and thanks for being here! I’m Erin and I develop recipes that are easy to make, full of flavor, and that help you and your families get excited about dinner.  

How To Get Excited About Dinner

Okay, guys. Let’s get brutally honest about one thing.  Dinner is one of those daily necessities that often turns into a resentful chore. Especially when you’ve got a family to feed.  So I keep this reality top of mind when developing easy and delicious recipes like our popular Sloppy Joe Bowls, Greek Chicken Meatballs, or Hibachi Chicken with Yum Yum Sauce. Every recipe has been tested by me and my team and includes step-by-step photographs and instructions, nutritional information, and tips and tricks to help you get a seamless dinner on the table that will excite the family.

Where I Got My Start

I grew up in northern Wisconsin where I was lucky enough to have a Mother who loved to cook all the things from scratch – from cookies to pasta, she did it all. Every time I take a bite of  Meatball & Dumplings, Slow Cooker Chili with 7 Layer Salad, or my Mom’s Taco Salad, I’m immediately transported back to my childhood kitchen with my Mom by my side. And I absorbed a lot of that knowledge and passion just by osmosis. And it was also in that kitchen where I often daydreamed about owning my own business one day.

How I Built A Career in Food Blogging

Even if I didn’t have much time to spare between study sessions, my love for cooking persisted through undergrad, law school, and while I earned my MBA at The University of Minnesota. It’s here where I found my forever taste tester and husband, Mike. His energy and enthusiasm for my recipes and life in general is infectious and I my business wouldn’t be where it is today without his support.

Fast forward to 2016 where I found myself working day in and day out as a Family Law attorney with a small family at home.  With fatigue being my new normal, I still found myself craving a creative outlet. So I pulled out my Mom’s old box of recipes, bought a used camera and got to work.

Where I Am Today

In 2018, I decided to make food blogging my full-time career and stepped away from law to give all my attention to recipe development, food photography, and my family. And after a lot of experimenting and learning, I’ve found my niche in easy weeknight dinners, Blackstone recipes, and grilling recipes and smoking recipes. I’ve developed recipes not only for the blog but also for brands such as Kemps, ALDI, Hy-Vee, 4 Sisters Rice, and Vitamix. I feel truly lucky to have the ability to build a team around me to help support The Wooden Skillet both here and on The Wooden Skillet Substack where you can find exclusive ad-free content like recipes, meal plans, and seasonal cooking guides to help you serve up the best spread possible. 

Erin’s FAQs

Where should I start if I’m new here?

Our recipe index organizes all 1500+ of our recipes by course, diet, protein, cook method, and occasion to help you quickly find the recipe that suits your needs. Love what you’re seeing? Stay up to date with my latest recipes by subscribing to our free weekly newsletter.

What Types of Recipes Can I Find on The Wooden Skillet

Quick and delicious dinner recipes are my specialty, but because I love to cook all the things, you’ll also find holiday recipes, appetizers, sides, desserts, and drink recipes with the through line being flavor focused and easy to achieve.

Do you ever think that you’ll run out of recipe ideas?

No. I’m lucky enough to draw inspiration not only from the rich Minneapolis food scene, but the recipes of my youth that I grew up making alongside my Mom in Northern Wisconsin.  My goal is that my passion for food comes through in every recipe that you try here.

Do you photograph all of your own photography?

Yes!  Food photography is a skill that I’ve honed for the past 10 years and it has been such a fulfilling journey to see the growth from day one when I shot this recipe with meh photography to now where I’m able to capture recipes like this coffee smoothie with confidence. I also offer food photography services that you can learn more about on my work with me page.

Where are you when you’re not in the kitchen?

I’m a mom to three young girls who are each driven students and athletes, which keeps my calendar and cup quite full.  But when I do have a chance to take a breath, I’ve been known  to devour an entire season of Top Chef or the latest New York Times Best Seller in a matter of days. I also LOVE a long, lazy dinner out with my husband!

Where can I hear more from Erin?

Check out my episode on the Plan to Eat Podcast where I share more about my food blogging story. I also have cooking videos available to paying subscribers on Substack where I share how each recipe was developed, cooking techniques, and behind the scenes action.

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