Test Kitchen Experts
Our culinary team has a passion for cooking, baking and creating delicious recipes in the Land O'Lakes Test Kitchen. They care as much as you do about bringing wholesome goodness to the table. That's why they test every recipe you see from Land O'Lakes to make sure it's something you'll enjoy making and sharing.
Becky
Many of you may recognize Becky from the Measuring Cup® newsletter or landolakes.com. She’s the Director of the Land O’Lakes Test Kitchens – a job she loves. What could be better than being around delicious food and wonderful people every day?
Becky has spent her entire career in the world of food. Her favorite activities are cooking and baking. Not only are they a stress reliever, but she finds them to be lots of fun as well. Becky began baking as a child, standing on a chair next to her mom helping her add ingredients and mix up dough. Her mom was a wonderful teacher and she wasn’t afraid to try just about anything. Not only did they make made-from-scratch breads, cookies, cakes and more, they also prepared quick, easy meals starting with fresh garden produce and a wide variety of meats, fish and shellfish. Becky’s grandmother also loved to cook and bake and was more than happy to share her special recipes. Her grandparents loved to travel and would bring back cookbooks and recipes from their many adventures, inspiring Becky’s love for regional and ethnic foods.
It’s a good thing she has family and friends who love to eat all of her creations. Her oldest son, Ryan, is married to fellow Land O’Lakes blogger, Amanda. His favorite recipe is Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Becky enjoys watching them learn to cook and bake and is always happy to provide guidance. It’s been fun to see how Ryan and Amanda like to share the cooking duties and love to entertain. Her youngest son, Kyle, is a middle school math teacher. He enjoys anything with pasta. He recently moved out on his own, receiving all the pasta-making equipment he needed from his mom. He also loves anything grilled.
Becky looks forward to sharing some of her favorite recipes, along with tips she’s learned along the way.
Read Becky's Posts In Our Test Kitchen Blog »
Cindy
As one of our Land O'Lakes Test Kitchen home economists, Cindy is responsible for food and recipe content as well as day-to-day website management. Cindy is increasingly passionate and excited about incorporating new communication tools like blogs and online communities. She's equally passionate about cooking and baking—an interest that began at an early age.
As a busy mother and grandmother, Cindy understands the importance of convenient meals and a well-stocked pantry, as well as the enjoyment that goes into spending time in the kitchen with little ones.
Cindy's idea of relaxing? Kneading bread or practicing making an apple pie that's just like mom's. Let's just hope she shares the recipe.
Cindy is a Test Kitchen Manager at Land O'Lakes and writes for our Test Kitchen Blog.
Read Cindy's Posts In Our Test Kitchen Blog »
Marge
When you enjoy one of the recipes in the Land O Lakes Recipe Collection® cookbook magazine, you can thank Marge. As Food Editor for the magazine – one of her duties in the Test Kitchen – she develops new recipes for the publication. She tracks down food trends for new ideas and weaves them into the new recipes.
Marge grew up on an Iowa farm, and spent countless hours in the kitchen watching her mother create beautiful breads and pastries. Now, Marge takes what her mother taught her and loves creating her own recipes at home. Thinking about good food, reading about good food, making good food, eating good food – Marge can help you out with all of those things.
Marge is a Team Leader in the Land O'Lakes Test Kitchen.
Read Marge's Posts In our Test Kitchen Blog »
Kim
Kim’s passion for food started off as a genuine childhood curiosity while experimenting in her Mom’s kitchen. The first recipe she developed? Ketchup Cake. She’s pretty sure it was the first and last Ketchup Cake in existence!
Eventually, her kitchen curiosity grew into a big, thriving career in food. After graduating from college with a degree in Consumer Food Science, she started a successful career developing recipes for cookbooks, styling food for photography and commercials and developing new food products for large food companies.
Now Kim finds herself trying to please some really tough critics at home – her 2 young children. How does she balance the desire to feed her kids the trendy, healthy foods she loves while pleasing their finicky palates? Flexibility is the name of the game for her and nothing is off limits at her house. Canned pasta meals are served sometimes to please the kids, but an artisan cheese with freshly baked bread and fresh-picked veggies from her garden also make frequent appearances at the dinner table. She is patient and knows it’s just a matter of time before the children’s taste buds catch up with hers and she’s not going to give up introducing new foods alongside their tried and true family favorites.
As the Test Kitchen Manager for butter, spreads and new products, she is constantly on the lookout for ways to help moms and kids explore food through the recipes she develops using fresh, wholesome ingredients. Need new recipe ideas? Kim can help!
Read Kim's Posts In our Test Kitchen Blog »
Mallory
Mallory always felt food would play a huge part in her life and career. And as part of a family that loved cooking and spending every dinner together, she equated food with having a good time. During college, while pursuing a degree in food communications, Mallory applied for an internship with Land O'Lakes. After two summers as an intern in the Test Kitchens, she knew it was the place she wanted to be. And after graduation, that's where she stayed. When she's not busy testing recipes, she loves to travel, exploring the world through food and regional cuisines.
Mallory is a Product Specialist in the Land O'Lakes Test Kitchen.
Read Mallory's Posts In our Test Kitchen Blog »
Amber
Amber’s interest in food and cooking started at an early age perhaps due to having a mother who disliked cooking- it was a matter of survival! Childhood days were spent baking with grandmas, high school nights were spent making homemade pasta with friends. And the trend continued into adulthood with degrees in culinary arts, food science, and nutrition.
Building on this foundational food education Amber has had a number of food-related positions including banquet sous chef, product development scientist, assistant food stylist, and working in a cheese cave. All of these skills and passion are now coming together at the Land O Lakes Test Kitchens where she is excited to be sharing a workplace with like-minded food professionals.
Food is not just a job for Amber - she is always experimenting in the kitchen from canning jams and jellies to making bread from a wild sourdough starter and trying out new ethnic cuisines. She is excited to share her creativity and expertise with you.
Amber is a Senior Product Specialist in the Land O’Lakes Test Kitchens.
Read Amber's Posts In Our Test Kitchen Blog »
Bonnie
Bonnie grew up on a family-owed dairy farm in Minnesota and was active in 4-H at an early age – no wonder Bonnie carries the passion of the farmer-owners of Land O'Lakes. With a great tradition of family home-cooking behind her, she continued her passion for food with a Bachelor of Food Science degree from the University of Minnesota.
Bonnie uses her expertise to support the sales and marketing of foodservice and ingredient products. She conducts product-training and guides application-testing for continued product quality to ensure all Land O'Lakes Foodservice initiatives are conducted with the operator and customers' needs in mind. In addition to her degree, she has taken several courses from the Culinary Institute of America and is a Certified Culinary Salesperson.
Bonnie is a Foodservice Culinary Manager for Land O'Lakes.
Christa
Take one large helping of a passion for food and nutrition, sprinkle in exposure to a variety of ethnic foods at an early age, and you start to see how Christa approaches food. One of her recent culinary adventures was a tour of the Basque region of Spain, where she worked with a number of local chefs, learning the local flavor and creating delicious traditional dishes.
Christa especially enjoys cooking and baking with her two boys, exposing them to new foods, just as her own parents did for her. The oldest especially enjoys making meals for the family which he calls his "science experiments." The youngest likes to get "dirty" in the kitchen by adding toppings to his favorite version of homemade pizza. Sounds like it runs in the family.
Christa is a Registered Dietician for Land O'Lakes.
Ronda
Some people are into food in that they love to cook and bake and eat. Ronda is off-the-charts-way-into-food, like, figuring out why particular taste buds can detect certain flavors and spices. Now that's serious. But fun. Not to mention delicious.
As a Registered Dietician, Ronda uses her inquisitive nature and culinary skills in many ways, taking the science of nutrition and applying it to new areas of recipe development, testing products, and helping others learn along the way. From combing through farmer's markets, to trying new ethnic restaurants, to browsing through old church cookbooks, Ronda will find a way to make our recipes as delicious as they can be.
Ronda is a Registered Dietician for Land O'Lakes.
Mark
Full-service restaurants rely on the knowledge of experts like Mark to satisfy their culinary needs. After all, he brings over 24 years of experience to the table. He has held positions ranging from chef to operations manager, including general management positions at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and Rock Bottom Enterprises, Inc. He also owns and operates a restaurant operations consulting business based in Mexico.
Mark earned an AOS Degree from the Culinary Institute of America, and is a Certified Research Chef with accreditation from the Research Chefs Association.
Mark is a Corporate Executive Chef for the Land O'Lakes Foodservice Division.
Land O'Lakes Bloggers
Foodies to say the least, our bloggers are always looking for new Land O'Lakes recipes to try. They come from a variety of backgrounds and offer a unique personal perspective from outside the Test Kitchen. Each week they share their cooking and baking experiences with you on the Recipe Buzz® Blog.
Amanda
A self-proclaimed girl-on-the-go, Amanda is a full-time graphic designer by day, and an aspiring chef by night. She and her husband, Ryan, also love to entertain. As a result, they've learned to explore quick, delicious recipes that can be made in larger quantities, allowing them to make the most of their limited extra time.
Although she didn't cook much growing up, Amanda learned some very valuable lessons from her mom: Don't ever be afraid to try; Recipes are guidelines, not rules! Cooking is an adventure when you are comfortable testing new things. As a result, she believes that there is no "failure" when you cook or bake - you just learn tips to improve your dish (or recipe selection) for the next time. Good advice.
Amanda is just learning how exciting cooking and baking can be, and wants to try new recipes with you —and share in your successes. She is also the daughter-in-law of our very own Becky, from Ask Becky.
Amanda is paid to write for the Land O'Lakes Recipe Buzz® Blog.
Read Amanda's Posts In Our Recipe Buzz® Blog »
Liz
In addition to blogging for landolakes.com, Liz is also a writer for the monthly Measuring Cup® newsletter and a yoga teacher.
When she's not working, she's busy cooking or baking with her two favorite kitchen helpers—daughters, Kate and Zoey. As a busy mom who loves challenging recipes, making things from scratch, and entertaining, Liz has plenty of useful cooking and baking adventures to share.
Liz is paid to write for the Land O'Lakes Recipe Buzz® Blog.
Read Liz's Posts In our Recipe Buzz® Blog »
Alex
In our crazy household with two young boys and a busy husband, it seems we always have a schedule to keep! I live and die by technology for recipes and quick tips for meals.
As I grew up my mother was not much of a cook or baker. But, interestingly she gave me a kitchen gadget for almost any occasion in the hope of inspiring me! It has been a challenge for me to acquire baking and cooking skills. Today my mother-in-law who works in the Land O’Lakes Test Kitchens is available to answer my questions. Now that I have a family, it is important for me to cook and bake with my kids to incorporate an interest in what we are eating, to provide a healthy lifestyle and, most of all, to have time together around the table.
Having moved quite a bit, I have experienced food from several areas of the United States: East Coast Italian, traditions of the Deep South and of course…the Midwest “hot dish.”
My husband and I love to cook together, so we are always up for new, unique recipes and interesting fun ingredients. Our house is known as the impromptu gathering place where many of our friends like to bring their kids over for a fun evening, with barely an hour or two notice. Then, the cooking is ON!
Read Alex's Posts In Our Test Kitchen Blog »
Vicky
Growing up on a northeastern Minnesota family fishing resort, Vicky has always loved serving others. Beginning as a waitress at the age of 12 and cooking in the restaurant by 18, she is used to being in a kitchen. Over the years, cooking and baking became passions, using skills passed down from her mom and grandma. Now she passes those skills on to her children.
She’s a wife and the mom of 3 – a second-year college student son, a high school senior daughter, and younger son, 11 years old, in sixth grade. Working full-time, juggling volunteer and sports schedules, and keeping up with housework, Vicky is always looking for quick and easy recipes her family will enjoy. She and her husband set a menu each week planning meals around schedules and shopping for groceries once a week. She’s found that organization is the key to making it all work.
Besides an active family life, Vicky’s days are busy managing an enthusiastic team of people answering consumer, restaurant, and school customer questions. No two days are ever alike and she thrives on it!
Vicky is a manager of Consumer Affairs and Customer Concerns at Land O’Lakes.
Read Vicky's Posts In Our Test Kitchen Blog »
Bridget
Bridget is a thirty something wife and mom of two kids (Max and Lucie) and a cook who loves to try anything new: recipes, ingredients, restaurants, and food from around the world. She and her kids love to cook together and frequently entertain family and hungry neighbors.
In addition to trying new things, she and her family tend to their small urban garden, travel to far away places, and cook great food.
In her spare time, Bridget does interactive marketing and volunteers, teaching at-risk kids to cook.
Read Bridget's Posts In Our Test Kitchen Blog »
Tami
With three hungry, growing children, Tami devotes plenty of time to meal planning, preparation, and clean up. She encourages her children to be adventurous eaters, and was delighted when her seven-year-old recently ate a salad without picking off a single vegetable!
Because her family is often dashing to sports activities in the evenings, Tami seeks out recipes that are healthy, quick and easy. When her family is enjoying a leisurely day, baking together tops their list of fun family activities.
In addition to being a wife and mother, Tami provides childcare in her home, assists with a dollhouse miniature website, and works part time for a home builder.
Read Tami's Posts In Our Test Kitchen Blog »
Emily
Born the ninth of ten children, Emily learned the art of cooking from watching both her food-loving parents create hearty, homemade meals for their hungry brood. An extensive collection of cookbooks were used to plan elaborate Sunday meals based on various world cuisines. Asian, Mexican, Greek, Indian – from entrée to dessert she’d share a culinary adventure that still sparks her passion for good food.
Today, she continues the tradition of creating made-from-scratch meals for her husband and two children. With a “one-bite” rule for any new foods, she's managed to raise some fairly adventurous eaters. Home-grown vegetables and herbs in a few raised-bed gardens mean summers full of fresh produce, while her job in the Land O’Lakes Test Kitchen further “feeds” her obsession with all things food-related. Emily believes it’s possible to turn the necessary chore of feeding your family into a delicious shared adventure.
Read Emily's Posts In Our Test Kitchen Blog »
Julie
As a 30-year-old wife and mother of three, Julie knows all about the importance of finding quick, healthy meals that kids will enjoy. In fact, she's been known to refer to her cooking style as casual—fresh meat and vegetables with fresh herbs combined with a love of wine.
Her love for cooking and baking started at an early age when she grew up in South Texas. Being the only daughter in a family of five, she loved nothing more than helping her Mom in the kitchen. By the age of twelve, she could prepare a Thanksgiving feast that could rival even the best of cooks. She later added numerous skills to her repertoire, including learning how to professionally decorate cakes and cookies. Clearly, Julie has a wealth of knowledge—and she's eager to share it.
Julie is paid to write for the Land O'Lakes Recipe Buzz® Blog.
Read Julie's Posts In Our Recipe Buzz® Blog »
Sadie
Sadie knows what it means to find balance and joy in a full—and sometimes chaotic—life.
Sadie is a writer, dairy farmer and mom of three—Dan, 6; Monika, 4; and Daphne, 4 months.
She and her husband, Glen, milk cows on a small farm in Minnesota and have been a part of the Land O’Lakes cooperative since they started farming in 2005.
Sadie is a confident, creative cook and baker who looks for culinary inspiration everywhere from the
Internet to old church cookbooks. Once she finds recipes, however, she can’t resist
tweaking them—switching up the seasonings, substituting the meat, or even translating
stovetop meals to the slow cooker. Fortunately for her family, she keeps careful track of her changes, so she can always replicate a hit.
Sadie cooks and bakes almost exclusively with butter because she loves the wonderful flavor it adds.
Read Sadie's Posts In Our
Test Kitchen Blog »
She also blogs at The Dairy Good Life.
