Hi there! I’m Jena, mom to a sweet and spirited 5-year-old girl, lifelong cooking enthusiast, and the creator behind Jena Recipes. I’m 34 years old, living in a peaceful small town in the U.S., and working part-time as a school assistant. Life is busy, but the kitchen is my happy place — where I slow down, reconnect, and pour love into every meal.
Growing up in a busy household with three siblings, dinner had to be fast, filling, and able to feed a small crowd. My grandmother was the queen of shortcuts that didn’t skimp on comfort, and I soaked it all in. Some of my fondest memories are of us baking cookies late at night after homework, or whipping up dump cakes on rainy Saturdays. That spirit of joyful, no-fuss cooking stuck with me, and now it’s what I try to pass on through every recipe I share.
My grandmother taught me everything: to cook with love, to be patient, and to let food speak where words fall short. I was her little helper, wooden spoon in hand, eyes wide with curiosity. The moments I spent with her filled more than just my stomach — they filled my soul.
I’m not classically trained, but I’ve been cooking since I was old enough to hold a whisk. My kitchen education came from church potlucks, hand-me-down recipe cards, and a whole lot of trial and error (don’t ask about the time I forgot the sugar in a pie—though it did become an oddly popular story in our family!).
These days, I love nothing more than pulling out a mixing bowl and dreaming up desserts that take less than 30 minutes but taste like they took all day. Think one-bowl brownies, skillet peach cobblers, five-minute fudge, and my favorite: no-bake peanut butter bars that disappear as fast as I make them.
Now, I cook with my daughter, continuing that quiet, beautiful legacy. Every recipe you find here comes straight from my own kitchen — tested at home, loved by my family. This blog isn’t just another recipe website. It’s a real piece of my life — what I actually cook, in real time, for my loved ones. No fancy tricks or impossible ingredients. Just honest, flavorful food made to bring joy and make life a little easier.
My goal is to show that making something delicious doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen. If you’ve got ten minutes, a few pantry staples, and a sweet tooth, you’re already halfway there. I hope you’ll find a little inspiration here, and maybe even start your own kitchen traditions, the kind your kids will pass down with flour on their noses and love in their hearts.
Jena Recipes is also my way of honoring my grandma — her kindness, her warmth, and the way she made every meal feel like love on a plate. Her recipes were never written down… but they’re forever engraved in my heart.
Thank you for being here. Welcome to my kitchen.