About Me

Meet Mindy!

Hey y’all! I’m Mindy, a self-taught home cook who loves making easy, no-fuss recipes. My goal? To share delicious dishes anyone can whip up. No fancy ingredients, no weird gadgets, and no complicated techniques. Just simple, satisfying food you’ll want to make again and again!

I have been developing and publishing recipes since 2016, and I still personally create, test, photograph, and write every recipe that appears on Mindy’s Cooking Obsession. There’s nothing better than serving a dish I’ve developed and hearing everyone rave about how good it is. When the kids come home to visit and try something new, I love when they say, “This tastes like something from a restaurant!” And when we eat out, Lee often says, “It’s not as good as yours.” That’s the best feeling ever!

I have developed recipes for brands like Hiland Dairy, Kellogg’s, International Delight, Montchevre, Ragu and Smithfield. My work has been featured on sites such as Essence, Purewow, SheKnows and Mashed.

Every recipe on Mindy’s Cooking Obsession is tested in my home kitchen using everyday ingredients from local grocery stores. I create and test recipes myself, then write detailed instructions and tips based on what worked (and sometimes what didn’t).

My goal is to make recipes that are easy for home cooks to follow, whether you’re making dinner for your family, learning to cook for the first time, or just looking for a simple meal that fits into a busy schedule.

Before a recipe is published, I prepare it, photograph it, and write the instructions based on my own testing and experience. Many recipes are tested multiple times before they appear on the site.

What You’ll Find on Mindy’s Cooking Obsession

Everyday Ingredients – My tagline says it all: Making delicious dishes using everyday ingredients. I shop at two major grocery stores in Wichita, and if I can’t find an ingredient there, I assume many of you can’t either. Instead of making things complicated, I tweak recipes to use what’s available so you can cook without the hassle of hunting down specialty items.
Easy Recipes – My recipes are straightforward, with step-by-step instructions that make cooking a breeze. Whether you’re a beginner, a seasoned home cook, a teen learning the ropes, or just a busy adult trying to get dinner on the table, I’ve got you covered.
Down-Home Cooking – I love classic comfort food but also enjoy giving old-school recipes a modern twist. Think homestyle favorites with a little extra flair!

Mindy’s Cooking Obsession

I launched this blog in March 2016 while juggling life as a full-time mom and college student. After graduating in December 2017, I started working full-time as an accountant, and, if I’m being honest, the blog took a backseat for a while.

Fast forward to March 2022, and I decided it was time to really give it my all. I worked my 40-hour-a-week accounting job, came home, got dinner on the table, and then spent a couple of hours working on the blog. Weekends? They were packed with grocery shopping, recipe testing, cooking, and photography.

That hustle paid off! In April 2024, my blog income more than doubled my day job salary, and I finally took the leap. I quit my 9-to-5 and became a full-time food blogger! Today, I spend my days developing recipes, testing new ideas, photographing food, and helping home cooks make simple meals with everyday ingredients.

Mindy’s Cooking Obsession Reader Favorites

A Little More About Me!

I’ve been married to my best friend, Lee, since 1991. We have two amazing adult kids and two sweet grandkids. Wichita, Kansas, is where we call home.

I wish I could say I learned to cook from my mom or grandma, but that just wasn’t my reality. I had a tough childhood without role models to guide me (well, maybe I learned what not to do). Teaching myself how to cook was actually one of the easier things I had to figure out on my own.

When I first got married, my cooking skills were rough. It took me way too many tries to make pancakes that weren’t a total disaster. And gravy? Let’s just say it took years before I finally nailed it. Around age 27, one of Lee’s buddies shared some tips, and for the first time, I made cream gravy that didn’t taste like paste. It was a game-changer!

Back when the kids were little, money was tight, and they were super picky eaters. I didn’t have as much freedom in the kitchen as I do now, but some of our favorite go-to meals were born during that time—and we still make them today!

These days, we cook at home six nights a week and are always looking for meals that are budget-friendly, healthy, and easy. Not all of my recipes fit that mold, but most of them do. I also love challenging myself in the kitchen—I try at least four or five new recipes every month from other food blogs. Some are instant hits and get added to our rotation, while others… well, let’s just say they never get made again!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you do anything to the food to make it more photogenic?

Nope! What you see is what you get. I want my photos to truly represent what you’ll get when you make the recipe.

Is the calorie information accurate?

I didn’t start adding nutrition facts until about six years into blogging, so some recipes don’t have them yet—I’m working on it, but it’s a process! I use an automated nutrition calculator, which pulls data from a database. If an ingredient isn’t in the system, I have to add it manually, and honestly, I just don’t have time to do that for every recipe. Because of this, I can’t guarantee the numbers are 100% accurate for the specific brands or products you’re using. If you need exact nutrition info, I recommend calculating it yourself using a tool you trust.

How do you develop your recipes?

Some recipes are family favorites I’ve been making for years, while others are inspired by flavors or ingredients I want to try. I develop recipes in my home kitchen using everyday ingredients and simple techniques that work for real families. My goal is to create recipes that are easy to follow and easy to find ingredients for.

Do you test every recipe before publishing?

Absolutely! Every recipe on Mindy’s Cooking Obsession is made in my kitchen before it is published. Some recipes come together perfectly the first time, but many are tested multiple times to adjust ingredients, cooking times, or instructions until I’m happy with the results. Once a recipe is finalized, I photograph it and write the instructions based on my own testing.

My Favorite Recipes

Meet Our Rescue Cats

🐾 Mister Patrick O’ Meowy was born around mid-2019. He’s a short-haired white cat with gray patches and faint tabby stripes on his tail. Our youngest adopted him from a Nevada shelter at about seven months old and brought him home to us. Since it happened on St. Patrick’s Day, his name was a no-brainer! These days, Mister is my loyal lap cat. He snuggles up with me nearly every evening while I watch TV.

Me sitting on the couch with my cat Mister Patrick O'Meowy laying on my lap.

🐾 Frankie Falafel was born in mid-2020 and is a long-haired black cat with a smoky gray hue around his neck. Our youngest (again!) found him as a tiny kitten—probably around 10 weeks old—behind the Mediterranean restaurant where they worked. That’s how he got his name! Originally, he was called Francis Falafel, but once we realized she was actually a he, we switched it to Frankie.

Our black cat, Frankie falafel, sitting on a cow print bar stool.

🐾 Eleanor is our regal long-haired orange tabby, born in early 2018. She showed up in our neighborhood as a stray, and when she was about four years old, we officially took her in. Now, she’s part of the family!

Our orange kitty Eleanor sitting on a laundry hamper.

We love animals, and besides our three spoiled kitties, we also feed a couple of neighborhood strays—plus any other critters that wander into our yard. So far, we’ve had visits from opossums, foxes, and raccoons!