This is a replay to get the video version onto podcast apps. Enojoy! Season 3, Episode 11: From Flight Attendant to Cookie Artist: A Sweet Journey of Resilience. Watch the video version of our chat on my YouTube channel https://youtu.be/KBKzsMqKfS0

Discover how a furloughed flight attendant transformed adversity into opportunity by launching "Cookies on the Fly," a unique cookie business specializing in artistic and creative custom confections. After finding a simple recipe online, this self-taught baker developed her signature style, mastering royal icing techniques and creating spectacular edible art that consistently sells out at events. She became a cookie artist!

#minnesota #minnesotacookier #cookier #minnesotabaking #minnesotabusiness #cookies #cookiebaking #foodart

Working from her Minnesota home kitchen under a cottage food license, she fills custom orders plus, more recently, collaborates with independent authors to transform their book covers into delectable treats, creating interactive experiences at book fairs, including the Book Fair for Grownups hosted by Inbound Brewco at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds (hear her story of winning a Minnesota State Fair cookie decorating contest). Custom book cover cookies are the ultimate best book swag! Despite facing challenges with state shipping restrictions and scaling demands, her business soared after a Valentine's Day feature, proving that sometimes the sweetest success stories come from unexpected directions.

From bachelorette parties to pet-themed cookies, each creation tells a story of creativity and passion. Her journey culminated in winning a novice cookie decorating competition at the state fair, establishing her presence in the local baking community.

Ready to be inspired by this remarkable story of reinvention and resilience? Tune in to hear how a career pivot led to the perfect recipe for success! Check out her custom cookie decorating for your next party, use a local Minnesota catering business!

Connect with Kristi and order cookies: https://www.cookiesonthefly.com/

Find her also on Instagram.

Estimated Timeline:

00:00:02 - Creative Cookie Ideas for Book Fairs
00:04:02 - Challenges of Cookie Decorating
00:05:59 - Creating Custom Cookie Recipes
00:09:55 - Creating a Cookie Business Name
00:11:32 - Starting a Cookie Business During COVID
00:22:57 - Challenges of Shipping Cookies
00:26:04 - Valentine's Day Cookie Success Story
00:28:33 - Favorite Cookie Themes and Personalization
00:37:12 - Growing a Cookie Business
00:44:01 - Future Plans for Cookie Business
00:48:14 - Creative Cookie Classes for Special Events
00:51:09 - Challenges of Cookie Decorating for Events
01:00:26 - Authors and Creative Collaborations
01:03:14 - Importance of Personal Connections in Bookstores
01:06:27 - Custom Orders and Upcoming Markets

Support the show

Podcast host Julie's cookbook and YA Contemporary Romance novel:

Books!

My hardcover cookbook is $3.00 off. Get the book: One Dish Two Diets Split Table Recipes Cookbook https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/36b9ce90-6b57-11ec-837f-8f2460b6a963

My YA contemporary romance book Cabin Crew https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/7b524416-f7c1-11ef-aa8a-9ba899cb9223

Happy eating! Take care,

Julie

Visit my website: https://www.juliehoagwriter.com/
Music by Young Presidents, "So Excited".
Copyright Julie A. Hoag Julie Hoag Writer LLC 2022-2026

Veggie Lover's Hybrid Spaghetti Hotdish, Make it Meatless and Vegetarian in One Dish. You can cook for both vegetarians and meat-eaters in one dish! This recipe is one way that you can easily do it so you don't have to be a short order cook.

Ingredients:

• About 1 1/2 c. broccoli, cut into florets and steamed
• 1 red pepper, cut up into pieces
• big container of white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, cut up into pieces
• 6 medium tomatoes, whole and roasted (see below)
• 1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked according to the package instructions (I remove some noodles and don't use them all for the dish, unless you have a very large baking dish or use less veggies, do at your discretion)
• 9 cloves garlic, minced
• 25 oz. red tomato pasta sauce, any kind
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• precooked meatballs, as many as desired to fill up half to three-quarters of the dish

Substitutions I've done include: 1 lb rigatoni pasta instead of spaghetti noodles, 10 oz cherry tomatoes instead of 6 medium, switch out the broccoli for 4-6 cups fresh spinach, switch red pepper for green, chop up 2 portabello mushroom caps instead of sliced white mushrooms, I've also used zucchini in this dish (use less of the other veggies to get it all to fit in the dish).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss tomatoes with olive oil and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degreees for 15 minutes or so, until the skin wilts and bursts.
3. Cook pasta.
4. Steam broccoli.
5. Saute other veggies in oil, add garlic, dried basil, salt, pepper. Stir while cooking.
6. If using spinach, add it to wilt it.
7. Add veggie mixture to pasta sauce and stir to combine.
8. Smash roasted tomatoes and add them to the mixture. Stir.
9. Mix cheeses together in a separate bowl.
10. Add 1 cup cheese mixture to the veggie and pasta sauce. Stir.
11. Add cooked pasta and stir.
12. Heat oven to 425.
13. Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with the coconut oil and transfer the mixture to the dish.
14. Press cooked meatballs into the pasta dish as desired, depending on how many meatless and how many meat containing portions are desired.
15. Top with remaining cheese.
16. Place on a low oven rack to cook. Cook for 40-60 minutes, until sauce bubbles and cheese is beginning to brown. I have a range here for the cooking time to accomodate the different combos of veggies I've listed.
17. Enjoy!

Books!

My hardcover cookbook is $3.00 off. Get the book: One Dish Two Diets Split Table Recipes Cookbook https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/36b9ce90-6b57-11ec-837f-8f2460b6a963

My YA contemporary romance book Cabin Crew https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/7b524416-f7c1-11ef-aa8a-9ba899cb9223

Happy eating! Take care,

Julie

Support the show

Visit my website: https://www.juliehoagwriter.com/
Music by Young Presidents, "So Excited".
Copyright Julie A. Hoag Julie Hoag Writer LLC 2022-2026

Season 4, Episode 7: Crockpot Mushrooms, the easy way and the longer way. This recipe is a nice and easy recipe to set it and forget it, a typical crockpot recipe plan.

It's great as a side dish, as appetizers, or on pasta or steak. The amount of mushrooms doesn't really matter, so it's flexible.

Ingredients the easy way:

• 2 multi mushroom packs of gourmet mushrooms (Costco pack)
• optional white mushrooms or bella, any amount
• 1 packet dry Ranch Dressing mix
• 1 packet dry Italian Dressing mix
• 2 sticks melted butter (1 cup)

Instructions:

1. Wash mushrooms (remove stems if desired)
2. Melt butter in the microwave or in a saucepan.
3. Pour the melted butter into a crockpot.
4. Add dressing mixes and stir.
5. Add mushrooms and stir.
6. Cook in the crockpot for 3-4 hours on low or 1 1/2 - 2 hours on high.
7. Serve using a slotted spoon to leave butter behind.

Ingredients the longer way:

• 2 multi mushroom packs of gourmet mushrooms
• optional white mushrooms or bella, any amount
• 1 sticks melted butter (1 cup)
• 1 packet dry Ranch Dressing mix
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp black pepper, optional
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt, optional

Salt and pepper are optional, but I think it tastes better with them in it.

Instructions:

1. Same as above with mushrooms.
2. Add melted butter to crockpot and all the rest of the ingredients.
3. Stir.
4. Add mushrooms, stir to coat.
5. Cook as listed above.

Books!

My hardcover cookbook is $3.00 off. Get the book: One Dish Two Diets Split Table Recipes Cookbook https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/36b9ce90-6b57-11ec-837f-8f2460b6a963

My YA contemporary romance book Cabin Crew https://storyoriginapp.com/universalbooklinks/7b524416-f7c1-11ef-aa8a-9ba899cb9223

Happy New Year!

Julie

Support the show

Visit my website: https://www.juliehoagwriter.com/
Music by Young Presidents, "So Excited".
Copyright Julie A. Hoag Julie Hoag Writer LLC 2022-2025