Winner Profile Q&A

Tell us a little about yourself!

I'm a grad student at Wright State University studying to be an intervention specialist. I love to cook! I like to take recipes and add my own twists to them. I also like riding my bike and going for walks in my neighborhood.

Who do you cook for?

I LOVE to cook for my family. Tragically, my husband Dwayne, was killed in a car accident when another car struck us on 12/12/08. He actually proof read my recipe before I submitted it for this contest. So, now I am learning to cook for two, me and our daughter Danica who turned 3 on 1/5/09. She loves to grab her stool and stand next to me at the counter and help cook. I let her help pour ingredients and stir whatever is in the bowl. I am also the cook on our family fourth of July trip each year with Dwayne's family. I'm convinced the only reason they take me is to cook for them!

Why do you like to cook? What, if anything, do you dislike about cooking?

I like to cook because it makes others happy. Nobody gets upset when you bring them home-cooked food! The only thing I hate about cooking is the cleanup. I always make sure the dishwasher is empty before I start to cook so that I can just throw stuff in it as I'm done with it.

What are some of your cooking secrets or tips?

I cook a lot with cooking sprays because they greatly reduce the calories in meals. I also love to try different spices with my dishes. Flavor is very important in any meal.

Do you have any suggestions for cooking on a budget or in a time crunch?

I'm a bulk buyer. I buy chicken breast in bulk, get them home, trim them, put them individually in ziplock bags and put them in the freezer. This way I just pull out however many I need the night before I'm going to cook them. I portion a lot of items like crackers and snacks for my daughter's lunches. I buy yogurt and cottage cheese in the big containers and portion them into 4oz containers for our lunches, also.

What is dinnertime usually like for you and your family?

Dinnertime is when we talk about our day. We sit down together and tell one favorite thing about our day.

How does SeaPak make feeding your family easier?

My daughter loves the popcorn shrimp. They are quick to cook and paired with mac and cheese it's something she'll eat all of.

What are your favorite ways to use SeaPak products? What are your family's favorite SeaPak meals?

I usually buy the jumbo or popcorn shrimp and make mac and cheese or French fries for an easy quick meal.

If you have children (or a picky spouse), how do you get them to eat more seafood? In what ways do you ensure that they get healthful, well-balanced meals?

Danica is not a big fish eater. She will eat shrimp, but for some reason not the fish. However, if I go ahead and flake it on her plate, not cut it, but flake it, she will eat it. Also, if it's in a pasta she will eat it, because I don't think she really sees it.