Our Story

Note From Lori Pederson:

I have always enjoyed cooking and entertaining.  Michelle and I helped our mom as she cooked for parties and holidays that she hosted at our home.  We were also very active in 4-H, and exhibited our baked goods at fairs and won many blue ribbons.

As I moved away from home and had to start cooking for myself on a regular basis, I found that cooking was a way to relax from a stressful day.  My office seemed to reap the benefits of my stress because I would always bring cookies, breads and other goodies into the office for them to enjoy.

I have found that when I am in the kitchen cooking, the world fades away and I become completely engrossed in the process of creating.  Cooking has become an artistic expression for me in which all my joy, passion and love can be mixed into a bowl to bring pleasure to all those around me.  It is also the one thing that I can do where I feel my mother's love deeply inside me.  I can always feel her guiding touch and insights when I cook.

Writing a cookbook is no easy task.  My sister and I have revised Mom's Best Recipes more times than we want to remember.  But to create a cookbook in our mother's memory has always been important to me.  It is a true tribute to her spirit and the essence of who she was.  Cooking and entertaining brought great joy to our mother.  She blessed so many friends and family members with her special gift.  She continues to touch us all through the love she put into each of her recipes.

Bon Appétit!

Lori Pederson
sales@momsbestrecipes.com

A Note From Michelle Pederson-Tomes:

When my sister asked me to work on a cookbook of our mom's recipes, I was reluctant to say the least.  I had two small children who took up most of my time and creative energy.  I could not conceive of putting together a cookbook without completely losing my mind.  It took me several years to even settle into the concept.  Not my sister Lori, she has always thought this was a good idea and has encouraged me all along.

It wasn't until I got a home computer and color printer that I finally felt like this was possible.  My husband and children don't always understand why I'm always on the computer changing pictures or adding recipes, or why I'm constantly e-mailing my sister to ask her one more question.  Now that they have seen the final product, I think they finally understand what all the fuss was about.

We haven't done this alone by any means.  With the help of our family and friends, we have tested recipes, had them print the books, and asked questions on cooking methods and recipe quantities.  A lot of the recipes had never been written down.  We definitely could not have done this without their help.

This hasn't been an easy process.  I have shed many tears over the loss of my mother and that she isn't here to see what we have done in her honor.  I really did not understand the magnitude of who she was until we started this book.  Many people that knew her have been very favorable to our book.  She was at her best when she was cooking and planning parties.  It was her passion.  Her friends and family were extremely lucky to have had her to bring us all together through her generous spirit.

Although I like experimenting with new recipes, I still enjoy the traditional ones as well.  It helps me to feel connected to my family roots.  My daughters also enjoy cooking.  They have already won blue ribbons for their baked goods.  My husband likes to try out new recipes.  Cooking together is definitely part of our family life.

A quote by Harriet Van Horne sums up the way our family feels about cooking.  It reads: "Cooking is like Love.  It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."

Enjoy!

Michelle Pederson-Tomes
michelle@momsbestrecipes.com

MOM'S BEST RECIPES©