Hi, Iโm Jen and I live in Carlsbad, California (north San Diego), with my husband, Patrick, and my furry, four legged daughter, Kiwi, and together we WELCOME YOUย to Carlsbad Cravings!!! Iโm a cystic fibrosis survivor, lung & kidney transplant recipient, LOVER of life and FOOD!
At Carlsbad Cravings (est. 2014), you will find only my tried and true daringly delicious recipesย with big, BOLD flavors โ or what I like to describe as extraordinary flavors out of everyday ingredients. My #1 goal is to create the best version of every recipe (in my opinion), whether itโs Mexican, Italian, Asian or Greek. And if itโs not the best, then it doesnโt get shared! So, you can cook with confidence from my website, and hopefully youโll think each recipe is โthe bestโ too and discover many new favorites!
How it began
Some people escape in dreams of sandy beaches and sunny skies, I escape in dreams of mangos, chipotle peppers and bacon. ย My creativity as a former interior designer flourishes in the kitchen asย I find something so satisfying in creating delicious, flavorful (spices are my forte!), fresh foodโฆand then eating it!
Asย Dieter F. Uchtdorfย said:
โCreation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty. โฆโ or something delicious!
I have been cooking and creating new recipes almost every day of the week since I got married in 2006 (see our love story here) and even created my own binder long before Carlsbad Cravings was born (see recipe binder below). When I was in desperate need of a kidney transplant and would come home from work exhausted with legs and feet so swollen I could only wear sandals and skirts (none of my shoes or pants would fit!), all l wanted to do was cook. Cooking and creating reinvigorated my exhausted self by feeding my mind, body and soul.
After I was blessed with new-found energy from my kidney transplant in October 2013 thanks to my doner sister (my lung transplant was in 1999), my doctor cautioned me about going back to work when I was so immune-suppressed. At that point, I was wondering what to do when my sister-in-law suggested I start a food blog. The words pierced my soul and I knew that was what I was supposed to do. I researched how to start a cooking site, how to turn it into a living and then I jumped in and never looked back!
Since launching Carlsbad Cravings in February 2014, I have shared over a thousand recipes that have reached over 140 million readers. I am honored every day to be invited into your homes. Thank you for making my recipes, trusting my recipes, leaving comments and for following along! You are the reason Iโm allowed to do what I do! xo
Getting started โ What seasonings to stock
To make every recipe the best version of itself, I rely heavily on seasonings. Seasonings MAKE a recipe! To that end, many of my recipes look like they have many ingredients, but often most of them are just dump-in spices, so please donโt be intimidated. I cook with the same spices all of the time, so once you purchase them, youโll have everything youโll need! Here are the pantry spices I recommend (you can purchase them little by little):
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dried basil
- dried parsley
- dried oregano
- dried thyme
- chili powder
- chipotle chile pepper
- ground cumin
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- ground ginger
- chicken bouillon
- beef bouillon
jump to recipe button
To help readers succeed and eliminate any guesswork, I include detailed tips and tricks in every recipe post. If you just want the recipe, you can use the โjump to recipeโ button located at the top of every post to skip directly to the recipe. With that, everyone wins! Now, I hope you enjoy exploring my site and hopefully will create your own recipe binder full of Carlsbad Cravings favorites!
Want to Know More?
If you are curious about my journey with cystic fibrosis, my lung transplant, kidney transplant, love story
and more of my life, click on the links below:
Do You Love to Cook?
Sign up to receive recipe updates in our newsletter:
Lynne says
Hi, Jen. I would love to share my Greek meatball picture, it was to die for, but I donโt understand how to leave a comment. Your instructions say: Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs. Iโm clueless. ๐
Jen says
Hi Lynne! I am so happy that you loved it! If you post a picture of a dish from my website on social media you can tag me in the description of the picture. I hope that helps! Thanks so much!!
Grace Wright says
Hi I am enjoying your web site I would like to buy your cook book, but it states I stopped Shopify. I do not know what this is at all. Can you help me
Jen says
Hi Grace! Thank you for bringing this to my attention! Sorry for the inconvenience. We fixed it and you can now order it! I hope you love it!
Kathy Eckhart says
Unable to order cookbook!! I keep getting error messages. How can i Order directly please
Jen says
Thanks so much for letting me know Kathy! We got it fixed so you should be able to order it now! I hope you love it!
Sue Hendrix says
Hi Jen, I am trying to order your cookbook but I keep getting an error message that says โ your connection to Shopify has expired. Please disconnect and reconnect your WordPress site to Shopifyโ. Since I donโt have a WordPress site I imagine the message is on your end โโ๏ธ. Just FYI.
Jen says
Thanks so much Sue! I have a tech guy working on it โ seems to be a more extensive issue than previously thought. My apologies! Hopefully it should be fixed in a day or two.
Cynthia says
I made your Pear Crisp and it was such a big hit with my husband of 68 years. He absolutely adored it!
Jen says
Hi Cynthia! Congrats on reaching 68 years with your husband! Thatโs amazing! Iโm so thrilled that you and your hubby loved my Pear Crisp recipe!
Nickie says
Jennifer, you are amazing both personally and professionally! My family and I want to thank you for the amazing San Diego flavored recipes~I had no idea the spices and tips were key to eating home town comfort foods every night! You are our go to for any and every recipe in our weekly meals. Thank you and please keep the recipes coming!!!!
Jen says
Yay Nickie! Thank you so much for your kind words! You are so sweet to take the time to let me know that you love the flavors of my recipes! I hope you continue to find favorites from my site!
Tanya says
Hi Jen! Is there anyway to see the recipes by rating? Iโve made so many of your recipes and they are all SO good! Iโd love to try and make all of your highest rated recipes!
Jen says
Hi Tanya! Thanks for your question! If you click on the category Method, Type, or Flavor and then any of the items, the first recipes I list are my most popular recipes in that category. I hope that helps! I also used my most popular recipes in my new Cookbook ๐ Iโm so happy to hear that youโre enjoying my recipes!
Trudy Ligon says
Hi Jen:
I have been making your recipes for several months now. I am not even sure how I started getting your emails. Maybe I saw something in Facebook or Instagram. But regardless where and when I started, I have loved every recipe.
Today was the first day I read your story โ was totally impressed on how you began. I will continue making your recipes and I would love to share them on my Newsletter to Family and Friends. I am in real estate and I send out monthly newsletters to my sphere and I always include a recipe. I will make sure I share some of yours in those newsletters.
Thanks so much for what you are doing. You are an inspiration!! Trudy Ligon, Wilmington, North Carolina
Jen says
Hi Trudy! You made my day with your sweet comment! ๐ Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with my recipes! Iโm absolutely thrilled that youโve loved them and that you want to share the love of yummy food with others! I hope theyโre a hit on your newsletter!
Diane Mamulski says
Hi Jen. I have loved every one of your wonderful recipes that I have tried. Thank you thank you thank you for sharing your love of cooking with all of us.
Jen says
Hi Diane! Your comment made my day! That makes me so happy to hear how much you have enjoyed making my recipes! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Mary Lee says
Jen
I love your site and your recipes, especially being able to see how they are made. There in lies the problem. I just tried to see the video about pecan pie cookies,\, had to sit through 9 ads, something of them more than once. This isnโt the first time either. Then when the video did come on it cut off and went back to the ads. I realize this is how you get revenue but it is really over the top and irritating. Anything you can do to solve this?
Jen says
Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention Mary Lee! There should just be one ad before the video โ so sorry about that! Iโm forwarding your message to my ad team immediately.
Moira Rudin says
Hello Jennifer
I bought your cookbook. We make recipes about three times per week and love them all. I impressed by your talent, courage and stamina. I have a long time friend who has been through an ordeal with a kidney transplant. Iโd like to buy her your book but Iโm wondering if you could sign it with some type of encouragement. Please let me know. My cell phone number is 818-730-1581.
Thank you.
Moira
Jen says
Hi Moira, I emailed you directly. Please let me know if you donโt see my message. Best!
james mills md says
We used to live in Carlsbad, 18th hole of El Camino GC. Now its Dallas and Palm Springs.Miss Carlsbad..Best friend lived on North end of beach in one of the 4 semi-look alikes,very near the military school.At 91 about all I can do is cook, so will look forward to being on your list
Jen says
Hi James! Welcome to my site! Iโm so happy you found me! Carlsbad is beautiful! Thatโs amazing that you are still cooking at 91! What is your favorite type of food to make? I hope you find many recipes to enjoy making and eating! Cheers!