Foodtastic Mom logo

Jill McOwen

Name and Family

I am a divorced (2019) mom of two wonderful children who are the loves of my life. My son Caleb is 21 years old and works full time at a job he loves. My daughter Hannah is 19 years old and is currently finishing her freshman year at college.

my children caleb and hannah

Over the years they have been my recipe testers in the kitchen, offering both helpful and humorous feedback. They both can vouch for my cooking and baking skills. And if asked they’ll tell you that having a food blogger as a Mom means mealtimes weren’t always typical. And that like most people we eat out sometimes and aren’t eating gourmet meals every night. Because Mom’s been cooking for work and doesn’t always feel like making something else for dinner.

I still use my married name, Jill McOwen, professionally and because it’s the name I share with both of my children. But you can also find me on my Facebook personal page (symbolically) under my maiden name, Jill Ann Faulder.

Expertise

Recipe development and testing since 2012. I am the sole photographer and videographer for all the recipes published on this website. I’m self taught in graphic design and social media management.

Education

I have a Bachelor of Arts in English from Wittenberg University (1994). Which definitely comes in handy for the technical writing needed for each recipe article that I publish.

Location

I grew up in Springfield, Ohio. But I’ve been living since 1999 in Cincinnati, Ohio so I now consider it to be my hometown. I have been a Cincinnati Bengals fan since I was 12 years old, long before I moved to Cincinnati!

Check out my recipe posts about Cincinnati here –

Find my recipes exclusively for Kroger

I was approached by The Kroger Company in 2024 to begin creating recipes exclusively for them – for their MyMagazine, Simple Truth and Private Selection mailers. This is contract work, so it’s related to me as Jill McOwen creating recipes for them, not Foodtastic Mom. Here’s links to all the recipes I’ve created for them so far –

  1. Pear and Brie Naan Appetizer
  2. Taco Lasagna Recipe
  3. Naan Tandoori Chicken Tacos
  4. One-Pan Caprese Chicken Bake
  5. Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Salad
  6. Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars
  7. 3-Ingredient Honeydew Sorbet
  8. Spring Confetti Ice Cream Sandwiches
  9. Watermelon Cupcakes
  10. Sausage and Dijon Rigatoni
  11. Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole
  12. Turkey and Black Bean Enchiladas
  13. Set It and Forget It Chicken
  14. 3-Way Tomato Sauce
  15. Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken and Veggies
  16. Shrimp Corn and Zucchini Sauté
  17. Vegan Chorizo and Sweet Potato Hash
  18. Vegan Caramelized Onion and White Bean Dip
  19. Make-ahead Stuffing Muffins Recipe
  20. Hot Honey Buffalo Chicken Dip
  21. Pecan Pie Dip
  22. Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
  23. Chorizo Chili Recipe
  24. Roasted Broccoli Caesar Salad
  25. Cranberry Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

Bourbon and Beyond

bourbon and beyond collage with Taylor Hawkins

In both 2019 and 2021 I was able to attend Bourbon and Beyond in Louisville, Kentucky as a VIP guest. In exchange for exclusive recipes that I created for them. And for social media coverage.

My most memorable moment was seeing Foo Fighters live (one of my favorite bands) and meeting their drummer Taylor Hawkins backstage. I was devastated when he passed away in 2022, and I treasure this picture I have of him riding around backstage on a golf cart.

Check out my posts about Bourbon and Beyond here –