About Sharon Farnell : Jawns I Cooked

Hi- and Welcome to Jawns I Cooked!

I’m Sharon, a Philly born-and-raised, self-proclaimed food enthusiast, and the author of the recipes you’ll find here at Jawns I Cooked! This site was born out of my undying love for cooking, and all that comes with it. I’m a big foodie nerd, and in my spare time, you’ll find me cooking for friends for fun (I love to grill!), flipping through my extensive collection of cookbooks for inspiration, or nerding out on the science behind it all watching Lan Lam and Dan Souza on America’s Test Kitchen!

Sharon Farnell, Author, Jawns I Cooked- About me

My prized possessions include my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, my collection of All Clad pans, as well as a vast array of cooking tools and equipment. To say cooking is my passion is an understatement.

When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll find me playing with my French Bulldog, Ms. Frankie, touring wineries and breweries, camping, river tubing, shooting darts, going on fun getaways, or collecting a never-ending selection of dresses (I have a problem).

Keep up with me and the Jawns I Cook on TikTok, Youtube, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!

What You'll Find at Jawns I Cooked

Good food. I’ve got Tasty dinner recipes, side dishes, breakfast ideas, simple cocktails, smoker recipes, holiday entertaining recipes, and all manner of appetizers and snacks for parties and game day! I’ve also got a small section of tasty desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth!
Accessible ingredients. I try to keep hard-to-find and expensive ingredients to a minimum. Almost all the recipes at Jawns I Cooked can be made with items you can find in your local grocery store, keeping things easy-peasy.
Substitutions and Additions. I like to help you make recipes your own, work with your personal preferences, and keep things on budget by using items you already have in your fridge and pantry.
Inventive recipes for parties and entertaining. I like to do a bit of fusion and fun twists on classic recipes to keep things fun and interesting (and never boring). Check out some great recipe examples, like my Croque Madame Chilaquiles, Grilled Antipasti Skewers, or South Philly Pork Burgers! Sometimes an idea just comes to me, and it also just so happens to be delicious.
Prompt responses to questions and comments. I love to hear from you, and am here to help when it comes to recipe questions and substitutions.

What you won't find here

A lot of fad recipes or “trendy” dishes. I make my content based on what I find delicious and easy to prepare, and often times, trendy TikTok recipes are just not on my radar.
Special diet recipes or weight loss tips. I aim to keep things healthy and balanced, with an “everything in moderation” approach to cooking and eating. You won’t find extensive macros information or Keto diet friendly recipes here, but you will find super delicious meals!
Recipes that sacrifice flavor for convenience. While many of my recipes are easy to make, or utilize the Crockpot, Instant Pot, or even the Microwave, you’ll never see me skip a sear or that extra bit of seasoning or garlic if the recipe really needs it. It’s gotta be good!

My Career Journey

When I graduated High School, I will be honest- I really was not sure what I wanted to be. So I took a year off to figure that out, and what I first figured out was that being in Retail was not it. While working at Rite Aid as a Cashier and Photo Lab operator (One Hour Photo- showing my age), I eventually decided to enroll at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, in their Graphic Design program. I was always creative, and it made sense, and felt right. While studying there, I moved on to Bartending, which was a much more lucrative (and fun) way to pay my college tuition.

When I graduated with an Associates Degree in Graphic Design, I took on a Graphic Design job at a Music Magazine, which was great because my dream was to design for Musicians. The pay was not great, and I also bartended on the side. Unfortunately, the Magazine eventually went under, and I was back on the job hunt after 5 years. I eventually landed a position at a Marketing Firm in Philadelphia, where I worked for 7 years prior to starting the blog.

While working downtown at the Marketing Firm, I found myself gravitating toward exploring Reading Terminal Market and other local shops for new and exciting things to take home and cook, eventually creating both a Facebook and Instagram to share my favorite dishes I’d create. I toyed with the idea of starting a food blog for years, but with my demanding job, I never had the drive or energy to do it.

When I was laid off from the Marketing Firm, I did a lot of soul searching, and decided to not only go into business for myself as a Freelance Graphic Designer, but to also finally start that blog. With the help of my bestie and a lot of long nights, I finally got Jawns I Cooked live in October of 2019. Things progressed slowly, but I kept putting consistent effort into making this a space for great recipes, and with time and lots of late nights, Jawns I Cooked is now my main source of income, and my true passion.

Brand Partnerships

Here are some of the brands I have had the pleasure of working with:

As Featured in:

Check out my featured content:

Interviews

I've had the pleasure of being interviewed by the following publications and Podcasts:

My Doggie Daughter

My doggie daughter, Ms. Frankie (aka Piglet) is always on hand to “help” me cook- and by “help,” I mean snort and fart beneath my feet as I work on breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts- hey, she’s gotta try. Sadly, Ms. Frankie will never know the taste of a scrap of perfectly seared filet or even a nub of juicy fried chicken, as she has IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) and can only eat prescribed veterinary diet food (and the occasional piece of cheese).

Frankie is a lot of work, and requires frequent trips to the vet and daily medications, but she is the sweetest little girl, and I love her to pieces. If you are interested in seeing adorable photos of Frankie on the daily (and who isn’t?) you can follow her @msfrankiethefrenchie on Instagram.