My Story

My love for cooking started in my grandmother’s tiny kitchen in rural Indiana. I was six years old, perched on a wooden step stool, watching her roll out pie crust with flour-dusted hands. She never used measuring cups—everything was “a pinch” or “until it feels right.” The first time she let me crack an egg, I got shell everywhere. She just laughed and said, “That’s how we all learn, sweetheart.”

Those early afternoons taught me what really matters in the kitchen: patience, creativity, and cooking as a way to care for others.

Why I Started LemonOven

I’m 30 now and living in Chicago with my fiancé, where our tiny apartment kitchen serves as both a test lab and therapy space. Between long workdays, coffee breaks, and endless Chicago winters, I found myself spending more time perfecting the meals that make life feel a little brighter.

I started LemonOven after years of trying recipes that didn’t quite work—missing steps, strange ingredients, and impossible prep times. I wanted to create a space filled with recipes I’ve actually tested again and again, written clearly enough for anyone to follow and flexible enough to fit real life.

My Approach to Cooking

Every recipe on LemonOven is tested multiple times in my own kitchen using everyday tools and grocery-store ingredients. I time each step carefully so that the cook times you see are the ones you’ll get.

I write recipes the way I wish they’d been written when I was learning: with explanations for why each step matters, notes on substitutions, and honest advice about what freezes well (and what definitely doesn’t).

What You’ll Find Here

LemonOven focuses on four main categories. Weeknight dinners include meals like sheet pan lemon chicken, one-pot pasta, and 30-minute stir fries. Meal prep recipes are designed for Sunday cooking sessions that set up the whole week. Baking covers everything from chocolate chip cookies to the buttermilk biscuit recipe I inherited from my grandmother. Holiday and entertaining recipes are the dishes I bring to potlucks and serve when family visits.

A Little More About Me

I grew up outside Indianapolis but have called Chicago home for nearly a decade. My grandmother’s cast iron skillet is still my most-used kitchen tool. When I’m not cooking, I’m usually reading on the back porch, going on long walks by Lake Michigan with my fiancé, or exploring new cafés around the city.

Get in Touch

I read every comment and email. If you make one of my recipes, I’d love to hear how it turned out—especially if you made changes that worked well. Have questions about a recipe or need help with substitutions? I read every message and love hearing how these recipes work in your kitchen.

Thanks for being here.

— Lily Patterson

Email: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook.com/lemonovenofficial
Pinterest: pinterest.com/lemonovenofficial