Ann Wayne
Ann Wayne suffers from an obsession that many of us do: she is in love with her Instant Pot. "This love is so strong I have recently begun teaching Instant Pot cooking classes to help others learn pressure cooking and to share the love," the Lake Zurich resident beamed.
Wayne's interest in cooking blossomed watching television cooking shows, especially "Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals." Like Ray, she adores garlic and adds it into nearly everything. Onions and lemons come in at a second and third place in her list of favorite ingredients. The 55-year-old can also be spied sneaking vegetables into the food she prepares at home.
"My kids don't know. Shhhh, please don't tell them," Wayne admitted.
Her children probably do know about their mom's guilty pleasure, though. It's Wayne's own mother's homemade cookies. "Sugar, oatmeal, Snickerdoodle, chocolate crinkle, pizzelle, Ring-a-Rosie, chocolate chip, elephant ears - it doesn't matter, I'll eat them all," she confessed. Just keep her away from peanut butter. "I do not like the smell, and if my kids want a PB&J sandwich, they make it themselves."
The self-described "foodie" is always thinking about what she can cook next for her family. "I improvise and tweak recipes to make them healthier and gluten-free without compromising taste."
They adore Wayne's lasagna, and they never tire of it because she's always experimenting with different vegetables and cheeses. And that Instant Pot doesn't get much of rest when spare ribs are on sale. The gang really goes for her fall-off-the-bone rendition.
Among her favorite food memories is the time she ordered a salad with bleu cheese for the first time as a child. "It was amazing! And that was when I realized how one or two simple ingredients could completely alter and improve the taste of the food."
The COWC contestant also recalls the third date when her husband-to-be made spaghetti with canned sauce, soggy salad, and burnt garlic bread.
"Cooking for someone is a beautiful gift of generosity and a great way to show them how much you care," Wayne said. "Even a basic home-cooked meal takes time, effort and love. We've been married 30 years, but that is the last time I let him cook dinner!"
This contest isn't Wayne's first culinary rodeo. "I had a lot of fun last year participating in COWC and made new foodie friends while experimenting with different ingredients," she said. "I'm looking forward to the competition again and expressing my creativity using new products and ingredients."