Elise Jesse

8 years in local television as a sports reporter and 5 years as a writer for Sports Illustrated covering the NFL with an emphasis on the Cincinnati Bengals
Recipient of an Ohio Valley Emmy Award in broadcast journalism
Creator of @ejscookin, a FoodTok account with almost 90K followers

Experience

Elise is a home chef, recipe developer and food influencer. She enjoys experimenting with different flavors and techniques and sharing the results with her thousands (and thousands) of followers on TikTok and Instagram.

Her cooking experience spans decades, beginning in her Grandma Jan's kitchen, where she watched in awe as everyday meals became events complete with individual desserts. Elise helped her mother re-create recipes from Taste of Home in the '80s and '90s, and now she takes pride in sharing the joy of cooking with her own family.

Outside Taste of Home, Elise is chasing after her young daughter and son and attending University of Cincinnati basketball games in support of her husband. You can also find her tending to the family's "pizza garden" or watching '90s movies.

Education

Mount Saint Joseph University, bachelor's in psychology with a minor in communication studies

Taste of Home Editorial Policies

Taste of Home, a Trusted Media Brand, has been a reliable source for recipes, cooking tips and entertaining advice for more than 30 years. Every month, our content inspires well over 20 million home cooks to get creative in the kitchen. Each one of our 40 thousand recipes has gone through a rigorous testing and approval process to ensure we’re sharing the very best. Every snack, ingredient and product we recommend is tested by our team of culinary experts and professional product testers—the best of the best earn our Test Kitchen-Preferred seal of approval. Learn more about Taste of Home and our Test Kitchen and editorial teams.

Articles & Recipes

Elise Jesse’s Citrus Yogurt Bark

This citrus yogurt bark is perfect for when you want something sweet, light and wholesome. Creamy Greek yogurt is sweetened with honey and vanilla, then topped with vibrant citrus, juicy pomegranate seeds and a touch of crunchy granola. It is quick to make, is fun to break apart, and makes a beautiful no-bake snack or dessert that feels as good to eat as it looks. —Elise Jesse, Cincinnati, Ohio

Elise Jesse’s Spinach Dip Bites

Being in the kitchen reminds me of my late grandmother, Jan, and during the holiday season, I aim to make sure her memory is at the forefront because she always made the holiday meals in our family so special. At Christmastime, she always made her famous spinach dip and served it with corn chips. This is my modern twist on a classic. Each cup is a melty, portable version of spinach dip that captures everything she loved about this appetizer. —Elise Jesse, Cincinnati, Ohio

Elise Jesse’s Holiday Pizza Wreaths

If a flaky croissant and your favorite pizzeria had a baby, it would look and taste like these pizza bites. Made with buttery puff pastry and whatever toppings your heart desires, these little bites are crisp, gooey and absolutely impossible to stop eating. Think of these cutout pizza bites as a bagel bite upgrade. They are quick and easy to assemble, and they'll be a hit at your next party. —Elise Jesse, Cincinnati, Ohio