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About Best Ever Cookie Collection

Welcome to my brother Pete's and my Virtual Cookie Shop!

We are committed to creating the best resource on the web for all things cookies—with the best cookie recipes, lots of cookie baking information and tips, reviews of our favorite cookie products, cookie gift and party ideas, and so much more.

We are also working to create a community for cookie lovers everywhere to share their recipes, cookie tips, and happy cookie memories. Because most importantly of all, cookies are for sharing!

So, while you might think the name of our site is a bit arrogant, it was never meant to come across that way. We just followed the wisdom of beginning with the end in mind—and while are are not there yet, it is our clear intention to someday be the "Go To" site on the web for All Things Cookies—a complete resource for cookie bakers and cookie lovers.

Martha McKinnon - Resident Cookie Expert

Martha McKinnon - Resident Cookie Expert

I'm Martha and I currently write most of the content you read here on Best-Ever-Cookie-Collection.com.

I'm the resident cookie baker, which my friends and family seem to appreciate. Our kitchen smells of sugar, spice, vanilla, and chocolate on a regular basis. I love the smell of baking cookies. It's the best kind of aromatherapy available today!

I've enjoyed being in the kitchen since I was a kid and was always more at home there or on the couch reading a good book. My Mom and Dad were continually directing me to get my butt outside, but sports and tag (or whatever the other kids were doing out there) never held much appeal.

I now enjoy taking walks and sitting outside with a good book, but don't ask me to take a hike, play golf, or run a marathon—I'm just not interested.

I didn't set out wanting a website. When I was a kid the Internet didn't even exist!

I went to the library and typed my college papers—not on a laptop computer—but on an electric typewriter! That was cutting edge for its time!

I became a Health Information Manager. I worked in the field of medical records administration and had lots of different jobs in hospitals, clinics, and consulting companies. I won't bore you with the details. I made good money and was always gainfully employed, but I can't say I ever woke up excited about going to work!

I reached the point when I asked the questions, “Is this all there is?” and “Is this as good as it gets?”

Solo Build It!

I loved to cook and seriously thought about going to culinary school. In fact, I applied and was accepted. But I met friends who convinced met that it wasn't necessary, so I went to work in their little restaurant and catering business instead. I loved it but it was very hard work and extremely physically demanding and I'm not a teenager anymore.

As time went by, I still dreamed of—having my own restaurant or opening a bakeshop, or cooking school, or used cookbook shop. All of these businesses take a serious commitment of both time and money and are in conflict with another aspect of my nature, my desire for freedom.

When you own a restaurant or bakeshop you need to show up everyday. Vacations, holidays, and flying off to visit your family scattered around the country, takes a back seat to running your business.

I saw this up close and personal when my friend Colleen, who did go to culinary school, opened up the restaurant she had always dreamed of. I even worked for her part-time for several months. After four years of working 20-hour days she was totally exhausted and sold the business.

Molly doing yoga

Molly doing yoga

I've learned that doing what I love and having the freedom to set my own schedule is what's most important to me!

So, I went to massage school and yoga teacher training and now I work part-time providing those services.

That's Molly, one of my yoga students. In the summer I provide private yoga sessions from our summer home in Wisconsin. We're doing yoga on her dock. Pretty nice, huh?

While I love yoga and massage, neither of these satisfy my desire to share my passion for baking and cooking. That's where Best Ever Cookie Collection and my brother, Pete, come in.

Pete has a background in computers and has worked for several years as a website administrator for various companies. He's the technical expert in residence at Best Ever Cookie Collection, but he's also creative and loves cookies!

Pete likes his work a lot, but shares my desire for more freedom and control over his schedule and his life. He wants to work from home, or from the beach, or from the mountains just like I do.

He discovered Solo Build It!, also known as SBI, the system we use to build Best Ever Cookie Collection. Developed by Ken Evoy, SBI provides a step-by-step website solution for people who want assistance with all the ins and outs of creating a successful website.

There are lots of facets to this and SBI guides you through the process systematically and logically. It's like having a comprehensive “website cookbook!”

There are thousands of successful SBI websites. The underlying premise is that anyone can be successful, even those without a lot of technical knowledge, can have a quality website with great content.

The key is to build your website on a topic that you are interested or knowledgeable about, provide high quality information that others are seeking, attract loyal supporters and then create various streams of revenue from it by providing advertising, selling products or services, offering memberships, etc.

I'm so glad Peter discovered SBI and told me about it. I love working in partnership with Pete and am so excited about all the potential having our own website provides.

We are still a long way from where we want to be, but our traffic continues to grow each month and a tiny stream of revenue is beginning to trickle in.

Slowly and steadily we are building a quality business that will eventually work for us—instead of being caught in that cycle of being employed and exchanging hours of our lives for dollars from an employer—for the rest of our lives.

This is something I've always believed was possible, but didn't know how to achieve until SBI. Just reading about others' SBI success stories brings a smile to my face and makes me happy for them and excited about our future.

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Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Right now I am excited to spend as much time as possible creating our virtual cookie shop. I literally jump out of bed each morning filled with enthusiasm.

I love identifying recipes, reading cookbooks, baking cookies, taking pictures, and spreading a little cookie joy.

Every day new ideas for Best Ever Cookie Collection pop into my head.

For me the kitchen will always be the heart of our home and a warm baked cookie, a symbol of comfort, love, and connection!


So there you have it—more about us than you ever probably wanted to know. What can I say, I can barely contain by enthusiasm for this site and SBI.

We'll continue to update this as our journey to create the best cookie website continues and while achieving personal and financial freedom progresses.

With love and cookies,
Martha & Peter

Solo Build It!