GRIMES, Iowa — An Iowa cookie artist will be featured on The Christmas Cookie Challenge on Food Network next week.
Justina Rucinski is the owner of Sweetems Co by Justina , a home-based cookie company, where she makes literal art on her treats. Earlier this year, she received some national recognition when she was asked to join Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge.
“I remember when I got that call that I was officially casted, I was like nope we’re not going to get too excited… this isn’t real until I’m on the plane. And I get on the plane, and it still didn’t feel real. It was when we got on set. I started crying, I was like holy cow. The set was so magical,” she said.
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She learned how to bake when she was a little girl, and she frequently watched baking competitions on the Food Network.
“We came from a very poor background, and my mom was a single mom of seven kids, so we couldn’t afford to buy fancy baked goods. So, she would bake them and I always loved to bake with her,” said Rucinski.