About Us

The concept of the Don’t Panic~ cooking method began a number of years ago when three career women quit their jobs to stay home with new babies.  Suddenly they found themselves home alone all day with increased stress, reduced household incomes, and limited amounts of time and energy.  It was not a developed method of cooking to be shared with others.  Rather, it was a means of survival that helped them through a tough time.

As they began sharing their unique concepts with friends, they realized that cooking the Don’t Panic~ way not only helped the three of them get dinner on the table for their families, but also addressed a universal need that most people struggle with on a regular basis.  They shared their cooking ideas with mothers and parents’ groups and were met with an overwhelmingly positive response.  Word traveled fast and soon they were speaking to hundreds of women’s groups across the country.

A lot has happened since this story began.  The first cookbook, Don’t Panic~ Dinner’s in the Freezer, has sold over 50,000 copies.   Bonnie, Susie, and Vanda have spoken to over 450 women’s groups and they are repeatedly asked for more recipe ideas.  Over time the idea has remained the same, because the need never changes.  What started out as a simple time-saving tool for these women has grown into a national movement.   

Bonnie Garcia

Susie Martinez

Vanda Howell

Bonnie  is a busy mother of three sons.  She works as a part-time pediatric nurse, where she enjoys working with newborns and their parents.  In her free time, she enjoys downhill skiing and reading.  An Iowa native, Bonnie has been married to her husband, Steve, for twenty-five years.  She is active in her local church, where her husband is the senior pastor.  After recent trips to Greece and Israel, Bonnie has discovered that she is hooked on international travel.  
Susie is a professional counselor with a private counseling practice in Lakewood, Colorado.  She is an Indiana native, has been married to her husband, Joe, for twenty-two years and has two teenage children.  Susie adores her family, her KitchenAid mixer, and her purple PT Cruiser.  In her free time, she enjoys shopping with her daughter, taking long walks, and home decorating.  Susie also struggles with a particular weakness for palm trees and white sandy beaches.
Vanda is a busy mom who works part-time as a kitchen design consultant.  She is absolutely in love with (a.k.a. addicted to) dark chocolate, espresso lattes and going to movies.  In her free time she enjoys gourmet cooking, gardening and wakeboarding with her husband and teenage son.  Vanda is a Denver native, and has been married to her husband, Mike, for twenty-seven years.