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Kathy Woodside puts frosting on a batch of cookies in her Clarks Grove Kitchen in January. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Kathy Woodside frosts some sugar cookies at her home in January. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

The Woodsides said they plan to expand their gardens this year to allow for more of their canned garden products. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Kathy Woodside’s frosted sugar cookies were some of the initial products the couple started offering with K&J Kitchen. Provided

K&J Kitchen offered these cookie boxes in the time leading up to Valentine's Day. Provided

The business had puffed corn for sale close to Valentine's. Provided

The Woodsides recently started selling homemade dog biscuits in memory of one of their dogs that passed away. Provided

CLARKS GROVE — It started out with the cookies.

For years, Kathy Woodside has enjoyed making frosted sugar cookies for Christmas and other events.

With soft cookies and beautiful frosting decoration on the top, the people who ate them enjoyed eating them as much as she enjoyed making them.

Pretty soon she started getting people who wanted to buy them.

Around the same time, Kathy and her husband, Jon, said they had a rummage sale, and they decided to sell the cookies there.

They went “like hot cakes,” Jon said. Then came a request for Kathy to make cookies for a birthday.

One thing led to another and the Woodsides acquired a Minnesota cottage license, and K&J Kitchen was born. A cottage license authorizes them to produce and sell foods from their home kitchen, as long as they adhere to a series of rules.

While they can’t give their products to a store owner to sell for them, the Woodsides can sell their cookies and other baked goods at events at a store as long as they are present for the event as a vendor. They can also sell through other orders.

Since they first started, the Woodsides have started selling and making more than just the frosted sugar cookies they began with, however, though those are still popular.

They also offer a variety of other types of cookies, along with canned fresh garden produce, caramel puffcorn and a few special Norwegian favorites during the Christmas season — lefse, kringla, rosettes and krumkake.

“What we noticed, too, is people want homemade stuff,” she said. “It’s more natural, and there’s not the preservatives.”

The couple said during the Christmas holiday it was a challenge because of all the orders they received. With both Jon and Kathy working full-time jobs during the day, it became long days for both of them.

Kathy said every night in December, they would come home from work and get to work on their K&J Kitchen orders.

“Every single night — bake, bake, bake,” she said.

They said the business blew up a little more than they thought it would initially, but they have since implemented things to make the process run easier, including order forms.

“Making the cookies, it’s like a stress reliever almost,” she said. “It’s a creative outlet — like a hobby — that we get paid for.”

The canned goods come straight from their garden, and the couple cans together during the summer. They said they plan to expand their gardens this year to allow for more sales with the business. They make everything from pickles and salsas to jams and pepper jellies.

Recently, they expanded their offerings to include homemade dog biscuits made with eggs, pumpkin, whole wheat flour and peanut butter, another idea that the couple said has been met with excitement from their customers.

Called “Bella Biscuits,” they are named in memory of their dog Bella that recently passed away.

The couple said they love getting messages and photos about the friends and family who enjoyed their treats, so they can showcase the different kinds of celebrations that they are enjoyed.

“It truly is fun baking and making things for people’s special events,” Kathy said.

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