Mississippi Magnolias

I was born and raised in the deep South in a house on a hill. My grandmother raised me in that magical house on the hill. It was over 100 years old, and was full of love, good food, laughter, and good ole southern ghost stories. My favorite tree stood in the front yard, a Magnolia tree. It had been there since before I was born and still stands today. My grandmother is a painter and a writer. She used to love to paint pictures of magnolias, and she taught me how to draw flowers when I was very young. The picture on my main page and below is her painting. (Much thanks for her permission to use it. Please do not copy.) A flower is still about the only thing I can draw other than stick people. The magnolia was always a constant in my life. Always standing tall and strong, yet the blooms were so delicate and fragile. The movie Steel Magnolias got it right. Southern women are both tough as nails and gentle and graceful all at the same time. Heck! Women in general are. It isn't just in the South. This is the essence of my grandmother. The magnolia will always be my symbol for her and all the other strong women I've encountered in my life. My grandmother is such a central part of who I am. This website is dedicated to her and also to my mother who passed in 1993. I did not get the painting/drawing gene. I did, however, get the writing gene. I've been writing creatively since I was old enough to do it. It comes natural to me. Thank you, Mamaw! Cooking, however, hasn't always come natural to me. I wasn't interested in it until my mid 30's. I am a self-taught cook, mostly, but really, I learned from the best. My teachers were some of the greats from Food Network. My favorites right now are Ree Drummond, Rachael Ray, and Trisha Yearwood. When I was young, I was too busy doing other things to pick my grandmother's brain for recipes and how to's in the kitchen. I wish I could turn back time, but I guess everything comes just right when it's supposed to. My purpose is to try out new recipes, maybe even create a few of my own and write about them. I believe food is about love. It's something I can create with love and give to my family. Southern food is known for being full of love, soul, and also things that are not so good for your body. Most of my recipes will be Southern food with healthy substitutes, but every once in a while my soul cries for something truly southern, and well, unhealthy. It's all about moderation for me. I hope you enjoy my journey as I explore different ways to bring love to the table. Peace, Love, and Chicken grease(or olive oil Lol)!

#food #cooking #southern #Family