I don't claim to know all the ins and outs of food photography but I do know what I like. Through trial and error, I have learned what works for me and what I am satisfied with.

I do not have any do overs. What you see photographed here on this blog is what we actually eat and it is usually my plate. My kids are not about to wait for a photoshoot, they want their dinner when it is ready. I have usually about ten minutes tops to shoot the food and get it to them while it is hot and ready.


My photos are real life, what you see, is how I give it to my kids and family. The table is set, the food is arranged, I try to treat them to that four star experience. While, not every night is a picture perfect, blog worthy food dish, I do try to capture some things we try, I come up with so I can share.

I am so thankful to have been interviewed by a Mississippi magazine, Desoto Magazine. I was truly thankful that they contacted me about my food photography. It is just the motivation this mama of a growing up four needed. Nothing like that to help me to keep pushing forward.

Food has always been important to me, a way of showing my children that they are loved and worth it. And you can have anything, in moderation. I love what I do.

Thanks to all who support me, it does not go unnoticed.

*The magazine is available in Memphis, Olive Branch and northern Mississippi, even in Jackson, Mississippi and a few places in Louisiana and Arkansas. Check their website for where you can find it in print or online.

Here in the South during the holidays there are certain desserts that you just know will be at almost every family dinner. One of them is the must have, pecan pie.

Pecan trees are a'plenty here and while some make their way through heavily leaved yards and gather them, most of us resort to the grocery store for a bag or two of super expensive pecans already de-shelled.

When it comes to making red beans and rice, I do them two ways.  One is super easy using cocktail sausages, canned beans and gravy mix. The other uses traditional sausage, dried red beans, and tomatoes.

For this one, I used the latter method. It takes a bit longer because you have to slow cook the beans.

You will need:

1 bag of dry red beans
2-3 knorr chicken bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons of dried Italian seasoning
1 can of Rotel tomatoes with chiles
1 package of sausage links or bratwurst


In large pot rinse your dried beans and then fill with water. Mix in two Knorr cubes. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium.  Cook on medium for one hour, stirring to prevent sticking to the pot. Reduce heat to low and cook another hour.  Check the softness of the beans.  Cook until beans are tender and not chalky.

You can also cook your beans in a crockpot. Cook on low for about 4-6 hours.

The beans will make their own 'gravy' from cooking so long.

After beans are cooked, you can taste to make sure they have flavor. If not enough, add in one more Knorr cube. Cook until it is dissolved.

Slice your sausages and saute in skillet.



Place sausages and can of Rotel into the beans.

Serve over rice.

Just in time for the 4th of July, this simple southern classic is a sure win at your bbq!


I must admit...I am not a fan of potato salad. In fact, I have never tasted it until today. It is one of those things that makes me question if I am really Southern. I mean, who in their right Southern mind does NOT like potato salad? You only see it at every single potluck, party, office shindig, family reunion and gathering here! At any event, someone is sure to have a casserole dish full of this potato-ey tradition.

But here I am, posting a Southern Potato Salad recipe for a dear and awesome reader who requested it. I can't take the honors of making this because I sought the help of my number one cooking idol...my mom. I will say this, I tried it today and I liked it! Why oh why did I wait so long!?

At the end of July, I spent some time at my cousin's house in Georgia. Her husband is an amazing Southern chef who is just magic in the kitchen. While there, he made a host of things for me to try and of course, I was eager to sample. One night, he starting cutting up frozen biscuits. Not the refrigerated kind, but the homemade buttermilk biscuit kind. I sat at the counter and watched. Next thing I knew he had thrown them in the deep fryer and was serving them up to me covered in powdered sugar.

Oh. My.

They were little crispy balls of heaven. I told him when I left, I had to try my hand at making some using my simple biscuit recipe.

I do not have any step by step photos for this recipe because, I made them in a hurry. I was setting up and making food for a vintage tailgating shoot for Town and Gown Magazine here in Starkville. I knew I wanted these bad boys in the set up but the hustle and bustle meant, no time for step by steps.

Seriously, there is no need though. I have a biscuit recipe you can find here on my blog. Instead of flattening out the dough, you cut it into circles (I use a small mason jar or glass cup) then cut it into quarters.

With a pot full of vegetable oil on medium heat, pop your biscuits in. Remove when they are golden. Place on a paper towel to drain the grease. In a bowl, place your fried biscuits in and cover them with honey. Toss to evenly coat and there ya go!

These are the perfect little treats to serve at parties with small chicken tenders on a kabob or on a tray of their own. I love these.


To see more of this vintage tailgating set up and other recipes pick up your copy of Town and Gown if you are in Northern Mississippi.  Thank you to Catina Williams for helping with this set up and Sarah Vaughn and Sarah Hinton for helping bring what I saw in my head to life so I could shoot it. I had an idea and they helped make it happen. We all worked together, bringing in items and styled what I think is gorgeous!

Also, thank you to my friend, Joseph who made these perfect rustic chalkboards for me. You can find his shop on Etsy, he takes custom orders!

Being  a single and divorced mom of four means Mother's Day is usually spent with me doing all the cooking. Of course, I don't mind at all since cooking is something I love to do. I like to feed my family, plan something for them and the smiles on their faces knowing I made just a little extra effort is all the Mother's Day gift I need. That and of course the handmade cards from my kids...priceless.