MaFF Monday #23: Meet Melissa of Served Up With Love

If both your son and your husband name the same recipe as their favorite, then you know it’s a special recipe for your family… and definitely one I’d want to try! Our featured Food-“e”-Friend for today, Melissa, says this is the case with her Taco Pie recipe, making it the one she’d recommend readers try first from her blog. She’s been making it for years and has had to adapt it to a casserole size to accommodate the healthy appetites of growing children! She says everyone who tries it enjoys it, and it’s the most requested meal from her family.

Her blog’s most popular recipe, Mile High Lemonade Pie, is also a sweet, moving tribute in memory of her first best friend, Katrina. You will be blessed by the special message and memories she shares about her friendship with Katrina, so please go over to her blog and read this story. A good friendship like this, I believe, is a gift that is not always easy to cultivate and does not always happen as naturally as it seems theirs did. Melissa has linked this recipe in our Star Recipes Collection.

More from Melissa, from Virginia, about her blog, Served Up With Love:

1) Tell us a little about the “birth” of your blog. How long have you been blogging and why did you decide to start?

I am fairly new to blogging as I just started back in March, however the desire to start it started over a year ago. I stumbled upon a couple of blogs and quickly became hooked. Southern Plate was the inspiration behind my blog; Christy Jordan captured my attention immediately with her stories and her food. She actually made me realize how much I loved to write and how much I missed it. You see when I was younger I always wanted to be a writer and even won a local essay contest about litter. I don’t remember what I won but it was a huge thing for me.

Through the years my love of cooking and food came to light. By reading Christy’s blog and how she shared a little about her self I began to wonder if I could do the same. Raising two kids and working full time doesn’t leave me much time for myself. My blog allows me to decompress and de-clutter my mind.

Another reason I wanted to start this blog was because all of my grandparents passed away when I was really young and I don’t remember those wonderful foods that my grandmothers used to cook. My parents who are the only two left between their parents and siblings share with me those foods that they remember. All of those recipes where lost with my grandparents so I search to try and duplicate those recipes and give them that little piece of their parents. My kitchen is where I am the happiest, giving of my heart for the ones I love.

2) What type of food do you enjoy cooking most and why?

I really enjoy baking… pretty much any dessert. This is usually what I bring to most family gatherings. Also, I live in Virginia so good ole comforting southern food would top that list as well.

3) What feature of your blog would you like most for us to know about?

Each recipe I try to tie that with a little tidbit of my life or a special memory. I really put my heart into my writing and my cooking.

Now, for your recipes or other food posts! If you are new, check out our Make a Food-“e”-Friend (MaFF) Monday page for more information on what this party is all about, specifics about how to link from your blog, and for more on how you can be a Featured Food-“e”-Friend in the future.

Just a few reminders before linking:

1) You can link a recipe or any type of food-related blog post (including giveaways or free food coupon offers). Make sure you use the URL for the actual post and not your blog (or those interested in what you are sharing may not be able to find it if it’s not your most recent post and will miss out on what you wanted to share!).

2) Don’t forget to link back to this potluck party, using either a text link or the button image. To make it easier:

A text link: Make a Food-“e”-Friend Monday

Button linking back to this week’s party (highlight, copy and paste into your post):

3) Most of all, have fun and be sure to check out anything that interests you that others have brought to the party. (How else will you make new Food-“e”-Friends?!)

I would love to make it around to every single link each week (but usually am unable to), and I always enjoy seeing the different things that are shared and check back when looking for new ideas.

(Link-up open through Wednesday):

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If you have a moment, be sure to check out our Christmas series, which will begin in September, and how you can be involved (you do not have to have a blog):

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About the Author

Adopted at age 2, grew up in the Charlotte, NC area. Obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Appalachian State University. Loves being a Mom of two and taste-testing Chef John's culinary creations and sharing them with readers.