Welcome to my world

Hello and welcome to Simply Sinful Dining! My name is Michelle and this is my very first ever blog. I love to cook. I love to bake. I love to write....sooo..Here I am. I've been cooking since I was about 9. I learned by watching my mother, grandmother and especially my great grandmother, Big Mama, cook and by asking questions. No fancy cooking classes for me..Lol. My memories of cooking with Big Mama are where I get my love of cooking and baking. Whenever the family drove out to visit her and my great grandfather in Riverside she would cook so much food and bake so many cakes and pies. The entire family would gain weight in the one week we were there every time. Southern fried chicken, greens picked from her garden outside, hot water cornbread, homemade pound cakes, sweet potato pies and ice cream. Summer’s there were magical. When I started cooking for my family I wanted them to be transported back to those times. I wanted my children to be able to put tastes and textures with the stories my family and I tell them about visiting Big Mama’s house and all the wonderful food we had. One of the biggest compliments anyone has ever given was from my youngest aunt before she passed. She told me that when she bit into my lemon pound cake she was immediately taken back to Big Mama’s house when we’d be in the kitchen in the middle of the night sneaking pieces of pound cake while everyone else slept. I was touched and continued to make even better tasting pound cake as the years went by. I’ve used what I learned as a child as the basis of how I cook and bake now. Now I make EVERYTHING. And if I haven’t tried it I will attempt it at least once. I love watching cooking shows and experimenting with new things. I always have ideas new for dishes and desserts. And thankfully I have no shortage of guinea pigs in all my loved ones. So far the consensus is “Mmmmm it was good”. Got to love them.  They were very helpful to be when I was perfecting my dessert recipes for my business. I’ve bake up a batch of lemon bars or brownies and then send out a mass text for tasters to everyone I know. First come, first served. I have never had leftovers. Ever. Some of these tasters have become regular customers. I love them all and appreciate them so much.

Now I’m enrolled in school for Professional Baking. I figured that since I spent over a decade doing something practical I’d try doing something I love. Going back to school at my age was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. I survived my first semester and came out of it with A’s in all my classes. I’m also building a customer base to start my own business. Big thangs happenin!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. Stay tuned and I promise, if nothing else, it’ll be interesting ;).

Make Life Delicious,

Michelle