Kimberly Schlapman

When I was a child, I pretended that I had my own cooking show. I would stand at the kitchen counter with an empty bowl and spoon and talk in a silly voice, explaining the concoction I was creating.

I need to have small morsels of sweets. If I have a day with the fam with a big family dinner, then I'll indulge... but then the next day or two I'll really be strict. I learned that from Dolly Parton, by the way!

When you sit down around the table, it's a great time to catch up and share and talk about the day, and I think that can keep families connected and together.

There is a tradition in Southern cooking of recipes handed down for generations. And when I make my grandmother's strawberry pie - she is gone on now - I feel her right with me.

My personal decorating style is cozy, romantic and a little rustic, with a sense of whimsy.