About Mel

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Hi Y’all!

My name is Melody and I am the cook and blogger behind Meals With Mel. I’ve always had a bad habit of obsessively talking about my love of food and cooking, and in April 2014, thanks to the advice of a friend,  I started Meals With Mel and began my mostly spicy adventure in my Texas kitchen.

My philosophy in the kitchen has always been to add a bit of this, a dash of that, a splash of something doesn’t hurt, never forget some type of pepper,

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and always add at least one clove of garlic.

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Unless you are making Chicken With Forty Cloves of Garlic then you MUST add 40 cloves of garlic 🙂

I was born and raised in a small town just west of Ft.Worth, Texas and I’ve lived in the same county my whole life… What can I say, “There’s no place like home”.

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I love to travel and I’m always planning my next adventure.  My favorite place I’ve been is Southern France.

Hawaii
Paris, France
Sorento, Italy
The Island of Capri
Rome, Italy
St. Croix, U.S.V.I
Rome, Italy
Hawaii
Nice, France
Paris, France
Los Cabos, Mexico
Nice, France

I enjoy spending time in my little garden full of kitchen herbs, peppers, tomatoes, blackberry bushes, and every year I grow enough basil to feed a large city.

Blackberries
Poblano Pepper
Basil
Thyme, Oregano, Sage, Fennel, Rosemary, Chives, Texas Tarragon
Lavender
Tomatoes

I have a Cat named Jax who is rarely found upright…

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Even though I’m not a breakfast person if I had to choose one last meals it would be Southern Buttermilk Biscuits Smothered in Spicy Sausage Gravy. I don’t make it often but when I do I enjoy EVERY bite.

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I know this will come as a shock but my favorite food to eat is Mexican Food…

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Choosing between Enchiladas and Tacos is almost impossible.

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Although Mexican food is my favorite to eat my favorite food to make is Italian Food….

For dessert, I will always choose pie especially my Grandmother Coconut Cream Pie.

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Most of all I’m seriously a passion about cooking good food from scratch.

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These past two years have truly been an adventure and I’m looking forward for all the new things to come.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting my Texas kitchen!!!

Melody

63 thoughts on “About Mel”

  2. I do understand feeling you belong here. I felt that way and moved here nearly seven years ago. It is the home I always dreamed of. I don’t want to be anywhere else.
    Thank you for choosing to follow one of my blogs. I hope you will continue to enjoy the posts.

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  3. Mel,

    Love the recipes, writing and photography on your web. The margarita formula sounds perfect, especially with the ban on mixes and the addition of a little orange juice to sweeten things up, instead of using sugar. Hope you don’t move to France too soon, we need to keep your talents stateside.

    Phil
    Bellingham, WA

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    1. Thanks for the positive feedback Phil! Don’t worry as much as I truly do love South France, I can’t be away from Tex-Mex food for more than 3 weeks or I go slightly crazy 🙂

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    1. Thanks Doug 🙂

      I checked out Carnivore Confidential and I’m excited to learn about new cuts of meat to try out and different cooking methods!! I love the fact that you are a butcher and I really wish we could bring back the old mom and pop butcher shops in our small towns. Mega Mart meat is just not the same…

      Happy blogging!

      🙂

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  5. hi! and thanks for following my little corner of wordpress- i really appreciate it. glad to have found someone else who LOVES st germain- i usually get no further than adding it to champagne 🙂

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    1. Wow!! Thank you so much Tonya for nominating me for the Liebster award!! I gladly accept 🙂
      Hope all is well and you are enjoying the start of the holiday season.

      Thanks Again,
      Melody

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  8. Bonjour Mel! glad to have come across your blog… why?! because:”my heart truly belongs to South France…” – I live in Toulouse… and I also lived in Houston, TX(NASA-area) for 5 years! small world, indeed! 🙂 my very best, merry holidays and cheers! Mélanie

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  13. Hey there, it’s always nice to find someone from the south who loves to be in the kitchen. Although I don’t do a whole lot of cooking -when I cook I go all out – and I love to eat! I can’t wait to browse around and perhaps find some new things to try out. Long story short…. I’m ready to make some noise in the kitchen!!

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      2. Me too! My only disappointment was my husband would let me wear my dinosaur shirt I bought specifically for the movie… He said it was “embarrassing”. so what if the stegosaurus on the shirt glowed brightly in the dark movie theater. Ah well. 🙂

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  19. I found your site from a link on Stefans Gourmet Blog under Texas Chili. I was intrigued by his interest in Texas chili. Glad I clicked on it. Your blog was a nice surprise to find.

    I can completely understand how a Texan can love the south of France. My wife and I do too. We’re north of Houston go to France when we can. We enjoy Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées. Great folks, food and sights. We hope to live there for a few months in 2017. All the best and I’ll send along some things we make for you to try yourself. We just finished Creme Brûlée sous vide and an Angle Food cake from the leftover egg whites today! Fun in the kitchen together.
    Take Care.
    Cecil Brewer & Dawn Metzger

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Cecil 🙂

      I always love meeting a fellow Texan with a love of South France. I’ve never bee to the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France but would love to see it someday! And how exciting you and your wife might get to live there for a few months next year!! I love Creme Brûlée but have never made it sous vide before and you can never go wrong with angle food cake especially when it’s topped with whipped cream and strawberries 🙂
      Cheers to fun and the kitchen and getting to know you and your wife Dawn better!!

      Melody

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  20. Wow, another Texan who like Mexican and Italian foods and grew up outside of Fort Worth. I come from the North East side but now call Austin home. You’ve got a great blog! Congrats on your 2nd blogisversary 🙂

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    1. Glad to meet you guys too!!

      Finding another Texan that likes Mexican food is a really uncommon right 😉? I was down in the hill country (marble falls area) just last weekend and heading down to Fredericksburg this weekend. I love Austin and always enjoy eating my way through the city. I look forward to getting to know you both better!!

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    1. Hi Lisa 🙂
      Sorry I missed your comment a few weeks ago but thanks for stopping but my little piece of the blogging world. I’m Looking forward to following your adventures across Europe!!

      Happy Travels!!

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    1. Haha thanks for the Tag Tonya I’m looking forward to it :). And sorry for the tardiness in responding it has been a CRAZY busy past week but the good news is now its tome to relax. Hope all is going well with you guys!!

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  24. Nice to meet you, Melody! I just found your blog through Tonya’s 4th generation farm girl’s blog.
    You have a cool lovely blog here with many delicious tasty inviting recipes! I am off exploring them all! 😉

    Greetings from a foodie from Belgium! 🙂

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