I was born in Montgomery, Louisiana which was a small country town with one red light crossing the main Highway 71. The town main source of income came from pulpwood or construction. My family was poor and I am the fourth child with my mother and father. I remember going to my grand and great grandparents for holidays and eventually ended up living with them for a while and my aunt so now we are in a house with eight children. We were poor but there was a lot of love in the home. Each month the families would get together and drive to another town for food which was government assistance. There were no food stamps and each family got a ration of food based on the size of the family.

                               

During the holidays, I remember my great grandmother making the best cakes and pies by hand there were no mixers and some had egg beaters. I remember the smell in the pie safe after the desserts were gone but the smell was still there. I remember watching my grandmother bake and I took a Home Economics class when I was fifteen. My grandmother was teaching me how to cook by taste but the class taught me how to measure my ingredients. I took a great interest in trying to be just like my grand mothers and my mother with the baking and when they were older it became my responsibility. Now the grandparents are gone but I continued the tradition of baking.

 

I lived in Houston, Texas for many years and when ever we got together s a family it was my mother and my responsibility to bake large pans of biscuits of the desserts for the family holidays. My specialty was Sweet Potato Pie, which is my favorite.

 

In 1994 we moved to South Carolina with Michelin North America. I attended a church and Mom and I agreed to bake Sweet Potato Pies and sell them for a church group. We got permission to bake them at the church because we had almost 100 pies and my home over was too small. We baked the pies and the amour was so loud the smell was all in the sanctuary and the members at Bible Study couldn’t wait to come see what smelled so good. That night we sold out of the pies and people places more orders and for the holidays. I was told the pies were only baked at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Every holiday people would place their orders and I saw a need and loved selling my baked goods.

 

September 10, 2001 my daughter Shelita was diagnosed with Bone Cancer on her left leg. I didn’t realize just how much that would change my life. I had just gotten her through college as a single parent and not when she should be enjoying her life she under going chemo treatments. She was in Texas and I in South Carolina and she was beginning to take an interest in baking and would call me for advice. After she passed away July 31, 2006, I vowed to never bake again and stopped.

 

Lailah was born in June of 2006 and when I returned home from burying my daughter she has been in my son’s Desmon and my life and helped us get through the tough times. I still had a few people wanting me to bake my pies and I started a pilot program. I figured out the exact recipe for my pies and begin selling it. The first person to purchase a bag was a man who had never baked before. He took my advice and baked two of the most beautiful Sweet Potato Pies I had ever seen. I knew then I was on to something.

 

In November of 2013 I was reading about Oprah Winfrey and noticed she had Sweet Potato Pie for dessert. I did my research and got her address and sent her a jar of my then names Sweet Potato Pie Mix. I was contacted by her staff and was told I would be featured on her Community of OWNers website. They also said they wanted to send me something in the mail. I was excited when I received the tee shirt from Oprah. Every time I am a vender I wear my shirt as part of my uniform.

 

I had friend purchasing the product in New York and begin telling me they were going to use the dry mixture in an Apple Pie and her Bar-b-que sauce. Lailah was seven I decided it was time to pass on my Nana skills to my little sweet girl. She acted as if it was meant for her so I decided to try a preserve baking skills in the family. I wanted it to be simple, quick, and after hearing Ellen DeGeneres say she was vegan; I did my research to find out what that meant. I did more research and discovered there was no other All-Purpose product in any grocery store or on the website. I realized was sitting on a goldmine. As I started going into the market passing out samples I listen to people needs. I need to make a Sugar-Free and a Gluten-Free.

 

I am currently selling my Ms. Lillian’s Louisiana Pie Spices market my product with the SAVVY reStyle Market and in the Farmers Markets. I’ve sent a sample of my product to the Bi-Lo grocery stores and other chain stores in the area.