Welcome to the Radiant Soul Sisters Podcast!
Episode #17
Today my guest is Lisa Clapp, Southern Cook & Author, Mama’s Always Right and Grannie’s Farm to Table
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If you want to read the transcript, check it out below:
Susan
Today is such an exciting day for two reasons. Number one, I am recording our first live edition or episode of the Radiant Soul Sister podcast. In addition, I have a guest that you are going to love. My dear friend Lisa Clapp, also the founder of Cookin’, Cuttin’ Up and Ceeping It Reall is joining me here today. Excited! Yes, I’m so, so glad to have you today. Thank you so much, Lisa, I have to tell our listeners how we met because it’s quite comical.
Lisa
Definitely. Yeah. Tell it all.
Susan
Are we sure? So Lisa and I are both farmers wives and our husbands were at a meeting. And the wives had been brought along with them. And it was an evening meeting. We happen to meet in a hotel room, but not just in the hotel room.The bathtub was the core, right? One of the farmers had taken the bathtub, filled it with ice and filled it with all kinds of beer and wine, whatever. And that is where we met. We were in the bathroom, reaching into the bathtub to grab our cold beverage of choice. Exactly. So that is how we met and ever since then, we have always enjoyed running into each other at different farmers events. And then as Lisa was building Cookin’, Cuttin’ Up and Ceeping It Real, I got to know her. And as I was building Huntsboro Hemp, she has also used those products and we’ve just continued to nourish our relationship there. So, listeners join in today and just glean whatever good from this episode of the Radiant Soul Sisters. As I mentioned, Lisa has built Cookin’, Cuttin’ Up and Ceeping It Real, which is her brand. She has a Facebook page that has over 320,000 followers.
Lisa
I don’t even know how it happened.
Susan
One listener at a time, one follower at a time. But listeners you heard me correctly. Her Facebook page has over 320,000 followers. They love her stories. They love her cooking. She just cooks from her heart and from what she serves a farm family.
Lisa
Exactly right, exactly.
Susan
So Lisa, tell us a little bit about building Cookin’, Cuttin’ Up and Ceeping It Real.
Lisa
Well it happened when my first son went to college. I was an empty nester for the first time and I love my kids and their friends. And they were always in and out of the kitchen. And so it kind of kept me abreast of what was going on with everybody. And boys galore because I have two boys. And I missed that. So I started sharing on my Facebook page, just a few recipes here and there. People really liked it. So I had another teenager that had been in and out of the house. And she actually helped me set up a page. And both of my boys were very supportive like mom, you should do that. You know. So that’s how it happened, just coincidentally.
Susan
Well, it started out coincidentally. And then I know you have put a lot of time and a lot of energy. Here’s what I know from being a follower of Cookin’, Cuttin’ Up and Ceeping It Real, is that the name describes it. The name describes, really can help you envision who Lisa is. When she’s in the kitchen she sometimes is in there in her t shirt and pajamas, doing what she does. That she’s cooking and she’s cooking for herself, she’s cooking for her family and she’s cooking for others. Oftentimes. The other thing Lisa does well on her page is she shares about her faith. She’s really real about that. There’s no pretension there. So, I believe in people looking for “realness.” And I say that in air quotes or quotes or Lisa, in people looking for “realness,” people looking for someone that can relate to that is definitely who you are.
Lisa
It is, I don’t consider myself to be any better than anyone else. And this page has given me such a great outlet of connection with people and creativity. And my viewers talk back and forth to each other. It’s like a big hen party that sets up in my kitchen and through social media. And I’ve learned a ton from them. Because they share back and forth. It’s been a really good experience.
Susan
I’ll give you a little story that I think is really funny or quite interesting. As I mentioned, Lisa loves Huntsboro Hemp products, specifically the bath bombs. And there was one time Lisa didn’t have time to hop on a video or whatever. And I was running a special and so I reached out to her and she said, just get on there and put a video up. And her followers had seen us before. But what was interesting because I was not in the video with Lisa, it was only me, some of her followers who had never seen me before, thought somebody had hijacked her page and was just trying to sell something. They’re like, oh, that’s not real. That’s not real. And I’m not really tickled at how your listeners were like, oh, we gotta let Lisa know. Yeah, it was just super cool. Because they are very connected. It’s not a following that just says something they are very connected to you.
Lisa
No and I know the tech word is follower, but I always say viewer because follower to me sounds a little bit, I don’t know, too serious. So my viewers are very loyal. They’re also very good friends, with me and other people on the page. I learned through COVID, how much people really want connection. And they want it with somebody they can relate to. So, that came natural for me. I’ve been doing this for nine years. So it was way before COVID that this transpired. So that has been a huge awakening for me how many women, especially women, and men, too, but especially women need that connection.
Susan
Right! I agree 100%, women are looking for great ways to truly be connected. So, listeners you’ve heard a little bit so just imagine this, Lisa was working outside of the home. She was raising two boys. One of them is a division one football player. She is married to a farmer. And I know a lot of you can’t really understand that. But during farm season, our husbands are gone from home 12 to 14 hours a day. So I always say after my children went to college, and I became an empty nester, I always say, I’m a pseudo single person during farm season because we spend a lot of time alone. Right, so you’ve got that going on. Right? And then you build Cookin’, Cuttin’Up and Ceeping It Real while all of this is going on. You know, I’m really big about work-life harmony. I don’t necessarily think there’s a thing as balanced. But in harmony, think about it like a symphony, you hear this beautiful music, right? But then sometimes an instrument goes out of tune. And when that happens, you aren’t in harmony, but it’s only for a measure, right? And then it comes back and creates this beautiful sound. How were you able to maintain any work life harmony, while doing all these things?
Lisa
Well to be honest with you, the keepin it real side of my blog, Facebook page allows me to film a lot of different things. So the keeping it real side sometimes when the kids were home, it was me going back and forth with the kids. But other people can relate to that because that’s real life. It is real life. So most of my filming has been real life stuff. What’s going on in the house. It wasn’t something that we orchestrated and gave everybody a part to play. So it all came about very authentically that way.
Susan
Yeah, that makes total sense to me, total sense.
Lisa
I think people are looking for real life situations because they’re, they’re living it themselves. It makes you feel connected and know that you’re not the only one that yells at your children about getting socks up on the floor.
Susan
Exactly, exactly. And you know, I knew with your son that has always played football, I know that you were a huge part of feeding the team when he was in high school. You know, feeding the team before the games and their times you just showed what was the chaos or all the stuff happening with that.
Lisa
Well and both of them played and we had a really good connection in the community. We got together as parents and decided to cook a meal pregame. So we cooked a meal every Friday and fed the team. Which was great fun, and I learned so much from those other women in the kitchen because they season things differently than I was used to, or vice versa. Yeah, so it was a great learning experience. And we were able to, you know, hang out with the boys. A little play involved.
Susan
Oh, that is super cool. Yeah. Um, another thing that I know about you that our listeners won’t know is that Lisa had a bucket list item. And she achieved this bucket list item. I’m gonna let her tell you what one of her dreams was and how this came about. And you know what her biggest takeaway from it was.
Lisa
I have always loved Paula Deen. I have watched her for years. And I learned a lot from her. And so on my blog, I would hold up the spatula that I had gotten in stores and I would say, you know, this, Paula Deen this or that. Well, one of her social media directors found my page because one of my viewers gave her my name. And so she invited me down for a book signing at Myrtle Beach. And I went and I was, I thought I had met Elvis like, I was emotional. I was like, oh, my gosh, I cannot believe this is happening. And then when I met her, I realized that she’s really just one of us. For like, she’s for real. And so she said, then she said, we’re going to cook together. And then she told her assistant, “Eddie, Eddie, get Lisa’s name and number we’re going to cook together.” I didn’t think another thing about it. During COVID and during quarantine, she reached out. And so we talked live on her page, and on my page, and again, we were like, we’ve got to get together. So after COVID broke, I got the opportunity to go to Savannah and cook with her. And it was, thankfully, I wasn’t emotional at that visit, because I was so emotional. But it was so much fun. And it was definitely like something I would have never dreamed of being able to do. But it happened because of Cookin’, Cuttin’ Up, and Ceeping It Real.
Susan
And through a connection that you just, you know, listeners, you don’t ever know who you are talking to that knows whom that you can connect with. Or that may be your dream person just to talk on the phone. You know, so when you’re genuine and authentic. They I think things like that happen, you know? Yes. And actually, I don’t know if Lisa remembers this or not, but I was at Lisa’s house, we were doing some videos and some promotion for Huntsboro Hemp about her house. And actually she got a text from Eddie while I was there. She was like hold on I’ve got to answer this.
Lisa
We fell in love with Eddie too. Like I took two friends with me. And we just fell in love with Eddie and Paula and the whole shebang. It was an amazing experience.
Susan
Amazing. So we’ve got one question left for Lisa that we’re going to ask in just a minute. But before we get there, Lisa would like to tell you how you can follow her or where to find her.
Lisa
Yes, I’m on Facebook at Cookin’, Cuttin’ Up and Ceeping It Real. It’s all C’s, no G’s. That’s the easiest way to say it right Cookin’, Cuttin’Up, and Ceeping It Real.
Susan
And Lisa, it will be in the show notes. So our listeners will be able to find it in the show notes. I’ll also tell you that Lisa has two cookbooks, correct?
Lisa
I do. I have Mama’s Always Right always right and I have Grannie’s Farm To Table. And they are available and you can see everything on me at CookinCuttinUp.com.
Susan
Okay, CookinCuttinUp.com. Yeah, once again, we will have all of that in the show notes. So the listeners will be able to find it. Oh my gosh, thank you so much. I just love having you here. But my last question would be this, Lisa. You know, Cookin’, Cuttin’ Up and Ceeping It Real, really for you happened. It happened for you out of trying to fill a need, right? So many times as women, we are looking for either that connection or to fill a need. I always say when I became an empty nester. I didn’t have any problems because you know what when we took our youngest to college, he came home and he went right back to the farm and was in heaven. Whereas I looked around and thought, who am I —
Lisa
And what am I supposed to do? What is my purpose?
Susan
Right? Because you know, being farm wives, we all both have worked outside of the home. But then again, we were at home taking care of our families. And so I will tell you, that’s how I have evolved over time since I became an empty nester and then also how this came up. So Lisa, what would be your biggest tip to someone who has that big dream in their heart or has become an empty nester and is looking for something to do that soul searching. What would be your tip?
Lisa
Well, I would say for sure to be authentically you. Number one, and I know that’s a broad term. But I shared my faith online as well, especially during COVID. And I was shocked at how many people need that connection of just honesty, and showing your own vulnerability. So I would say don’t be afraid to show your own vulnerability because there’s other people out there that have the exact same thing going. And as far as a dream goes, you should never let up on that. There’s always a way to channel that and, and I needed something to do when my kids went off to college because I was so used to being busy. And I like it. Like, I like having a project. I like being busy. I like taking care of other people. And food is my love language. So it just came naturally. But for someone who wants to start something like that, you just gotta go with it. You just gotta go with it.
Susan
You gotta go with it and be willing to mess up you know?
Lisa
And that’s part of the vulnerability online is, they see me drop a red velvet cake just right on the floor.
Susan
You know, off the top of my head I cannot think of an example of that. But when you are just putting yourself out there we all are messy right so I wondered had you dropped a cake or messed up a recipe it came out it tasted bad?
Lisa
Oh I messed up my grannie’s fried chicken and gravy because I left all the grease in the pan. After I fried all this chicken. I had enough gravy for about three counties. And the funny part of that is the people related to that, and that video, it still traveled. Because people were like, oh my gosh, look, she’s and that just happened. It was a happenstance thing.
Susan
Oh my gosh, that is so so funny and so true. You know, as I said, we all have messes in our life, right? So we can all share our stories because you might hear the same story from me and the story told exactly the same language from Lisa or a little bit different and it might resonate with us differently. You know, and it can give people encouragement. So I am so appreciative. Thank you. Thank you. So yes, we are live and if you enjoyed this episode of the Radiant Soul Sisters, be sure to follow me on all my socials at SusanCrewsCo. You can also reach out at SusanCrewsCo.com If you would like to schedule a time to chat. Till we meet again, I am Susan Crews, the host of the Radiant Soul Sisters and next time we will shine the light on another beautiful soul who is living their life on purpose, creating work life harmony and really excited about what they’re doing. Thanks again and have a great day!
