Kimberly Schlapman

I'll tell you this: I will be committed wholeheartedly to Little Big Town as long as the Lord allows this ride to continue. And then I'll cook until way after people want to look at me.

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 family is my greatest priority, but I'm committed to Little Big Town, and I have to make that a priority also.

Oh, gosh, first of all, Paula Deen is my idol. I adore that woman. I got to be on her show a few months ago, and I'm telling you that was at the top of my bucket list.

My girl crush is Dolly Parton. I've never met her, but I keep wanting to run into her in a grocery story or something!

My hubby makes a mean salmon steak at the grill, but he leaves all the sides up to me. I love to grill and roast vegetables. I also experiment with baking instead of frying some things, like onion rings. I even make biscuits with coconut oil these days.

Sometimes it's hard to eat healthy on the road, especially on the days when we play fairs and festivals! There is lots of fried temptation there, and it's hard for this Southern girl to turn down some good fried food.

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 learned something through the experiences in my life, and that is that you never judge how someone may be reacting to a situation because you don't know what they may be going through. It's important that you treat people well, and I try to make people feel good about themselves always.

I like to take care of people, and I like to make sure that they're OK and happy.

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.

Luckily, I have my husband, who is Mr. Organized. Because I don't have that part of Martha Stewart in my body.

Growing up, I remember I had several different 45 singles. But the first album I received was from a family friend: Emmylou Harris' 'Roses In The Snow.' It was so incredible. This record, to this day, is the favorite album of my life.

As weird as it may seem, I enjoy doing laundry and watering my plants, very normal things like that.

Whenever anyone asked me what I'd do if I wasn't a singer, I'd say, 'Oh, I'd have a cooking show.'

My daughter loves to cook. At first, I found myself making her be really neat and precise. Then I realized it's OK if things get all over the floor and counters and ceiling. We're making memories.

In the South, I think, food mirrors our lives. When I was growing up, no matter what you were grieving or celebrating, my mama would be at the door with a cake or a pie.

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!

On the road, almost every day I'll do 100 squats, or sometimes I might do 50 squats and a bunch of leg lifts. I'll split them up right before I get in the shower and before I go to bed, or sometimes I'll do all 100 at once. Whatever I do, I try to get those in.

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

My favorite room in the house is my kitchen. It's definitely the heart and soul of our home. It's where we gather in the morning as a family to start the day, and it's where we wind down at night over supper.

It's so important in marriage to let the little things go and let the pride go. Forgiveness is so important, and communication. Don't major on the minors.

Southern food certainly carries a stereotype, but I feel like that's turning around a little. There are great Southern chefs who are finding ways to showcase our traditional recipes in deliciously healthy ways. For me, the key is to use fresh fruits and vegetables and cut some of the butter and fat without sacrificing the yumminess of the dish.

I like to do special things for people. Any time someone has a birthday, I make them a really special cake that they all seem to love - it's a Coca-Cola cake.