Sellers enjoys serving family favorites

Marlee Sellers grew up in a bustling kitchen, learning from her mom, Leanne Deweese; her mamaw, the late Mary Jane Deweese; and her granny, Linda Willis. Over the years, she picked up a few cherished recipes and memories from each of them.

From her mom, she learned to make homemade chicken tenders and veggies, often served with Mexican cornbread, mashed potatoes, peas, or turnip greens. Her two grandmothers passed down family favorites like homemade biscuits and chicken and dumplings.

“There was a certain little pan I cooked with at my mamaw’s house,” Sellers said. “I would pretend that I was cooking eggs—it was something simple she let me scramble.”

After her mamaw passed away, her aunt Sharon gifted her that very same pan—a sentimental keepsake she treasures to this day.

Still, at her granny’s house, her family loves to gather in the spring and summertime for crawfish any chance they get.

Sellers said she didn’t really begin cooking until she started college at Mississippi State, sticking to modest meals like many students do. Today, life looks a bit different.

She’s been married to Jonathan Sellers for nearly nine years, and they have two sons, Baxter and Jaxson. Sellers works as a nurse practitioner at Neshoba Pediatrics.

“My favorite, that has become a staple recently, is bread pudding,” Sellers said. “I actually got the recipe from my sister-in-law, Reagan Sellers.”

Her bread pudding has become a popular request at church gatherings and work events, but at home, she leans on crockpot meals like Mississippi meatballs, which come in handy when her oldest son keeps her busy at the baseball park.

“My kids love my tacos, which is so simple, but it’s just what they love in this era of their lives,” she said.

Jonathan is known for grilling and making a great breakfast, but he especially enjoys when Marlee makes the chicken casserole that he grew up eating.

For her, the heart of cooking isn’t in the recipes or the exact portions—it’s in the people she’s feeding. “What I love most is just being able to provide for whoever I’m cooking for,” Sellers said.

MISSISSIPPI MEATBALLS

32 oz. bag frozen meatballs

1 oz. packet au jus gravy mix 

1 oz. packet ranch dressing mix

½ cup water

¼ cup pepperoncini juice (or beef broth)

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced

8 pepperoncini peppers

Place 32-ounce bag frozen meatballs into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Mix together 1 ounce packet au jus gravy mix, 1 ounce packet ranch dressing mix, 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup pepperoncini juice until combined.

Pour on top of the meatballs and stir so they are coated. Place 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced on top, scattered. Add 8 pepperoncini peppers.

Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, try and stir them every 30 minutes or so, so they don’t burn. Serve immediately with the drippings as a gravy over the meatballs.

LOADED POTATO SOUP

3 lbs. red potatoes

Chicken stock (enough to cover potatoes)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups half-and-half

4 cups milk

16 oz. Velveeta cheese, melted

3 cans Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup

2 tsp. Black pepper more or less, to taste

2 tsp. Garlic powder more or less, to taste

1 1/2 - 2 tsp hot sauce

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Fresh chives, chopped

Wash and scrub potatoes. Dry, and dice into 1/2" cubes. Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with chicken stock, bring to a boil. Boil for approximately 10 minutes, or until they are 3/4 of the way cooked.

Drain and set aside. In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, melt butter over MED heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Let flour mixture cook about 1-2 minutes.

Carefully pour in half and half and milk, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until liquid is smooth and starts to thicken slightly. Add in melted Velveeta cheese and whisk to combine. Add in the cans of cheddar cheese soup and whisk until everything is smooth.

Stir in hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder. Add in boiled potatoes, stir, and place lid on pot. Cook over LOW heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To Serve: Top individual servings with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and fresh chives.