Lisa Kerhin “Serves Up” More Than Good Food
‘Feeding people’ seems to be mom blogger Lisa Kerhin’s specialty -- filling stomachs and filling souls. That seems to be the running theme in which this former military wife and mother’s life has evolved from and will continue to. It underscores her thriving recipe blog, Blogghetti, and it does so again in her recently acquired Bachelor’s Degree in Public Service.
As Lisa’s nourished the lives of others, she’s seemingly enriched her own in ways she is enormously proud of. And whether thirty minutes or thirty-plus years, Lisa remains true to form and her family, all of whom seem to be cut from the same cloth. She’s raised a bunch of “givers” folks and that’s not surprising. There isn’t anything artificial about this lady -- in ingredients or intentions. So how could her kids turn out anything but?
“Apples don’t fall far from trees" whether they fall on “Meatless Mondays” or not -- a statement you will fully understand once you read Lisa Kerhin’s interview below in combination with her blog.
What is your full name?
Lisa Kerhin
What is your personal mantra?
“Do unto others as you would have them to do to you.” I have always tried to live up to “The Golden Rule” (Matthew 7:12).
Be kind, be forgiving, be open-minded, love all without judgement or prejudice. In other words, treat others as you want to be treated.
Tell us about your life, including where you live, number of children and anything else you would like to share.
I lived most of my growing-up years in Pennsylvania, not far from historic Gettysburg and the best place on earth to get chocolate, Hershey! I married my middle-school sweetheart, Mark, and we’ve been together for 36 years (married 31 years). As a military spouse, I had to relocate an entire house, a cat, and two children numerous times in the 20-plus years my husband was in the Air Force. Along the journey, I learned that "home is in the heart"; it was never a specific place—as long as we were together, that’s what mattered.
We’re retired from all of that military life now and living in middle Georgia with our two daughters and the real princess of the family, our cat Fiona. My oldest daughter (26) is a neonatal nurse who is pursuing her master’s degree to become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. She is also my toughest critic when it comes to a new recipe creation! A recent graduate majoring in mass communications, my youngest (23) is on the hunt for her dream job, working with non-profit organizations. The youngest is also my “go-to” person when I need help with html coding and photo editing for Blogghetti or assisting in creating upcoming e-books. Needless to say, Mark and I are extremely proud of both of our girls.
Frequently, moms put their own educational goals on hold when they decide to focus on raising a family. I did. But, I recently went back to college to finish my bachelor’s degree in public services, which I intend to use in advocating for the importance of staying in school. Despite the hard work and long hours, the satisfaction I felt walking across that stage was all worth it.
Do you believe you have a “life’s purpose?” If so, share it.
I really think I came into my “life’s purpose” by accident and late in life. Up until about 15 years ago, I felt like my purpose was to be the best mother, wife, and person I could be. I remember the day I knew what I needed to be doing in life. I was working in the Adult Literacy department of our local technical college as an Admissions and Orientation Specialist, when one of our students came to register for GED graduation. She was so excited and thanked me for encouraging her to stick with the program and also to apply for college. Her GED was the first real thing she’d seen through to the end. She never thought she would have a future after dropping out of high school. There are others like her who have made a place in my heart, and one thing I tell them all is "to never give up"—it doesn’t matter how you got where you are now; the point is never to go back. Those students gave me more than they’ll ever know.
Finish this sentence, “The best part about being a mom is _____.”
The best part about being a mom is the never-ending love I feel for my girls as I watch them become amazing, independent women.
What is the name of your blog? When was it launched?
My blog is Blogghetti, the home of simple and delicious recipes for everyone. I launched Blogghetti in 2011 for the sole purpose of keeping all of my and my family’s favorite recipes in one place. So many cookbooks with notes in the margins and scraps of paper with recipes written on them were beginning to be too much. I really didn’t blog for others until about 2013, and it was not only to share with others my love of cooking but it became a much-needed outlet for the stress of going back to college. The name “Blogghetti” came from my wonderful best friend who apparently had already been thinking about this name for my food blog for quite some time.
What is the primary focus of your blog and what do you hope to accomplish through it?
Since the beginning of the blog, I have been posting recipes that are family favorites and simple to make. My primary focus is still on those simple and delicious recipes that aren’t going to take hours of prep or cooking time to get the meal on the table. Who has time for that in today’s busy world?! I want my readers to know that I get it—you don’t have time for that five-star recipe. You have limited time that would be better spent on your family, not slaving in the kitchen. I’ve prepared many of my recipes with my girls in the kitchen assisting me. Whether it’s just mixing a cookie batter or cooking a whole meal, they’ve been included in the process. We’ve made unforgettable and precious memories while they were learning life lessons and how to cook!
Blogghetti’s recipes range from 30-minute, one-pan meals to quick meals in the oven to slow cooker recipes that have dinner ready to go on the table when you come home from work. For sure, you’ll find sweet treats on Blogghetti as well. I mean, we all need a little something sweet from time to time!
List any awards you have won.
I haven’t won any awards…yet!
Are you a Brand Ambassador and if so, for which companies?
Currently, I am not a Brand Ambassador but I have a few in the works so…fingers crossed! There are a few brands for whom I’ve reviewed products or whose products I’ve showcased in a feature recipe. I have also been on a segment of the local morning news show promoting Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour 2015 and Red Gold Tomatoes (one of the concert’s sponsors) by dishing up his favorite casserole. It was quite a lot of fun!
Do you blog for other blogs or sites?
I have not guest blogged; however, I am a regular contributor to The Daily Meal’s Culinary Content Network. I have been a featured blogger there as well as on a few other sites. I’ve been involved in several collaborations with other bloggers such as campaigns for various charities or special recipe collections. From those recipe collections, a few of my recipes have made it into a couple of e-books. One of my goals this year is writing for and contributing to other sites more consistently.
Which social media outlet (such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pnterest, etc) do you find most useful?
This one is tough! I have more (loyal) followers on Twitter, but I seem to interact with readers more on Facebook as I can easily find other bloggers to learn from, and I can more easily share content to other groups that I may not reach with Twitter or Instagram. I use Instagram more now than ever and always use Pinterest to save recipes, tips, and ideas for my dream home.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to those who may be interested in beginning a blog?
When I first started to get serious about blogging, I didn’t know much; but what I have learned is that you must be consistent with every aspect of your blog. It is work—a lot of work. It’s not just “Oh, here’s a recipe.” It takes thought, planning, and many trials to get a recipe perfect. Then there’s the photography—ha! I am not a photographer by any means, but over the years, I have picked up tips to become better. Writing the post is really the easy part. It’s the social sharing that takes work to get your “goods” out there to be seen and shared. My best advice is to dedicate a period of time to work on your blog every day and be consistent. Oh, and have lots of coffee on hand!
Share the 2-3 blogs that you follow.
I have to limit this to 2-3 blogs?! Oh boy! Let’s see…
Are you an entrepreneur or professional beyond your blog (and outside of being a mom)? Please share.
Currently, I am on the hunt for my dream job using my recently acquired degree. I figure at my age, I can search for that one job that will be the rest of my life’s purpose instead of just a paycheck. Of course, that paycheck would be nice too.
Do you support – either formally or informally – a particular social cause?
I am passionate about the organization Cookies for Kids' Cancer and have participated in several campaigns with other bloggers to raise awareness and funds for the organization. I am actually part of a campaign in progress now with 3 brands to raise $3,000; and the brands will match us dollar-for-dollar. I also lend my time to my local community in the areas of education and literacy. In past years, I have volunteered with Girls Scouts, local schools, and the Air Force’s Family Services organizations.
When all is said and done, how do you want to be remembered?
I want to be remembered as a wife, mother, and friend. But more than that, I want to be remembered as the person who lived her life giving the best of herself to others, loving unconditionally, and always willing to lend a shoulder or hand. And a great recipe.
Whether cataloging recipes, blogging or performing a service designed to help others, Lisa Kerhin is fortifying lives alongside her own. That’s “empowerment” at its best minus the fancy packaging, which stands to reason as most things that are truly “good” need very little embellishment. Lisa Kerhin is one of them and so is Blogghetti.