Mary Wells

Tuscaloosa

Digital Assistant Editor at Dotdash Meredith

University of Alabama Class of 2017

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Articles

10 Ways Kids Can Still Have An Old-Fashioned Summer In 2025

1 week ago | southernliving.com | Mary Wells

If you're a parent of babies or young children like me, your social media feed can be overwhelming, to put it mildly. There are stories of extreme medical situations you didn't know you should be afraid of (hello, hair tourniquets), hilariously relatable videos about toddlers and their various...quirks, mom shaming posts about screentime and carseats, and of course, there are the Pinterest Moms.
My Hometown's Famous Appetizer Is Proof That Good Recipes Don't Need To Be Complicated

1 week ago | southernliving.com | Mary Wells

From pineapple and mayonnaise sandwiches to tomato pie, "It sounds weird, but it works," can be said about plenty of beloved Southern dishes. That's certainly true for one of my favorite appetizer recipes, which was created and made famous right in my hometown of Mobile, Alabama. West Indies Salad, or West Indies as the locals say, might sound like an exotic dish, even tropical. It's neither. And because of its bland color palette, it's a food stylist's worst nightmare.
10 Of Grandma's Favorite No-Cook Recipes

1 week ago | southernliving.com | Mary Wells
Nearly 40 Years Later, My Mom Still Swears By Her Wedding Day Lipstick

2 weeks ago | southernliving.com | Mary Wells

"The one rule my Southern mama swears by: Do not under any circumstances leave the house without your lips on." That's how Senior Lifestyle Editor Ivy Odom opens this video that has more than 881,000 views and almost 2,000 comments (and growing) on Instagram. She might as well have been talking about my own mother, who is insistent on the same principle.
10 Of Grandma's Favorite Summer Desserts

2 weeks ago | southernliving.com | Mary Wells

Just like some people swap their bedding with the changing seasons, we rotate our recipes as well. Not only do we showcase the freshest produce, but we also utilize certain cooking methods more during certain times of the year. When we need new recipe inspiration, the first person we turn to is Grandma. This time around, we're revisiting Grandma's favorite summer desserts. From juicy fruit cobblers to no-bake icebox cakes, these vintage dessert recipes will delight at every summer event.
10 Of Grandma's Favorite Summer Desserts

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Mary Wells

Just like some people swap their bedding with the changing seasons, we rotate our recipes as well. Not only do we showcase the freshest produce, but we also utilize certain cooking methods more during certain times of the year. When we need new recipe inspiration, the first person we turn to is Grandma. This time around, we’re revisiting Grandma’s favorite summer desserts. From juicy fruit cobblers to no-bake icebox cakes, these vintage dessert recipes will delight at every summer event.
This Easy Weeknight Recipe Is So Good, I've Made It 2 Weeks Straight

2 weeks ago | southernliving.com | Mary Wells

My husband and I have been on the hunt for easy weeknight dinner recipes that are fast, at least semi-healthy, and will be gobbled up by our toddler without him asking for a "barbar" (granola bar) or "pow" (pouch) to eat instead. After recent success with a one-skillet stir-fry and a four-ingredient pasta, we're starting to build a mini recipe repository that's getting us out of our throw-it-all-on-a-sheet-pan rut. This week's recipe foray was the appropriately named Best Stuffed Peppers.
How My Late Grandmother Inspired My Go-To Dessert For Hosting

2 weeks ago | southernliving.com | Mary Wells

After being unable to gather for more than a year, Mother's Day 2021 was a very special day for my family. I was thrilled when my aunt asked if my husband and I could bring dessert to the brunch she was hosting for the occasion, where my paternal grandmother would be the matriarch star of the show. I knew my grandmother wasn't picky and would eat anything I showed up with, but I really wanted to impress her with something delicious.
These Extra Crispy 'Fries' Are The Best Way To Eat Your Veggies This Summer

3 weeks ago | southernliving.com | Mary Wells

One of my favorite things to do in the spring and summer is visit our local farmers' market. On our most recent trip, my husband and I came back with some gorgeous tomatoes for caprese salads, peaches for smoothies, and zucchini for...we weren't quite sure. I can't resist a good deal, and one of the booths had gorgeous summer squash for a great price. "We'll find something to do with it!" I said.
My Husband Refuses To Follow Recipes-Until He Tried This 20-Minute Skillet Dinner

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Mary Wells

My husband is the main cook in our household. It’s not that I’m a bad cook; he’s just a better one. And though my type-A self prefers to follow a recipe, he does not. He says it’s easier and saves time to ditch the rule book, and that’s not always wrong…but it’s not always correct, either. This week, we found ourselves with some extra broccoli we needed to cook, so I said, “I’ll find a recipe to use it up!” Begrudgingly, he agreed. This Easy Beef And Broccoli Stir-Fry was the chosen enemy.